The Merchant of Venice (2004) on Netflix
Antonio, a Venetian merchant, borrows from the moneylender Shylock so his friend Bassanio can court the heiress Portia. The bond names a pound of Antonio's flesh as the penalty.
- Netflix3.4/5
- IMDb7.0/1040,274 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes71%
Trailer
Plot summary
In sixteenth century Venice, Bassanio needs money to travel to Belmont and court Portia, a wealthy heiress. His friend Antonio, a merchant whose ships and goods are all at sea, has nothing to lend him. The two men go to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender whom Antonio has insulted and spat on in the past. Shylock agrees to the loan, but sets a condition: if Antonio fails to repay it on the agreed day, Shylock may take a pound of his flesh. Antonio, taking the offer as generosity, signs. Bassanio leaves for Belmont with his friend Gratiano, where Portia's father has left a will requiring each suitor to choose among three caskets, gold, silver and lead, and marry her only by choosing correctly.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- This version is the first full-length sound film in English of the play; other versions are videotaped productions made for television, including John Sichel's 1973 version and Jack Gold's 1980 BBC production.
- Director Michael Radford believed that Shylock was Shakespeare's first great tragic hero, a character who reaches a catastrophe due to his own flaws.
- The film was noted for its emphasis on the love triangle aspect of Bassanio's relationships with Antonio and Portia, going as far as to include a kiss between Bassanio and Antonio.
- In 2005 the film had a Royal Premiere in the presence of Prince Charles, and it received a BAFTA nomination for Best Costume Design.
- The Merchant of Venice underperformed in cinemas: its worldwide theatrical gross was about $21.3 million, against a production budget of $30 million.
