The Merchant of Venice (2004)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Michael Radford

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Michael Radford (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 December 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

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.

Plot Keywords:

Merchant | Jew | Loan | Love | Christian

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Shylock
Jeremy Irons	...	Antonio
Joseph Fiennes	...	Bassanio
Lynn Collins	...	Portia
Zuleikha Robinson	...	Jessica
Kris Marshall	...	Gratiano
Charlie Cox	...	Lorenzo
Heather Goldenhersh	...	Nerissa
Mackenzie Crook	...	Launcelot Gobbo
John Sessions	...	Salerio
Gregor Fisher	...	Solanio
Ron Cook	...	Old Gobbo
Allan Corduner	...	Tubal
Anton Rodgers	...	The Duke
David Harewood	...	Prince of Morocco
Antonio Gil	...	Aragon (as Antonio Gil-Martinez)
Al Weaver	...	Stephano
Norbert Konne	...	Doctor Bellario
Marc Maes	...	Cush (as Marc Maas)
Jean-François Wolff	...	German Count
Pieter Riemens	...	English Baron
Stéphan Koziak	...	Soldier
Tom Leick	...	French Nobleman
Jules Werner	...	Franciscan Friar
Tony Schiena	...	Leonardo
Julian Nest	...	Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stéphane Fragili	...	Venetian Nobleman (uncredited)
Paul Rockenbrod	...	Venetian Nobleman (uncredited)
Ben Whishaw	...	Servant to Portia (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Radford

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)
Michael Radford		(screenplay)

Produced by
Andreas Bajohra	....	post-production producer
Cary Brokaw	....	producer
Michael Cowan	....	producer (as Michael Lionello Cowan)
Jimmy de Brabant	....	co-producer
Edwige Fenech	....	co-producer
Nigel Goldsack	....	co-producer
Gary Hamilton	....	co-executive producer
Michael Hammer	....	executive producer
Peter James	....	executive producer
Robert Jones	....	executive producer
Pete Maggi	....	co-executive producer
Alex Marshall	....	executive producer
Luciano Martino	....	co-producer
Barry Navidi	....	producer
Jason Piette	....	producer
Bob Portal	....	post-production producer
Jean-Claude Schlim	....	line producer: Luxembourg
James Simpson	....	executive producer
Julia Verdin	....	co-executive producer
Clive Waldron	....	associate producer
Clive Waldron	....	line producer
Manfred Wilde	....	executive producer
Roberto Almagià	....	assistant producer (uncredited)
Federico Demontis	....	assistant executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Jocelyn Pook

Cinematography by
Benoît Delhomme

Film Editing by
Lucia Zucchetti

Casting by
Sharon Howard-Field

Production Design by
Bruno Rubeo

Art Direction by
Jon Bunker
Tamara Marini

Set Decoration by
Gillie Delap

Costume Design by
Sammy Sheldon

Makeup Department
Anna Brangaitis	....	hair stylist: Luxembourg
Anna Brangaitis	....	makeup artist: Luxembourg
Ann Buchanan	....	hair designer
Ann Buchanan	....	makeup designer
Nuala Conway	....	hair stylist: Italy
Nuala Conway	....	makeup artist: Itlay
Aurélie Elich	....	makeup artist
Lorraine Hill	....	hair stylist
Lorraine Hill	....	makeup artist
Josy Howard	....	hair stylist
Josy Howard	....	makeup artist
Claudine Moureaud	....	hair stylist: Luxembourg
Claudine Moureaud	....	makeup artist: Luxembourg
Helen Speyer	....	hair stylist
Helen Speyer	....	makeup artist
Xanthia White	....	hair stylist
Xanthia White	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Luca Fortunato Asquini	....	unit manager
Tommaso Dabala	....	unit manager
Ragna Arny Larusdottir	....	production manager: Luxembourg
Philip James Morgan	....	unit manager: Luxembourg
Rosanna Roditi	....	production manager: Italy
Elena Zokas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emilie Cherpitel	....	second assistant director
John Dodds	....	first assistant director
Stefan Magnusson	....	third assistant director
Carlo Paramidani	....	second second assistant director: Italy
Jim Probyn	....	third assistant director: Luxembourg
Christopher Rose	....	first assistant director
Jordan Stone	....	first assistant director: Italy
Andrei von Kamarowsky	....	trainee assistant director: Luxembourg

