The Merchant of Venice

1969 0h 36m EN

🙌

8.0

BANGER

★8.0TMDB · 4

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

An unreleased 1969 made-for-TV short adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, produced, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. Originally part of the abandoned CBS special Orson’s Bag, the completed film later became partially lost due to missing workprints and sound elements, surviving only in fragmentary form until a reconstructed restoration premiered in 2015.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Orson Welles
Shylock
Charles Gray
Antonio
Oja Kodar
Jonathan Lynn
Tubal
Irina Maleeva
Jessica

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Orson Welles
Writers: Orson Welles
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, Italy

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

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 36-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

57 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Orson Welles, shot by Ivica Rajković. 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 Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. 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 Orson Welles 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

Orson Welles and Charles Gray and Oja Kodar carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Orson Welles directs. Ivica Rajković behind the camera. Angelo Francesco Lavagnino scores. Orson Welles cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America, Italy. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 36-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
257 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Italy.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Orson Welles, shot by Ivica Rajković. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Orson Welles shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Orson Welles and Charles Gray and Oja Kodar carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0283477 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 4 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.