The Merchant of Venice - Movie Review Example

It is a mixture of comedy and drama, a story about love and hate, written between 1596 and 1598. This 2004 color DVD-Video can be easily found at any DVD store or library, with English language (Dolby digital 5.1) and French subtitles, it is a delightful 131 minutes entertainment. The English screenwriter, documentary film maker and director Michael Radford born in India, in 1946, to a British father and Austrian mother. He has directed the remarkable film Il Postino (Academy award nominated director), and numerous other ones as White Mischief and Dancing at the Blue Iguana.

His reputation as a director is very well recognized and the critics of his adaptation of The Merchant of Venice are superb (Michael Radford, from Wikipedia). Simultaneously, the French cinematographer Benot Delhomme makes honor to his brilliant career by enriching the film with his talent. Delhomme graduated in 1982 from Ecole Nationale Suprieure Louis Lumire, and he has an extensive list of films, such as "Trois garcons sur la route" (1983), "Artemisia" (1996), "The talented Mr Ripley" (1998) and "Miss Julie" (1999).

His awards include Camerimage Golden frog nom in 1993 for "Mui du du xanh", Csar award nom 1998 for "Artemisia", and Chicago IFF Special Jury Prize 2001 for "Ni neibian jidian" (Internet encyclopedia, 2007). The cast is remarkable. . ude Zuleikha Robinson (as Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzir Crook (Lancelot Gobbo), Gregor Fisher (Solanio), John Sessions (Salerio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), and David Harewood (Prince of Morocco).

The play is dated in 1594-97 and the costumes and the set are very well done. The set includes public areas of Venice, the Belmont home of Portia, the house of Shylock, a court of justice in Venice. The plot emphasizes the resentment and mistrust that divide the Jewish and Christian communities of Venice in that period. Shylock, a moneylender and usurer rich Jew, carries and old feeling of resentment against the Christian Antonio, a merchant of Venice, who has insulted him numerous times in public.

But he agrees to lend 3000 ducats for three months to Antonio as a way to make friends with Christians. However, the promise involved in the money transaction is that if the money is not repaid in time, he will fine a pound of Antonio's flesh. Meanwhile, in Belmont is Portia, a rich heiress that attracts numerous suitors by her wealth, beauty and virtue. Her father had predetermined that she must marry the man that chooses the casket (1 out of 3) that contains her picture. The Duke of Morocco and the Prince of Aragon have tried and failed by choosing the gold and silver casket respectively.

Bassanio's friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock's daughter, Jessica. She converts to Christianity and escapes from his father's house with part of his possessions. Bassanio gets in love with Portia, and after choosing the correct casket they married. Portia's maid Nerissa marries Bassanio's friend, Gratiano. In the meantime, Bassanio's ships failed to return on time for him to give