The Merchant of Venice Movie Review 2004

Antonio (Irons) makes a deal with calculating moneylender Shylock (Pacino) to help his friend Bassanio (Fiennes) gain the hand of fair Portia (Collins). When the deal goes south, Shylock demands a pound of flesh from Antonio's breast and it's up to Portia, disguised as a young lawyer, to save him. Lavish, but subtle, take on Shakespeare's classic comedy. Pacino takes care to make Shylock as sympathetic as possible; and director Radford places the play's overt racism in historical context, making the play feel less viciously anti-semitic than usual.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on DVD
Running time 138 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Plays to Film: William Shakespeare, Widows & Widowers, Period Piece: 16th Century, Venice, Judaism, Revenge, Gender Bending, Law & Lawyers, Order in the Court

Screenplay

Michael Radford

Cast

Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Zuleikha Robinson, Kris Marshall, Heather Goldenhersch, John Sessions, Mackenzie Crook, Gregor Fisher, Ron Cook, Allan Corduner, Anton Rodgers, Lynn Collins, Charlie Cox

Cinematography

Benoit Delhomme

Director

Michael Radford

Music

Jocelyn Pook

Other

Brian Simmons, Paul Davies, Lucia Zucchetti, Sammy Sheldon, Bruno Rubeo

Producer

Cary Brokaw, Barry Navidi, Jason Piette, Michael Cowan, Spice Factory, Sony Pictures Classics