The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeareplay· published 1600
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In this lively comedy of love and money in sixteenth-century Venice, Bassanio wants to impress the wealthy heiress Portia but lacks the necessary funds. He turns to his merchant friend, Antonio, who is forced to borrow from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. When Antonio's business falters, repayment becomes impossible--and by the terms of the loan agreement, Shylock is able to demand a pound of Antonio's flesh. Portia cleverly intervenes, and all ends well (except of course for Shylock).
Adaptations (10)
The Merchant of Venice has been adapted 10 times, across film and television film, from 1916 to 2004.
The Merchant of Venice1916 · film · 85 min · dir. Walter West · IMDb ↗IMDb4.6A girl advocate foils a Jewish usurer's claim for a pound of a debtor's flesh.(IMDb)
- The Merchant of Venice1947 · film · dir. George More O'Ferrall · IMDb ↗
- The Merchant of Venice1955 · film · 120 min · dir. Hal Burton · IMDb ↗
The Merchant of Venice1972 · film · dir. Cedric Messina · IMDb ↗Maggie Smith, Frank Finlay and Charles Gray star in the adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic play. The Venice Titian and the Belmont of Botticelli serve as the visual inspiration behind this lavish production.
The Merchant of Venice1973 · film · 120 min · dir. John Sichel · IMDb ↗IMDb7.3An Edwardian take on the Shakespeare play starring Laurence Olivier.
Merchant of Venice1980 · television film · 157 min · dir. Jack Gold · IMDb ↗IMDb7.2A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.
- El mercader de Venecia1981 · film · dir. Alberto González Vergel · IMDb ↗
A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.
The Merchant of Venice1996 · film · 86 min · dir. Alan Horrox · IMDb ↗IMDb6.1A TV schools version of the play by William Shakespeare, filmed in the studio and on location in Venice.
The Merchant of Venice2004 · film · 131 min · dir. Michael Radford · IMDb ↗Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.
