The Merchant of Venice

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The Merchant of Venice is a 2004 romantic drama film directed by Michael Radford, based on William Shakespeare's play. It is the first full-length sound film in English of the play—other versions are videotaped productions that were made for television, including John Sichel's 1973 version and Jack Gold's 1980 BBC production. The title character is the merchant Antonio (Jeremy Irons), not the Jewish moneylender Shylock (Al Pacino), who is traditionally viewed as the antagonist and more prominent character. This adaptation follows the text but omits much. Director Michael Radford believed that Shylock was Shakespeare's first great tragic hero, who reaches a catastrophe due to his own flaws. The film begins with text and a montage of how the Jewish community is abused by