william shakespeare the merchant of venice is about a jewish moneylender and his bond to extract a pound of flesh from the wealthy merchant antonio and the forfeiter of a debt. the jewish moneylender and of course and is shylock and he is given such a towering performance by al pacino that even outstanding actors like jeremy irons and joseph fiennes and and lynne collins fade into the background. the film is set in 16th century venice and director michael radford relies on setting and mood and and realism to tell its story and rejecting lavish period costumes or a modern setting with rock music to appeal to a wider audience. radford slices the play three hour length to a manageable two hours and eight minutes and also provides some historical background. in the opening narration and he tells us how jews came to england and were subject to increasing persecution and and eventually expelled from england. they were forbidden to own property and could make profits only by lending money at interest and and were forced to live in a venetian geto and a forerunner of darker events to come. in the film and the merchant antonio (jeremy irons) spits upon shylock in public and yet feels no shame in going to the usurer to borrow 3000 ducats to help his friend and suggested lover bassanio (joseph fiennes) to properly court portia (lynne collins) and a wealthy heiress. though shylock has been insulted by antonio and he agrees to loan the money without interest for three months on the condition that forfeiture of the bond grants him the right to exact a pound of flesh from antonio heart. the play is primarily a drama of hatred and revenge and but like many of shakespeare works there are touches of broad comedy as well. here the comedy involves three pairs of lovers represent bassanio and portia and gratiano and bassanio friend and and nerissa and and lorenzo and another friend of bassanio and and jessica and shylock daughter. portia has offered herself to the person who can pick the right treasure from one of three boxes and made of gold and silver and and lead. the prince of morocco chooses the one of gold and the prince of aragon the one of silver and both are disappointed. bassanio and however and loves her for herself and opens the leaden casket to find the portrait within. radford adaptation conveys a remarkable feeling for time and place. portia residence at belmont suggests one of those splendid summer homes complete with immaculate gardens and art treasures hanging in every room and contrasts well with the grungy look of shylock city with its dank alleyways. when it becomes clear that antonio cannot repay the debt and bassanio returns to venice and leaving portia behind. when he arrives and the loan is in default and shylock is demanding his pound of flesh. even when bassanio and backed by portia wealth and offers many times the amount in repayment and shylock is intent on revenge not only for the loss of the money but for a lifetime of outsider status. the duke and who sits in judgment and will not intervene as portia enters in the guise as a lawyer to defend antonio. it is here that the film reaches its dramatic heights as all parties come to court to achieve a final resolution. the merchant of venice is not only about an unpaid debt but also about the estrangement of jews from christian society and their desire for belonging. it has been one of shakespeare most controversial plays and analysts have debated for a long time whether it is an anti semitic play or simply a play about anti semitism that reflects the prevalent view of christian society in elizabethan england. although shylock is definitely a caricature and he is an ambiguous figure and there are many indications that shakespeare views his flaws as human failings and not jewish ones. the duke recognizes that he is simply a man who has failed to adhere to the compassionate language of the torah. in the monologue and i am a jew. hath not a jew eyes. if you prick us and do we not bleed. if you tickle us and do we not laugh. if you poison us and do we not die. and if you wrong us and shall we not revenge. and shylock shows a universal humanity and expressing the equality of all men. though we are horrified at the sentence he wishes to carry out and we can feel his pain accumulated over the years. pacino performance brings new vigor to the text and his often over the top persona is replaced with a gentler and more understated demeanor that brings understanding to his cause. during a toronto international film festival interview last september and radford said about pacino and when you work with a brilliant actor and you have a great machine. it a bit like driving a powerful car. you have to dare to do it. he has dared and we are all the beneficiaries. 
william shakespeare the merchant of venice is about a jewish moneylender and his bond to extract a pound of flesh from the wealthy merchant antonio and the forfeiter of a debt. the jewish moneylender and of course and is shylock and he is given such a towering performance by al pacino that even outstanding actors like jeremy irons and joseph fiennes and and lynne collins fade into the background. the film is set in 16th century venice and director michael radford relies on setting and mood and and realism to tell its story and rejecting lavish period costumes or a modern setting with rock music to appeal to a wider audience. radford slices the play three hour length to a manageable two hours and eight minutes and also provides some historical background. in the opening narration and he tells us how jews came to england and were subject to increasing persecution and and eventually expelled from england. they were forbidden to own property and could make profits only by lending money at interest and and were forced to live in a venetian geto and a forerunner of darker events to come. in the film and the merchant antonio (jeremy irons) spits upon shylock in public and yet feels no shame in going to the usurer to borrow 3000 ducats to help his friend and suggested lover bassanio (joseph fiennes) to properly court portia (lynne collins) and a wealthy heiress. though shylock has been insulted by antonio and he agrees to loan the money without interest for three months on the condition that forfeiture of the bond grants him the right to exact a pound of flesh from antonio heart. the play is primarily a drama of hatred and revenge and but like many of shakespeare works there are touches of broad comedy as well. here the comedy involves three pairs of lovers represent bassanio and portia and gratiano and bassanio friend and and nerissa and and lorenzo and another friend of bassanio and and jessica and shylock daughter. portia has offered herself to the person who can pick the right treasure from one of three boxes and made of gold and silver and and lead. the prince of morocco chooses the one of gold and the prince of aragon the one of silver and both are disappointed. bassanio and however and loves her for herself and opens the leaden casket to find the portrait within. radford adaptation conveys a remarkable feeling for time and place. portia residence at belmont suggests one of those splendid summer homes complete with immaculate gardens and art treasures hanging in every room and contrasts well with the grungy look of shylock city with its dank alleyways. when it becomes clear that antonio cannot repay the debt and bassanio returns to venice and leaving portia behind. when he arrives and the loan is in default and shylock is demanding his pound of flesh. even when bassanio and backed by portia wealth and offers many times the amount in repayment and shylock is intent on revenge not only for the loss of the money but for a lifetime of outsider status. the duke and who sits in judgment and will not intervene as portia enters in the guise as a lawyer to defend antonio. it is here that the film reaches its dramatic heights as all parties come to court to achieve a final resolution. the merchant of venice is not only about an unpaid debt but also about the estrangement of jews from christian society and their desire for belonging. it has been one of shakespeare most controversial plays and analysts have debated for a long time whether it is an anti semitic play or simply a play about anti semitism that reflects the prevalent view of christian society in elizabethan england. although shylock is definitely a caricature and he is an ambiguous figure and there are many indications that shakespeare views his flaws as human failings and not jewish ones. the duke recognizes that he is simply a man who has failed to adhere to the compassionate language of the torah. in the monologue and i am a jew. hath not a jew eyes. if you prick us and do we not bleed. if you tickle us and do we not laugh. if you poison us and do we not die. and if you wrong us and shall we not revenge. and shylock shows a universal humanity and expressing the equality of all men. though we are horrified at the sentence he wishes to carry out and we can feel his pain accumulated over the years. pacino performance brings new vigor to the text and his often over the top persona is replaced with a gentler and more understated demeanor that brings understanding to his cause. during a toronto international film festival interview last september and radford said about pacino and when you work with a brilliant actor and you have a great machine. it a bit like driving a powerful car. you have to dare to do it. he has dared and we are all the beneficiaries. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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