The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice

157 mins | Drama, Comedy, Romance, TV Movie | Dec. 17, 1980

A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.

The Merchant of Venice

157 mins | Drama, Comedy, Romance, TV Movie | Dec. 17, 1980

The Merchant of Venice
A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.
IMDb rating 7.2
Producers BBC, Time-Life Television Productions
Original title The Merchant of Venice
Directors Jack Gold
Writers William Shakespeare

Cast

Alan David

as Solanio

John Rhys-Davies

as Salerio

John Nettles

as Bassanio

Richard Morant

as Lorenzo

Kenneth Cranham

as Gratiano

Gemma Jones

as Portia

Susan Jameson

as Nerissa

Daniel Mitchell

as Balthasar

Warren Mitchell

as Shylock

Marc Zuber

as The Prince of Morocco

Enn Reitel

as Launcelot Gobbo

Joe Gladwin

as Old Gobbo

Leslee Udwin

as Jessica

Peter Gale

as The Prince of Arragon

Richard Austin

as Antonio's Servant

Arnold Diamond

as Tubal

Douglas Wilmer

as The Duke of Venice

Shaun Scott

as Stephano

Adrian Harman

as Musician

Roger Martin

as Leonardo