2008 Woodie Awards
Radford Solves Bard's Problem Play
Paul Meyer Adam
Issue date: 2/15/05 Section: Arts & Culture
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William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Directed by Michael Radford
Starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes and Lynn Collins
Once upon a time, there was a sly comedy with a fair amount of bigotry, with some commentary on mercy and justice to wash it down. It was called The Merchant of Venice and it was very popular. Now there's a movie about delusion, sorrow, revenge and blind hatred, with some light comedy to wash it down. It is also called The Merchant of Venice. Are they the one and the same? Yes and no.
Michael Radford makes a number of bold decisions in his adaptation of Shakespeare's classic which de-emphasize the comedy (or in certain cases, leave it ironically intact) so that as much focus as possible may be put on Shylock, the sullen and tragic Jewish usurer. Though these changes give us a production that the Bard would hardly recognize, they make for a stellar film.
Radford goes to great length to establish Shylock as an individual character, not an ambassador of Judaism. The seemingly gracious Antonio spits on the Usurer with contempt, as the benevolent church fathers have other Jews thrown into the canals for practicing the only profession permitted to them. The injustices are great, but the movie suggests that Shylock would be a pretty tough customer anyway. Tubal, a fellow usurer, is visibly irritated by the claim that Shylock's suffering somehow exceeds that of his kin. Shylock the man is wilfully hostile to his daughter Jessica and is brazenly determined to extract a pound of flesh from Antonio.
We might have supposed that Judaism was to blame for this lack of sympathy and mercy. However, Radford uses a few subtle tricks to show that these shortcomings are Shylock's own. The director keeps Shylock notably distant from his fellow Jews during the climactic court battle. In the closing montage we glimpse Jessica stealing away from a party, still fingering the ring which Shakespeare originally had her throw away to spite her faith and family. The final montage shows Shylock disgraced and cast out of Christian and Jewish communities alike.
As for the Christians, Portia and Nerissa cruelly trick their husbands for laughs, having just expounded the virtues of kindness and mercy. Antonio oscillates between wilfully spiteful and wincingly righteous. Radford's unifying message is clear: religion teaches us mercy, justice and yes, bigotry. However, it is the individual who brings these principles to fruition.
Of course, Radford's best shows Shylock to be a separate piece through Al Pacino's marvellous acting. Pacino, unrecognizable in a heavy cloak and beard, commands the stage and blows Shylock's presence up to massive proportions. Pacino chews the scenery with impunity, as he has for most of his career. Fortunately, in doing so, the veteran actor distinguishes Shylock from the rest of the cast. The usurer seems to be trapped in a storm of his own making, effectively isolating him from all other Venetians, even his fellow Jews.
Directed by Michael Radford
Starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes and Lynn Collins
Once upon a time, there was a sly comedy with a fair amount of bigotry, with some commentary on mercy and justice to wash it down. It was called The Merchant of Venice and it was very popular. Now there's a movie about delusion, sorrow, revenge and blind hatred, with some light comedy to wash it down. It is also called The Merchant of Venice. Are they the one and the same? Yes and no.
Michael Radford makes a number of bold decisions in his adaptation of Shakespeare's classic which de-emphasize the comedy (or in certain cases, leave it ironically intact) so that as much focus as possible may be put on Shylock, the sullen and tragic Jewish usurer. Though these changes give us a production that the Bard would hardly recognize, they make for a stellar film.
Radford goes to great length to establish Shylock as an individual character, not an ambassador of Judaism. The seemingly gracious Antonio spits on the Usurer with contempt, as the benevolent church fathers have other Jews thrown into the canals for practicing the only profession permitted to them. The injustices are great, but the movie suggests that Shylock would be a pretty tough customer anyway. Tubal, a fellow usurer, is visibly irritated by the claim that Shylock's suffering somehow exceeds that of his kin. Shylock the man is wilfully hostile to his daughter Jessica and is brazenly determined to extract a pound of flesh from Antonio.
We might have supposed that Judaism was to blame for this lack of sympathy and mercy. However, Radford uses a few subtle tricks to show that these shortcomings are Shylock's own. The director keeps Shylock notably distant from his fellow Jews during the climactic court battle. In the closing montage we glimpse Jessica stealing away from a party, still fingering the ring which Shakespeare originally had her throw away to spite her faith and family. The final montage shows Shylock disgraced and cast out of Christian and Jewish communities alike.
As for the Christians, Portia and Nerissa cruelly trick their husbands for laughs, having just expounded the virtues of kindness and mercy. Antonio oscillates between wilfully spiteful and wincingly righteous. Radford's unifying message is clear: religion teaches us mercy, justice and yes, bigotry. However, it is the individual who brings these principles to fruition.
Of course, Radford's best shows Shylock to be a separate piece through Al Pacino's marvellous acting. Pacino, unrecognizable in a heavy cloak and beard, commands the stage and blows Shylock's presence up to massive proportions. Pacino chews the scenery with impunity, as he has for most of his career. Fortunately, in doing so, the veteran actor distinguishes Shylock from the rest of the cast. The usurer seems to be trapped in a storm of his own making, effectively isolating him from all other Venetians, even his fellow Jews.