Art Department
Alex Aitkin	....	head plasterer
Benoît Bechet	....	draftsman
Matteo Bertelli	....	painter
Klaus Bienen	....	carpenter
Tracey Curtis	....	modeller
Paolo Cusin	....	buyer
Paolo Cusin	....	property assistant
Paolo Cusin	....	props
Manuel Demoulling	....	assistant set decorator
Ron Downing	....	property master
Tomislav Findrik	....	storyboard artist
Nicola Gomiero	....	property assistant
Toby Hawkes	....	modeller
Neil Hearfield	....	painter
Malin Lindholm	....	stand-by art director
John Maher	....	construction manager
Tamara Marini	....	art director: Italy
François Mast	....	carpenter
David Orlandelli	....	storyboard artist
Edouard Pallardy	....	painter decorator
Julie Philpott	....	draughtsman
Yair Popritkin	....	props
Manu Poupard	....	chargehand stand-by props
Barbara Prati	....	painter
Olivier Printz	....	assistant property master
Lorenzo Sartor	....	carpenter
Fabrice Spelta	....	draughtsperson
Otfried Suppin	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	dubbing mixer
Tim Alban	....	foley supervisor
Antonia Bates	....	dialogue editor
Richard Davey	....	dubbing mixer
Richard Davey	....	second re-recording engineer
Paul Davies	....	supervising sound editor
Anthony Faust	....	adr mixer
Jack Gillies	....	assistant sound editor
Alain Goniva	....	boom operator
Christian Koefoed	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kondal	....	assistant dialogue editor
Haresh Patel	....	foley editor
Andre Schmidt	....	supervising dialogue editor
Brian Simmons	....	sound mixer
Lionel Strutt	....	adr coordinator

Special Effects by
Tiberio Angeloni	....	special effects
Alain Couty	....	special effects coordinator
Franco Galiano	....	special effects
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Lawrence Michael	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Tim Baxter	....	film recording
Neil Culley	....	digital artist
Sean Farrow	....	visual effects supervisor (as Sean H. Farrow)
David Gibbons	....	digital artist
Mick Harper	....	digital artist
Barrie Hemsley	....	visual effects producer
Sarah Hemsley	....	production and operations
Richard Higham	....	digital artist
Robin Huffer	....	digital artist
Tim Jones	....	digital artist
Simon Leech	....	digital artist
Warren J. Mills	....	digital I/O
Alberto Montañés	....	digital artist
Nick New	....	digital artist
Jeff North	....	digital artist
Anna Panton	....	visual effects coordinator
Dylan Penhale	....	digital systems manager
Rupert Smith	....	production and operations
Paul Tuersley	....	digital artist

Stunts
Andy Bennett	....	stunt arranger
Andy Bennett	....	stunts
Steve Griffin	....	stunt coordinator
Rob Hunt	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Werner Bacciu	....	key grip: Italy
Etienne Braun	....	still photographer
Sonny Burdis	....	best boy
Hélène Coker	....	video assist operator
Guillaume De Esteban	....	film loader
Gilbert Degrand	....	electrician
Kevin Dresse	....	electrician
Ingo Gardner	....	balloon light technician
Cristiano Giavedoni	....	co-gaffer
Max Jacoby	....	clapper loader: "b" camera
Max Jacoby	....	clapper loader: second unit
Graham Johnston	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Graham Johnston	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Oliver Krupke	....	electrician
Martin Neuse	....	electrician
Elvis Pasqual	....	electrician
Thierry Ramanana	....	grip
Jako Raybaut	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jako Raybaut	....	cinematographer: second unit
Jean-François Roqueplo	....	head key grip
David Smith	....	gaffer
Théodore Theodorides	....	clapper loader: "a" camera
Stéphane Thiry	....	grip
Dean Thompson	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera

