Eine Nacht in Venedig (1953)

The Duke of Urbino’s reputation as a womanizer has faded somewhat: he is no longer young, though he is still not entirely harmless in every respect. So, for his official visit during Carnival, the senators of Venice decide to present him with a choice assortment of well-aged beauties and more mature vintages. But the Duke has already set his sights on the young wife of Senator Delagua, whose beauty he has heard about. The Senator, however, is also aware of the Duke’s tastes, and pulls out all the stops to get his Barbara safely into the convent on Murano. Barbara is not pleased about this, since she wants to spend Carnival with her lover, Enrico. So she sends her half-sister Annina, who is engaged to Caramello, the Duke’s valet, to the convent in her place. Caramello, who fails to recognize the masked Annina, takes her for Mrs. Delagua, abducts her, and brings her to the Duke. He is delighted, unlike Caramello, who has by now recognized his fiancée and wants to rescue her from the Duke’s clutches. He even has to make a tremendous effort not to slip with his razor near the Duke’s throat while shaving him. But murder out of jealousy turns out to be unnecessary. The Senator himself brings the Duke a substitute Mrs. Delagua No. 2 so as not to lose his favor. No. 2 is played by the housemaid Ciboletta, but she is no more genuine than No. 1. The Duke is now somewhat confused, and his confusion grows when Mrs. Delagua No. 3 suddenly appears. This time she really is the genuine article, and everyone involved agrees that it is time to unmask and put an end to the confusion.