- Giacomo, what are you doing? - I do not want to forget the moment.
- Oh, what is it you are writing? - A manual on lovemaking.
Oh, can i see it?
Later, mi amore. Right now, we have work to do.
- My husband. - My fiancé.
Blasphemous fiend, you have gone too far.
This time, we will turn you over to the authorities.
Get him.
Don't let him get away.
- Good stroke. - Thanks. What's going on?
- I guess you haven't heard the news. - Getting married?
No.
Roberto gianini has agreed to play with the university's soccer team...
tonight in a charity fundraiser.
Bon giorno. Amazza right on...
bon giorno
the roberto gianini.
Yeah. You have no idea who that is, do you?
Not a clue.
He's on a book-signing tour of the united states before going back to...
italy for the world cup. President morris convinced him to play for us.
- What's his book? - H is autobiography, soccer's casanova.
You're serious?
Apart from being a playboy, he wants you to find a book he believes...
casanova wrote, his book of love.
Easy, easy. You've got to be careful.
- Are you who i think you are? - Who do you think i am?
- You know. - I'm afraid so. Roberto gianini.
God.
Grazia
president morris, i would hardly call casanova's book of love a relic.
That's for starters. As for him doing us a favour, he's here promoting his...
book. We're doing him a favour. For you to volunteer my services is...
completely out of line. N o. I would not like to come to your office to discuss this.
Why? Because i'm not even remotely interested in helping some...
egocentric soccer jock load another round of ammo in his,
i'ii... get back to you.
You are more beautiful than i was ever told.
- So you are a fan of casanova's? - masi.
What do you know about him?
What everyone else knows, that he is the world's greatest lover.
It would please me more than anything to find his legendary book of love.
- I see. Why? - Ex cuse me, i don't understand.
Why do you want to find it? It's basically a sex manual.
It's casanova's sex manual. How can anyone resist?
- I certainly would. - Really? Are you sure?
- Yes. - Really?
The book is only legend, roberto. It probably doesn't even exist.
Maybe. But if it does, i'm sure you can find it.
Did you just hear what i said?
My ears were not receiving. I was consumed with a stunning visual.
I have to be honest with you, roberto, this relic doesn't particularly interest me.
Sydney, please. I hate it when women say no to me.
You'll get used to it.
Currently, it's seven-fifty-five a. m. In milan. Temperature is 18ºc, 65ºf.
This exhibition of casanova in milano,
is going to show pieces that are over a hundred years old. Can you imagine?
- No. - I'm sure you can, sydney.
I really can't, roberto.
Of course not. Ah, my manager's not going to be pleased with me at all.
I was supposed to go home to do one of those cake ads.
- Cake? - You know, cake.
Beefcake.
Si, si. go ahead, feel it.
- That's okay. - It's very hard.
- I'm sure it is. - I work with weights, you know.
Great.
Now, don't be afraid. Touch it, feel it, do what you like. Go ahead.
I'm sure it's very hard but i just don't want to touch it.
I think you have a problem with intimacy, sydney.
I do not have a problem with intimacy, i just don't want to touch it.
You know, casanova's autobiography is fascinating.
- The history of my life. - That's right. You read it?
- I read it. - You read it?
- You didn't? - No.
Oh. What most people don't realise about casanova was that he was more...
- than a ladies man. H e was a poet. - That's right.
An artist, a novelist, a diplomat, even a spy. H e wasn't just a great lover,
he was a philosopher about love. Genuine love cannot ever be seen,
- the inscription on the title page. - That's right.
Kate, what are you doing here?
No, roberto, the question is what are you doing here?
We're supposed to be in rome.
I told you i was looking for the book of love.
I've worked hard for these endorsements. They're very lucrative.
Kate, this is important to me.
More important than your financial future?
I'm going to be fine. I've got money forever.
- How many years do you think you have left? - I'll deal.
What if you get hurt? They won't want your face on a cereal bo x if -
- kate, i don't want to talk about this. - N o, you never do.
Kate, i'm sorry. Please don't be angry. Who are you staying with?
- Your uncle again? The rich one, huh? - At least he treats me well.
Hey, look, here they come, the ones who are gonna help me find the book.
- Sydney, n igel, my manager kate crawley. - H ello.
- H i. - H i.