Casting Department
Abigail Barbier	....	adr voice casting
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Tiziana Kinkela	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frieda Basso Boccabella	....	wardrobe trainee
Catherine Buyse Dian	....	wardrobe supervisor
Charlotte-Rose Kay	....	assistant costume designer
Anna Kovacevic	....	key costumer
David Otzen	....	costume assistant
Katia Scarpa	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Pani Ahmadi-Moore	....	first assistant editor
Perry Gibbs	....	colorist: mastering
Alec Gibson	....	color timer
Eddy Kolkiewicz	....	negative cutter
Alexandra Kosevic	....	post-production coordinator
Andrew Robinson	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Harvey Brough	....	additional score arranger
Harvey Brough	....	associate music producer
Jake Jackson	....	assistant score mixing engineer
Jake Jackson	....	score recordist
Haresh Patel	....	music editor
Jocelyn Pook	....	music producer
Robert Prizeman	....	choir director
John Sachs	....	music supervisor
Hilary Skewes	....	musician contractor
Nick Wollage	....	score mixing engineer
Nick Wollage	....	score recordist

Transportation Department
Luca Fortunato Asquini	....	transportation manager: Italy
Alessandra Asta	....	transportation assistant
Svet Hrouchoff	....	additional driver
Simon Jones	....	driver: Al Pacino, UK
Gaby Meyers	....	facility/truck driver
Francois Muller	....	truck driver
Gary Sharp	....	driver: cast
Kevan Willis	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Denver Beattie	....	assistant: Al Pacino, Italy
Bob Bellion	....	financial manager
Nicky Bell	....	assistant: Mr. Radford
Shirine Best	....	development assistant
Corrina Bonicelli	....	technical advisor
Alexandre Brown	....	production assistant
Fabrizio Cerato	....	location manager
Deborah Cesana	....	set runner
Erasmo Colucci	....	co-accountant
Veronica Coppola	....	assistant production coordinator
Lou Crisa	....	special assistant and security: Mr. Pacino
Warren Demer	....	assistant accountant
Bernardo Galli	....	assistant accountant: Italy
Judy Geletko	....	administrator: Avenue Pictures
Geoffrey Goodman	....	assistant: Mr. Brokaw
Matteo Gottardis	....	unit manager assistant: Italy
Nicole Gregory	....	unit publicist
Monica Hayford	....	assistant to producer: UK
Mel Hider	....	assistant: Mr. Cowan and Mr. Piette
Patrick Hoffmann	....	production assistant
Polly Hope	....	assistant production coordinator
Brittany Hymore	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino, Italy
Tim Judge	....	executive assistant: Mr. Pacino
Patricia Kretschmer	....	assistant: Mr. De Brabant, Luxembourg
Antonella Longato	....	production assistant
Roberto Longobardi	....	production accountant
Nadia Mattera	....	assistant: Mr. Navidi
Jack Murphy	....	movement coach
Pascale Noël	....	location assistant
Alessandro Palestro	....	set production assistant
Jessica Reavis	....	stand-in
Laurence Rexter-Baker	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino, Luxembourg
David Morais Rocas	....	location assistant
Debbie Rothstein	....	legal assistant
Andrea Santuari	....	production assistant
Adelaide Scardino	....	assistant: Mr. Brokaw
Shalom Shabazi	....	poet
Emma Short	....	assistant production accountant
Lucy Shuttleworth	....	development executive
Mannes Steve	....	location trainee
Anita Tomaselli	....	production coordinator: Italy
Sophie Treacher	....	production coordinator: Luxembourg
Emma Tweed	....	assistant: Mr. Radford
Tim Van Rellim	....	production executive
Stephane Wasila	....	location manager
Beverly Winston	....	script supervisor
Federico Demontis	....	assistant to co-executive producer (uncredited)
Pietro Dioni	....	assistant to co-executive producer (uncredited)

Thanks
Marlon Brando	....	special thanks
Danny Huston	....	special thanks
Radica Jovicic	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Spice Factory (as Spice Factory Production)
• UK Film Council (in association with)
• Film Fund Luxembourg
• Delux Productions
• Immagine e Cinema
• Istituto Luce
• Avenue Pictures Productions (as Cary Brokaw/Avenue Pictures)
• Navidi-Wilde Productions Ltd. (as Navidi-Wilde)
• 39 McLaren St. Sydney
• Dania Film

