The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice (2004)

68%
604votes
2popularity
132min

Budget:$30,000,000
Revenue:$21,600,000
Release:12/3/2004
Genres:Drama | Romance
Original language:English
Spoken languages:English | Italian
Countries:US | United Kingdom

Overview:

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.… Expand

Production companies:

Movision
Avenue Pictures
US
UK Film Council
United Kingdom
Film Fund Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Delux Productions
Luxembourg
Immagine e Cinema
Italy
Dania Film
Italy
Istituto Luce Cinecittà
Italy
Navidi-Wilde Productions Ltd.
LSG Productions
Rough Diamond Productions
US
Spice Factory
United Kingdom

Videos

Official Trailer
2/13/2007Trailer

Videos

Recommendations

Movie
1997
66%
The Wings of the Dove
Movie
1998
70%
Dangerous Beauty
Movie
1932
74%
Trouble in Paradise
Movie
1965
71%
The Pawnbroker
Movie
2024
78%
Cabrini
Movie
2012
64%
Great Expectations
Movie
1993
70%
The Age of Innocence
Movie
2001
65%
Hardball
Movie
2007
61%
When Nietzsche Wept
Movie
2008
63%
Brideshead Revisited
Movie
1996
60%
The Portrait of a Lady
Movie
1987
59%
China Girl
Movie
2010
62%
The Tourist
Movie
2017
74%
Breathe
Movie
2005
64%
Casanova
Movie
2020
68%
The Lost Husband
Movie
1970
64%
Wuthering Heights
Movie
1940
69%
Pride and Prejudice
Movie
1973
71%
Mean Streets
Movie
2009
66%
Lovely, Still

Recommendations

Reviews

70%
CinemaSerf
Geronimo1967
- Created:1/25/2026
- Updated:1/25/2026
As the 16th century looms large, the loved up “Bassanio” (Joseph Fiennes) approaches his wealthy merchant friend “Antonio” (Jeremy Irons) for a loan. You see, he wants to impress “Portia” (Lynn Collins) to the tune of 3,000 ducats. Unfortunately, his friend is already heavily invested elsewhere and cannot oblige, but he does agree to stand surety for a loan from “Shylock” (Al Pacino). This loan isn’t secured in any traditional sense, however. The lender, a Jew, is weary of being treated harshly by those in power in Venice, including by “Antonio” and so demands that in the event of default, he is to receive one pound of flesh from the guarantor. Despite reservations from “Bassanio” the deal is duly notarised. Of course, with the best laid plans often going wrong, both “Antonio” and “Shylock” find themselves having to deal with some unforeseen circumstances that see “Shylock” robbed by his own daughter “Jessica” (Zuleikha Robinson) whilst much of the merchant’s investment ends up at the bottom of the sea. Unable to repay his debt, the moneylender seeks retribution from the court. With all seemingly watertight, is there any way to spare the Venetian from his fate? I’ve always liked this play, and perhaps wrongly I’ve always felt a little pity for the shrewd “Shylock”. In this colourful and sumptuous adaptation, Al Pacino’s measured performance helps to reinforce my belief that it is and was he who was wronged all along here, and that “Antonio” - played well enough by Irons - would have deserved all he got! Fiennes is typically boyish and insipid, but the remainder of this recognisable and largely British cast deliver adequately even if there are no really stellar efforts. It's particularly the courtroom scenes that allow the tension to rise palpably as Shakespeare introduces some fairly potent questions about intrigue, vengeance, responsibility and loyalty. Sure, at times it has something of the “Shakespeare in Love” (1998) to it’s look and to some of it’s casting, but this is still a decent telling of a story that epitomises the expression “neither a borrower nor a lender be”.… Expand

The Merchant of Venice (2004)

Cast

Cast

Videos

Videos

Recommendations

Recommendations

Reviews

Reviews

Videos

Reviews

Recommendations

Filmoteka

The Merchant of Venice (2004)

Cast

Cast

Videos

Videos

Recommendations

Recommendations

Reviews

Reviews

Videos

Reviews

Recommendations