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The Merchant of Venice
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The Merchant of Venice (2004) More at IMDbPro »

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The Merchant of Venice (2004) -- In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead.

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   11,923 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 27% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Michael Radford
Writers:
William Shakespeare (play)
Michael Radford (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Merchant of Venice on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 December 2004 (UK) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 5 nominations more
User Comments:
A great British movie more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Il mercante di Venezia (Italy)
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (USA) (complete title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for some nudity.
Runtime:
138 min | Finland:134 min
Country:
USA | Italy | Luxembourg | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Company:
Spice Factory more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ian McKellen was set to play Antonio, but had to drop at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Portia is wearing a different outfit when she goes to meet Bassanio for the first from what she was wearing when her servant announces that Bassanio is arriving. more
Quotes:
Bassanio: When I told you my state was nothing, I should then have told you that I was worse than nothing; for, indeed, I have engag'd myself to a dear friend, engag'd my friend to his mere enemy, to feed my means. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 'Merchant of Venice': Shakespeare Through the Lens (2005) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Song for Bassanio more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
37 out of 62 people found the following comment useful:-
A great British movie, 12 December 2004
Author: daniel-desilva from United Kingdom

One of William Shakespeare's finest plays is dramatically brought to the silver screen in all its splendor.

From the director of the film version of 1984, Michael Radford has created a masterpiece for everyone to enjoy time and time again.

With an outstanding cast that includes Al Pacino, (Shylock) Joseph Fiennes, (Bassanio) Jeremy Irons, (Antonio) Kris Marshall (Gratiano) and Lynn Collins, (Portia); this beautiful movie is a must see for every Shakespeare enthusiast.

The story is set in 15th century Britain when many Jews were sadly persecuted in the streets for no apparent reason. Bassanio with the help of Antonio visit a wealthy Jewish loan shark called Shylock and ask if they may borrow some money so Bassanio can visit his love, Portia. Shylock agrees but demands a pound of flesh from Antonio if he can not meet his strict payment demands.

A while later Antonio can not pay the loan and Shylock demands his pound of flesh. A ferocious court battle then takes place between the two men as Antonio's friends and family gather round to await his verdict.

This is a remarkable cinematic experience with the passionate Al Pacino at his best. Also look out for the rising young star, Kris Marshall from the hit, Love Actually. He played the part of Gratiano which such emotion and dignity.

This film, which will most certainly be up for Oscars, clearly demonstrates that Shakespeare can still entertain crowds centuries from his death.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Fishing with arrows in the end tobim13
Antonio and Bassanio ilovethechampagne
Antisemitism as everyday Elizabethan reality elenalange76
Um...OK movie? *SPOILERS* af7-2
stupid question AprilsFlower57
Jessica is by far the most despicable character in the play/film.. ross_farrar
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