Jean-Louis Barrault

Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne

Marcello Mastroianni

Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt

Hanna Schygulla

Countess Sophie de la Borde

Harvey Keitel

Thomas Paine

Jean-Claude Brialy

Monsieur Jacob

Andréa Ferréol

Madame Adélaïde Gagnon

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Monsieur Sauce

Michel Vitold

De Florange

Laura Betti

Virginia Capacelli

Enzo Jannacci

Italian clown

Pierre Malet

Emile Delage, student revolutionary

Daniel Gélin

De Wendel

Hugues Quester

Jean-Louis Romeuf

Dora Doll

Nanette Precy

Caterina Boratto

Madame Faustine

Didi Perego

Madame Sauce

Évelyne

Agnès, Restif's daughter

Aline Mess

Marie-Madeleine, Sophie's servant

Claude Legros

Sergeant at St. Menehould

Vernon Dobtcheff

Judge at the confiscation

Ugo Fangareggi

Soldier Bertrand

Yves Collignon

Drouet, the postmaster

Maurice Jacquemont

Innkeeper at Chaintrix

Roger Trapp

Blacksmith at Meaux

Annie Belle

Prostitute with green stockings

Antonella Cancellieri

Michel Piccoli

King Louis XVI (uncredited)

Eléonore Hirt

Marie-Antoinette (uncredited)