The Merchant of Venice

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”.