The Merchant of Venice

Set in 16th century Venice, Bassanio is the typical Elizabethan lover and aristocrat--young, impulsive, romantic--whose lavish lifestyle has left him deep in debt and desperately in love with the fair Portia of Belmont. But to win her hand, he must prove his worth. To prove his worth, he must not only raise money he doesn't have, but he must also correctly solve the riddle of matrimony bequeathed by Portia's late father. Determined to call Portia his bride, Bassanio employs the support of his dear friend Antonio, a successful merchant residing in Venice. But Antonio is short of resources and must use his credit for a loan. This loan comes in the form of Shylock, a Jewish loan shark who, like all his people, is forced to live in "getos" and has limited access to the city. Antonio has publicly denounced Shylock and other Jews for their practice of usury, and consistently hurts their business by offering loans with no interest. This set of circumstances, along with the persecution of Jews

Rating

R

Release Year

2004

Duration

02:11

Genres

Drama

Director

Michael Radford

Cast

Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes