william shakespeare play be classify a comedy and tragedy and or history . some of his most memorable and most often read creation provide u with wistful humor and gentle poetry and hilarious slapstick . some of them survive a unforgettable drama of compel depth and gravity . regardless and he be able to write with unparalleled skill and inventiveness and contribute greatly to our young language . so in what category lie the merchant of venice . i be very surprised to find it be one of shakespeare comedy . i have never before read it nor see it and but after watch this most recent film version i have decide it be neither and it be both . this be one of many question the viewer must try to answer when come to term with what be clearly a perplexing and deeply troubling moral tragedy . the player be introduce quickly and and simply . one of them and firstly and be venice itself while director michael radford film the venetian scene in the actual city and create an impressively vibrant and bustle backdrop to the play proceeding . to this scenery enter the youthful bassanio ( joseph fiennes ) and return to venice to see a dear old friend and antonio ( jeremy iron ) . it seem the poor bassanio have hear of a princess whose father have die and have leave to any potential suitor a lottery of sort . wait at the fair lady island estate be three small trunk and only one of which contain image of the princess . he who can guess the right one and use only blind intuition and the cryptic teaser write upon them and will be bestow the father huge fortune for life . oh and and his daughter and her eternal love in marriage and i forget to mention . here the light comedy of shakespeare take over the movie . this farcical plot element drive the story and also fill up much of the film screen time and a a number of painfully eager opportunist arrive at the island and humorously vie for and fail to earn this very wealthy hand in marriage . but before any of this occur bassanio and very much lacking in finance and entreats antonio to loan him three thousand ducat to pay for the lengthy journey he must take to have his shot at the prize . antonio and himself nearly penniless and must reluctantly embrace humility by seek the financial aid of shylock ( al pacino ) and one of countless jewish usurer who keep the sag economy afloat yet be scorn and persecute to no end by the city zealously christian majority . thus they dwell in society underbelly and and it be here the two borrower must go . shylock do not hesitate to remind the two men of a certain incident where antonio insult and spat on him in the city market and and he proudly rebuke this man who frankly have a lot of nerve now come to ask for help . but help him shylock do . he even erase any kind of interest on the loan and most likely feeling he have no reason to be concern if antonio will be able to repay him within three month . still and shylock one contractual demand be a pound of antonio flesh and should he renege on their agreement . this be an unsettling request and to be sure and for antonio and bassanio as well a for u . but it appear that despite his justifiable pride shylock do not really anticipate see such a gruesome act occur . so here the dramatic groundwork have be lay . and while the film go off to explore it gentle side with it love lottery and mistaken identity and there still loom the gloomy prospect of the loan itself . in the end and what will become of this ominous agreement . meanwhile we be leave at turn to explore the true central character of shylock . al pacino have ample dramatic weight to carry here and and he do so with convince grit and passion . there be time when he be give room for the theatrics we have come to expect from such a colorful actor . but his most impressive scene be the one where he internalize this energy and show a conflicted personality represent honest and sincere and and proud and yet brood and vengeful and entirely remorseless . this be one of pacino most heartfelt performance to date . and while the rest of the cast play their role creditably and convincingly and it be pacino who really own the film especially toward the end and when shakespeare upend this seeming romantic comedy with a wallop of a third act . i shall not reveal much here while all i can say be that it involve the initial loan a mighty shoe one expect would drop sooner or later . and do it ever . by the end shakespeare have raise a host of dilemma for his audience represent seemingly unresolvable question of faith and morality and law and and mercy be throw before u through the final scene and and while by curtain close the playwright position may seem clear to some and we be leave completely at odds . there be winner and loser in this one and but have the winner earn their spoil with good reason and or have they in a large sense end out losing as well . have virtue be reward and or simply flout . have justice in fact this time be just . by the play finish some fate be painfully clear and and unequivocally seal . but the audience be to be the one who really decide the verdict for all of those involve . and for some the verdict be still out for the play as well . comedy or tragedy . the author have cunningly veil the intense courtroom finale with an end of light mirth and pat romantic resolution . be he say that all be well that end well and or be this his final and ironic condemnation . the play humor serf to set u up nicely for such a heavy crash . and while it be also what unfortunately keep the merchant of venice from achieve the greatness of so many of shakespeare other work and it be still engage and amuse and and think provoke beyond measure .