THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (2004)

Cast

Plot

Bassanio, a young Venetian, needs a loan of 3,000 ducats so he can properly woo Portia, a wealthy heiress. To get the necessary funds, Bassanio approaches his friend Antonio, a merchant. Antonio's money, unfortunately, is invested in merchant ships that are presently at sea; however, to help Bassanio, Antonio arranges for a short-term loan from Shylock, a Jewish usurer. Shylock, who has been humiliated on a number of occasions by Antonio decides to teach him a lesson by striking a frightening bargain, the money must be repaid within three months or Shylock will exact a pound of flesh from Antonio. The merchant agrees, confident that his ships will return within the allotted period. Meanwhile, Bassanio travels to Belmont to undertake a test set by Portia's father to prove a suitor's worthiness, and Bassanio's friend Lorenzo elopes with Jessica, Shylock's daughter. Three months later and Antonio's ships are lost at sea and the loan is in default. Shylock, deranged by the loss of his daughter demands his pound of flesh. It is left to the Duke and the intervention of some youthful lawyers to decide the right cause of action. A sumptuous movie production of Shakespeare's play, with a fine cast (Pacino is mesmerising) squeezing every possible nuance from the great bard's complex story.