He played a great game for the university. Scored the winning goal.
Always does.
Kate doesn't share my passion for the book of love. I'll see you. ciao.
- I only want the best for him. - I understand.
This search, it comes at the expense of too many other things.
Look, the last thing i want to do is get in the way of his game, but...
he wants his book and it's our job now to find it.
- H opefully, you can do it quickly. - We'll try.
I'd appreciate that. So would his fans.
We'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible.
This is the most extensive casanova exhibit in fifty years.
Casanova studied medicine with dr. Gotzi in padua.
Fell in love with his little sister, bettina.
H is law degree.
Don't tell me he was a violinist as well.
In the orchestra of san samuel theatre.
From his spy period.
- Is there anything that he could not do? - Maintain a healthy, mature relationship.
- What incident was this? - One can only imagine.
- A monk, how curious. - looks more like a peeping tom.
Well, i still don't see any reference or clue to his book of love.
N o.
Signor gianini. ciao. is there anything i can do for you, sir?
- I'm sure there is. - I, i mean regarding the exhibit.
Ah, can you tell me if there's anything about casanova's book of love?
Yes, everybody asks about that, but there's really no proof that he ever...
wrote such a book. So i'm afraid you'll have to learn about it some other way.
If you insist.
Casanova yes, everything casanova wanted everybody to know about his...
life and his loves he wrote in his autobiography and the original...
- handwritten text is right over there. - The original?
Yes, it's done in his own hand.
Grazia.
It's in old italian, a vernacular particular to venice in the 1700's.
- Genuine love cannot ever be seen. - What is it?
Well, the inscription's translated incorrectly. It's not genuine love...
cannot ever be seen, that's idiomatic translation. The literal translation is,
true love is invisible to the naked eye.
H ad to be naked in there somewhere. I want a closer look at this manuscript.
Attention, ladies and gentlemen, the museum is now closing for lunch.
We will reopen in one hour at two-o'clock. Thank you.
In his book, casanova mentions that he delivered secret messages in invisible ink,
while he was spying.
You think he wrote something in invisible ink?
I don't know, but that quote sure got me curious.
True love is invisible to the naked eye, then there's this.
Look at all the space between the lines.
H ow do we check it?
Well, in casanova's time, he would have used lemon juice to reactivate...
the ink. I wouldn't take that chance. Paper's too old. We need something ultraviolet.
The machine they use to scan currency to check the watermark.
- I think i have it. Oh... too much garlic. - Shh.
My dear, my dear friend, umberto.
If you are reading this message? Message...
if you're reading this message, then i am no longer, no longer of this earth.
- Nigel. - What?
The italians, although notorious for long lunches, do have to come back some time.
Well, i'm doing my best, okay? My 17 th century italian is just...
- a little rusty. - Just hurry.
My beloved book is in the garage. Garage? Oh, the garden, the garden.
- The garden of... - earthly delights.
- Yes. - That's that painting we saw.
Go there, go there and, and introduce yourself to isabella.
Isabella?
And she will give it to you. Close the garden, seal it with a, with a last...
kiss and go upstairs and, and toast my life, with a gilded rose.
There.
- ciao. - Ciao... anna?
- como esta? - H ow are you doing?
Does the term, gilded rose, mean anything to you?
- Gilded rose? - Yes, it's a drink.
Drink?
Yes, well, casanova, when he would travel, he returned from the far east...
so he brought back star annas, gave it to a bartender, one of his favourite...
cafes, and that's what he called it. It was his favourite.
The café?
Oh, ah, café biagio, yes it's still there.
Does it look the same?
Oh, no, no, it's completely redone. I must go. ciao.
Completely redone.
Well the clue says to get the gilded rose upstairs from the garden.
Maybe they didn't redo what was underneath.
Let's hope.
Okay, i know i promised i'd be back today, but we almost find the book.
Look, i'll call you back. I call you back, ciao, ciao.
Hey, bella, grazia. Well, to great minds.
- Pure hearts - h ard bodies.
Salua.
- Well, i guess it's an acquired taste. - Indeed.
All right, the message said u mberto was to come upstairs...
- when he got the book. - So that means we must go downstairs.
We can't very well just explore their basement.
No, but we certainly have the right to use the toilet.
And that is no doubt in the basement.
Grazia
- grazia. - Grazia.
