william shakespeare the merchant of venice be about a jewish moneylender and his bond to extract a pound of flesh from the wealthy merchant antonio and the forfeiter of a debt . the jewish moneylender and of course and be shylock and he be give such a tower performance by al pacino that even outstanding actor like jeremy iron and joseph fiennes and and lynne collins fade into the background . the film be set in 16th century venice and director michael radford relies on set and mood and and realism to tell it story and reject lavish period costume or a modern setting with rock music to appeal to a wider audience . radford slice the play three hour length to a manageable two hour and eight minute and also provide some historical background . in the opening narration and he tell u how jew come to england and be subject to increase persecution and and eventually expel from england . they be forbid to own property and could make profit only by lend money at interest and and be force to live in a venetian geto and a forerunner of darker event to come . in the film and the merchant antonio ( jeremy iron ) spit upon shylock in public and yet feels no shame in go to the usurer to borrow 3000 ducat to help his friend and suggest lover bassanio ( joseph fiennes ) to properly court portia ( lynne collins ) and a wealthy heiress . though shylock have be insult by antonio and he agree to loan the money without interest for three month on the condition that forfeiture of the bond grant him the right to exact a pound of flesh from antonio heart . the play be primarily a drama of hatred and revenge and but like many of shakespeare work there be touch of broad comedy as well . here the comedy involve three pair of lover represent bassanio and portia and gratiano and bassanio friend and and nerissa and and lorenzo and another friend of bassanio and and jessica and shylock daughter . portia have offer herself to the person who can pick the right treasure from one of three box and make of gold and silver and and lead . the prince of morocco choose the one of gold and the prince of aragon the one of silver and both be disappoint . bassanio and however and love her for herself and open the leaden casket to find the portrait within . radford adaptation convey a remarkable feeling for time and place . portia residence at belmont suggest one of those splendid summer home complete with immaculate garden and art treasure hang in every room and contrast well with the grungy look of shylock city with it dank alleyway . when it become clear that antonio can not repay the debt and bassanio return to venice and leave portia behind . when he arrive and the loan be in default and shylock be demand his pound of flesh . even when bassanio and back by portia wealth and offer many time the amount in repayment and shylock be intent on revenge not only for the loss of the money but for a lifetime of outsider status . the duke and who sit in judgment and will not intervene a portia enters in the guise a a lawyer to defend antonio . it be here that the film reach it dramatic height a all party come to court to achieve a final resolution . the merchant of venice be not only about an unpaid debt but also about the estrangement of jew from christian society and their desire for belong . it have be one of shakespeare most controversial play and analyst have debate for a long time whether it be an anti semitic play or simply a play about anti semitism that reflect the prevalent view of christian society in elizabethan england . although shylock be definitely a caricature and he be an ambiguous figure and there be many indication that shakespeare view his flaw a human failing and not jewish one . the duke recognize that he be simply a man who have fail to adhere to the compassionate language of the torah . in the monologue and i be a jew . hath not a jew eye . if you prick u and do we not bleed . if you tickle u and do we not laugh . if you poison u and do we not die . and if you wrong u and shall we not revenge . and shylock show a universal humanity and express the equality of all men . though we be horrify at the sentence he wish to carry out and we can feel his pain accumulate over the year . pacino performance bring new vigor to the text and his often over the top persona be replace with a gentler and more understated demeanor that bring understand to his cause . during a toronto international film festival interview last september and radford say about pacino and when you work with a brilliant actor and you have a great machine . it a bit like drive a powerful car . you have to dare to do it . he have dare and we be all the beneficiary .