Distributors

• Movision (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (rights)
• Arclight Films (2004) (worldwide rights) (all media)
• New Films International (2004) (non-USA) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Art Port (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distributors (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Blue Sky Film Distribution (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• CDI Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Istituto Luce (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Zima Entertainment (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Blue Sky Media (2006) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Califórnia Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Senate Visual Effects, The (visual effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lab  camera and lighting equipment
• ARRI Lab  film lab
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded and mixed at (as Air Lyndhurst, London)
• Alf Service  balloon lighting: Italy (as Alf Service S.r.l., Florence, Italy)
• Angels the Costumiers  costumes
• Artistic Theatrical Footwear  costumes
• Bollux  grip rentals
• Boom Post Production  sound re-recording
• Capital FX  end roller
• Clarity Post Production Sound  foley recording
• Clarity Post Production Sound  sound post-production
• Cornejo  costumes (as Sastreria Cornejo S.A.)
• Costumi d'Arte  costumes (as Costumi d'Arte, Roma)
• Decca Records  soundtrack published by
• Deluxe  colour
• Donna Daniels Public Relations  publicity
• Farm Group, The  high-definition digital mastering
• Film & Television Facilities  facility vehicles
• Independent Media Support  subtitling and captioning
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Libera  choir
• Location Consulting & Facilities  facilities vehicles
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  editing facilities: production
• Mayflower Studios  adr recording
• Mayflower Studios  sound post-production
• Nicolao Atelier  costumes (as Nicolao Atelier, Venezia)
• Offline Editing Company, The  post-production facilities
• Reel Skill  negative cutting (as Reel Skill Film Cutting)
• Senate Visual Effects, The  title sequence
• Tirelli Costumi  costumes (as Tirelli Costuma, Roma)
• UMG Soundtracks  soundtrack published by

Also Known As:

Il mercante di Venezia (Italy)
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (USA) (complete title)

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

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Mexico:B | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | Peru:14 | Brazil:14 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-7 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

Company:

Spice Factory

Trivia:

The bare-breasted prostitutes were not put in the film to make it more risqué, but rather to add a note of historical authenticity. Venetian law at the time required all prostitutes to bare their breasts because the Christian authorities were concerned about rampant homosexuality in their city.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Basanio and his entourage are walking with Portia to inspect the chests they pass a pond with a black swan. Black swans are from Australia and weren't known to Europe until after their discovery in western Australia by Dutch explorers in 1697. The Merchant of Venice takes place more than 100 years earlier.

Quotes:

Antonio: Repent but you that you shall lose your friend, And he repents not that he pays your debt; For if the Jew do cut but deep enough, I'll pay it presently with all my heart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'Merchant of Venice': Shakespeare Through the Lens (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

How Sweet the Moonlight

When a director doesn't understand the script.

Watching this movie and then listening to the commentary, it's clear that Michael Radford doesn't understand this play. The first clue that he fails to fully grasp the work is that he takes pains to set the film in seventeenth-century Venice. Which sounds truly odd, yes, that misunderstanding the film would mean trying to make it as accurate to its location as possible. But anyone who's studied Shakespeare knows that, while he set most of his plays in exotic locals, the culture and values are always contemporary England. This doesn't hurt the film, but it displays a lack of necessary knowledge.

Where Radford kills the film is in making it so dead serious. He manages to suck every joke out of the script, leaving the whole production flat. Every ounce of passion is beaten out of the characters. Even Shylock's 'Do we not bleed' speech is a mild, awkward ranting from a choleric who seems to only be saying and doing what he does because he's supposed to. The lovers are solemn and far too restrained (Joseph Fiennes delivers some of the most romantic lines in the cinema this year in a barely audible whisper), Gratiano (who has to promise to behave at one point) is more sober and collected than Bassiano (who makes him promise to behave), Jessica is reluctant to leave her father and spends her life with Lorenzo pouting.

In the commentary for the bland and watered-down court scene, the director voices his shock that an audience laughed at Portia's 'A pound of flesh, no more, no less' sentence; ultimately concluding that it had to tension release laughter. 'The Merchant of Venice' is a comedy and Radford scoffs at the idea that the most absurd and hysterical portions of the story are anything but the most daringly provocative drama.

The film has no intelligible focus, yet cuts out some of the most entertaining scenes. The characters are forced into high drama veils, so they come out sounding like Ibsen characters reading Victorian poetry. And the comedic ending, where all of the good guys go to bed happy, is drowned in a dignified despair that feels like they're finding stiff- upper-lip peace with impending death, rather than reconciling with lovers. Even Lancelot and Antonio exit the film holding their hats like aristocratic mourners.

The film is poorly done because the creative powers that be don't understand the script. It is stern where it should hysterical. It is reserved where it should be passionate. It is Michael Radford where it should be William Shakespeare.