Director by: Michael Radford (Il Postino (1994), Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984))
Starring: Al Pacino (Shylock), Jeremy Irons (Antonio), Lynn Collings (Portia), Joseph Fiennes (Bassanio)
Plot summary (from IMDb): "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."
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I'm really a dummy when it comes to Shakespeare, but I couldn't miss the latest from Al Pacino, especially because Pacino is such an avid Shakespearian stage actor. (Those who've seen his Looking for Richard (1996) understand).
I'll admit, it took me a little while to figure out what was going on (I had never read the story, nor any plot summary beforehand) -- and the dialogue didn't help, but nor was it Old English either. Again, I'm a dummy, but after a while I really started to get into it. I liked Al's performance, but wasn't entirely convinced that he was a 16th Century Jew living in Venice. He had only the slightest hint of an accent; otherwise, he sounded like Al.
What struck me most about this story is how timely it still is today, in this word of extreme prejudice. I had no idea about the 16th Century segregation of Jews in Christian Venice, their being locked up at night in their own ghetto, and the fact that they needed to wear red hats to indentify themselves in town during the day. Sound familiar?
What makes it timely still is that you could replace Jews/Christians with any opposing groups, really. Shylock's famous speech is known to us all -- or at least should be:
Quote:
I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
If all the hateful people in this world realized this, the world would be a much better place.
I studied Italian for 2 semesters. Not once was a "C" pronounced as a "G", and never was a trailing "I" ignored! And I'm from Jersey! lol
Whaddaya want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy?--Peter Griffin
lol
