John Malkovich originated the role of famed lover Giacomo Casanova on stage in The Giacomo Variations, a chamber play by Michael Struminger, that toured many European countries starting in 2014 before being adapted for the big screen. The film opens with an audience coming into the theater before the stage production, and there are scenes in which Malkovich plays himself. At one point he encounters a couple of fans backstage, including one who informs him that he was responsible for her sexual awakening. The line between character and actor becomes even murkier when we see the elderly Casanova writing his infamous memoirs, as a beautiful blonde woman who doesn't fall for his seductions longs to get her hands on the forbidden book.