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The Merchant of Venice (2004)

R  |   |  Drama, Romance  |  18 February 2005 (USA)
7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 28,406 users   Metascore: 63/100
Reviews: 156 user | 115 critic | 35 from Metacritic.com

In 16th century Venice, when a merchant must default on a large loan from an abused Jewish moneylender for a friend with romantic ambitions, the bitterly vengeful creditor demands a gruesome payment instead.

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Title: The Merchant of Venice (2004)

The Merchant of Venice (2004) on IMDb 7.1/10

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Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

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Storyline

Venice, 1596. Melancholy Antonio loves the youthful Bassanio, so when Bassanio asks for 3000 ducats, Antonio says yes before knowing it's to sue for the hand of Portia. His capital tied up in merchant ships at sea, Antonio must go to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender he reviles. Shylock wraps his grudge in kindness, offering a three-month loan at no interest, but if not repaid, Antonio will owe a pound of flesh. The Jew's daughter elopes with a Christian, whetting Shylock's hatred. While Bassanio's away wooing Portia, Antonio's ships founder, and Shylock demands his pound of flesh. With court assembled and a judgment due, Portia swings into action to save Bassanio's friend. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama | Romance

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some nudity | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

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Release Date:

18 February 2005 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£147,709 (UK) (3 December 2004)

Gross:

$205,220 (Chile) (26 May 2006)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Ricky Gervais turned down the role of Launcelot Gobbo, a role which went to his The Office (2001) co-star Mackenzie Crook. See more »

Goofs

Approximately 0:02:50 into the film, camera equipment and a man with a black baseball cap w/white logo are seen on the left hand side of the frame. It's a very quick cutaway scene after a couple shots of the white balcony. See more »

Quotes

Tubal: Yes, other men have ill luck too. Antonio, as I heard in Genoa...
Shylock: What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck?
Tubal: ...hath an argosy cast away, coming from Tripolis.
Shylock: I thank God! I thank God!
See more »

Connections

Version of The Merchant of Venice (1916) See more »

Soundtracks

How Sweet the Moonlight
Composed and Arranged by Jocelyn Pook
Words by William Shakespeare
Featuring Andreas Scholl
Published by Shylock Ltd / EMI Music Publishing Ltd
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Brilliant!

I just saw this at the Toronto International Film Festival in the beautiful Elgin Theatre. I was blown away by the beautiful cinematography, the brilliant adaptation of a very tricky play and last but not least, the bravura performance of Al Pacino, who was born to play this role, which was perfectly balanced by an equally strong performance from Jeremy Irons.

The film deftly explores the themes of love vs loyalty, law vs justice, and passion vs reason. Some might protest that the content is inherently anti-semitic, however they should consider the historical context of the story, and the delicate and nuanced way in which it is told in this adaptation.

9/10


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