- Bon giorno. - Bon giorno.
Well, this is more like it.
There's, there's some kind of fresco behind here. Anything?
Well, maybe. Let's move this up.
Nice catch.
Thanks. You know, i used to play a bit of soccer myself. The exhilaration...
of watching the ball slam into the back of the net - never leaves you, no...
matter how many times you, score. Yes. Right. Right, yes.
- Thank you, roberto, i'm fine now. - Why are you afraid of me?
- I'm not afraid of you. - I think you are.
- I'm glad you think you know me so well. - I will not disappoint you.
I think we should get back to what we were doing.
Of course.
Look at this. Something in here.
Sealed with a kiss?
Nothing.
What are you looking for?
Usually there's a latch or a lever some thing hidden that opens the entrance.
She's so beautiful. She's so beautiful.
Roberto, please.
You've got to be kidding me.
You have to admit it's original.
This is where casanova did his best work.
Well, the next part of the message says to find isabella, introduce yourself...
- to her, and she will give you the book. - Who is isabella?
Maybe one of casanova's lovers.
Introduce yourself to isabella.
All right. H ello, i'm n igel.
Me bella isabell, buena sera.
What are you doing?
Casanova's book of love.
H is life secrets of making love to women.
It's going to be fascinating read, i'm sure. Don't you think?
- Not really interested. - No?
No.
You, you're not even in the slightest bit curious?
- Not really. - Oh. Oh, i think they are.
Sydney!
You got the book. You got the book. H ah!
I didn't even see them coming. I'm so sorry, roberto.
I'm going to go call kate. I'm sure she'll be quite happy to hear about this.
I was this close. I had it in my hands. It's not like you, syd'.
- I must be jet-lagged. - You don't get jet-lagged.
I blew it, okay? Let's just drop it.
Right. You think the guys from the basement are working with the guy on the scooter?
They had to be. They knew exactly what they were looking for. That's why the...
guy in the suit took off. H e knew somebody else would mop up after him.
They must have followed us from the museum to the café.
Did you see the tattoo on his arm? Yeah, some kind of snake.
I've seen it before. I can't remember where.
She's leaving. H er uncle's driver is taking her to the airport.
She wouldn't even talk to me.
You can't let her leave like this, roberto.
- Why not? - Because she's in love with you.
- Kate? - Yes, very much so.
How do you know?
You don't need a book for some things. Don't let her leave like this.
- Why are we stopping? - Afraid your flight's been delayed.
Kate, i can't let you go. I know you're very angry and it's my fault and i'm...
sorry. Why don't we talk about this over lunch? Just you and me and,
kate, what are you doing with the book of love? You stole it. You did it.
My understanding is you never actually had possession.
- Kate, how could you do this? - How could you do this?
- Do what? - You know.
- I don't know. - You must know.
- I don't know. - You don't know?
- No, no. - Then take your damn book. You deserve it.
Kate, after everything i've done for you.
What you've done for me?
- uh huh. - what have you done for me?
- I've done lots of things for you. Yes. - Do you want to know what i've done?
- Yes. Yes. - Do you really want to know what you've done?
Taken me for granted, without as much as a simple thank-you.
- I love women. - You love yourself.
I'm told it's quite healthy to be in love with yourself.
You're a spoiled, arrogant brat.
You're impossible.
I know that. But why did you steal my book?
If you can't figure it out, you don't deserve to know.
Oh.
My god. Oh my god.
- What's going on? - Nothing.
I knew it could be done.
God.
Coming.
Is there a problem? What's that?
Um, it's it it's a long story.
Sydney, what are you doing?
- You've got to be kidding me. - Tag team match.
Kate. Kate. Kate.
- She was angry. - We, we got that.
She stole the book for reasons that are not clear to me.
- Sounds pretty clear to me. - Really?
She's trying to get your attention, any way she can.
- Well, at least we have the book. - N ot exactly, roberto.
What do you mean?
That she blew it. Three guys just took off in a beige sports car.
- They grabbed it. - Again?
- It was ah, was unavoidable. - Mama mia, we're lost.
But maybe not. I think i remember where i saw the snake before.
When casanova was alive, he constantly challenged the religious and social...
morals of the day. As a result, he became the target of a tremendous...
amount of prejudice.
