The Merchant of Venice

2004 2h 12m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 626

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Al Pacino
Shylock
Jeremy Irons
Antonio
Joseph Fiennes
Bassanio
Lynn Collins
Portia
Zuleikha Robinson
Jessica
Kris Marshall
Gratiano
Charlie Cox
Lorenzo
Heather Goldenhersh
Nerissa

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Radford
Writers: Michael Radford
Languages: English, Italian
Countries: Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 72% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Radford, shot by Benoît Delhomme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jocelyn Pook. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lucia Zucchetti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Radford directs. Benoît Delhomme behind the camera. Jocelyn Pook scores. Lucia Zucchetti cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 72% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 22 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
4International production across 3 countries: Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom.
5Directed by Michael Radford, shot by Benoît Delhomme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jocelyn Pook. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Lucia Zucchetti shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0379889 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "venice, italy", "jewish ghetto", "suitor", "racism".

The technical file

Cinematography: Benoît Delhomme
Original score: Jocelyn Pook
Editing: Lucia Zucchetti
Production design: Bruno Rubeo
Makeup / hair: Ann Buchanan
Runtime: 132 min · 2h 12m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $30,000,000
Box office: $21,600,000
Return: 72% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Merchant of Venice (2004)

Also by

Michael Radford

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-01-25
★ 7/10
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”.

Production companies