IMDb > The Merchant of Venice (2004)
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.
The Merchant of Venice (2004) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   12,646 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 30% in popularity this week. See why 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

NewsDesk:
(23 articles)

Shooting of Subotica's 'La Mula' Suspended
 (From IFTN. 3 November 2009, 11:29 PM, PST)

'Assassin's Creed 2' Achievements/Trophies Revealed
 (From MTV Multiplayer. 26 October 2009, 7:59 AM, PDT)

User Comments:

A great British movie more (139 total)


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:

Cate Blanchett was set to play Portia, but had to drop out at the last minute after discovering she was pregnant. more

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Approximately 0:02:50 into the film, camera equipment and a man with a black baseball cap w/white logo are seen on the left hand side of the frame. It's a very quick cutaway scene after a couple shots of the white balcony. more

Quotes:

Bassanio: For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Shylock: If every ducat in six thousand ducats were in six parts and every part a ducat, I would not draw them; I would have my bond.
more

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

With Wand'ring Steps more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
38 out of 66 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.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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