So the monk in the picture represents the church.
Yes, that's right, the church. Well, the church as well as a zealous group...
of monks. They called themselves the brothers of eden.
And this snake must be the serpent from the garden of eden?
Yes, that's right. You see, the monks, they dedicated themselves to...
destroying the evil they felt that adam and eve had brought to the world,
especially the sin of sexuality.
Sexuality is not a sin. It's a thing of beauty and wonder.
The brothers must've had a hard time with casanova.
Yes, yes, hard, hard time. They tormented him and eventually he had...
- to flee italy to escape them. - What became of the brothers?
They maintain their monastery in milano. They were purged once, they defied...
the vatican's orders once too often. But now, basically, they're a small,
quiet, peaceful order, dedicated to caring for the poor.
Quiet order dedicated to taking care of the poor, huh?
The guys who stole the book from me were driving that car.
Leopards don't often change their spots.
Casanova's book is in there somewhere.
Perhaps, but how are we going to get inside?
- Would it help if i distract the monks? - It's a good start.
- Where exactly are we going? - I have no idea.
There's got to be some way out of here.
A bunch of guys in bathrobes just don't disappear.
Maybe the snake is the key.
It's always something like a snake or a minotaur or an eight-legged horse,
- seeing monkey, three-headed pig. - N igel.
- Sorry. What are you doing? - Candle wax.
The monks had candles.
- Very good. - Thanks.
It's like a museum of the erotic in here.
I think this is how madonna got started.
What do you think this is for?
I have no idea. Well, i might have one or two ideas.
Well, i guess we're stuck here, wherever here is.
- Interesting toy store you've got here. - They are the work of the devil.
U h-huh. So what are you doing with them?
They are icons of corruption and immorality.
U h-huh. So you steal them and stash them.
- Yes. - And then what?
Exorcise them.
Of course. I'm just curious, what do you do with all the issues of, say,
playboy, penthouse, not to mention all those really nasty ones?
Lusty leather girls. I, i, i was told it was particularly vulgar.
- Let's not forget all those adult videos. - Adult book stores.
H ave i mentioned the world wide web? N ow, that's huge.
And then there's all that grey stuff. Is is art? Is it porn? Stuff that...
- gets into museums and art galleries. - You've got your work cut out for you.
The things in here are from the past. From a time when the world did not...
know the evil they represent, because that evil is so powerful,
they are our only concern.
So you're a kind of like special interest sect.
The book will be ex orcised. It will remain sealed in this chamber forever.
I'm afraid the same must be done to you as well.
Oh, i don't think so.
Oh!
Bon giorno.
I was surprised when i got your message. I was sure you never wanted to see me again.
Now that i have the book.
I never mix business with pleasure, but now that work is done, i have to admit...
i've become quite fond of you. You know what i mean?
- Ah, of course. - So what shall we do about it?
- Excuse me? - Shall i get the bill?
No, no, no, no, no. I don't think this would be good for me and you.
Oh.
No, no, no, no, no, no. It's, it's nothing about you, sydney it's just I...
roberto, the book of love isn't going to magically make...
you into some great lover.
No, but i already am. I mean, the book is just for finer points,
to hone my skill and...
it's tough living up to your reputation. Isn't it?
It's a joke, isn't it?
N o, it makes you more human. And even sexier.
I don't believe you.
The mind and the heart are the body's two most erogenous zones.
Any man who doesn't love with those parts of himself...
- can never be a great lover. - You believe that?
U h-huh. Know what else i believe? You and kate can make antony and...
cleopatra look like amateurs.
- Si. - Why don't you go to her. Go.
- Grazia. Ciao. - Ciao. Roberto...
ciao.
The book.
Got our tickets.
Good, good.
Give me that book.
- Give me the book. - Nigel.
Give me the book.
- What's wrong with you? - Nothing. H ave you seen the asprin?
On my desk.
What happened?
- I said nothing. - Page sixty-seven?
Don't be ridiculous. It was page seventy-two, i believe.
Well, you wouldn't happen to know where the book is now, would you?
I promised morris the museum could have it for a month.
Well, the last time i saw it was on your desk.
It's not there now.
Well, it can't just have got up and walked away. You lock your office...
every night and the only people who have a key are you, me and... oh.
- Could you explain something to me? - No.