Al Pacino Reinvented an Iconic Villain in This Underrated Shakespeare Adaptation

One of the greatest aspects about the work of William Shakespeare is that his most famous historical, romantic, comedic, and tragic plays can be endlessly re-interpreted by different generations, each of which may offer a fresh perspective on the material. Although the stories themselves are timeless, a change of location, time period, style, or aesthetic can make these iconic works of fiction appeal to a new generation of viewers who are learning about them for the first time. Certain plays like Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet, and Henry V have been adapted to the big screen multiple times, but the first major modern screen adaptation of The Merchant of Venice wasn’t made until 2004.

The Merchant of Venice isn’t necessarily one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays due to the longstanding debate of whether the story promotes anti-Semitism. Although a big screen production of the controversial play was certainly a risk due to how it could be perceived by modern audiences, Michael Radford‘s The Merchant of Venice addresses its problematic origins by reinventing one of Shakespeare’s most iconic villains, all thanks to a brilliant performance by Al Pacino.

William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.

Release Date

December 3, 2004

Director

Michael Radford

Runtime

127

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

William Shakespeare , Michael Radford

Expand

Al Pacino Changes Shylock in ‘The Merchant of Venice’

Pacino’s character of Shylock is traditionally depicted as a villain in most iterations of The Merchant of Venice. Set during the height of the Renaissance era, the story centers on the love-stricken Venetian man Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes), who travels to Belmont in order to win the affection of the fair lady Portia (Lynn Collins). In order to provide for his trip, Bassanio seeks the assistance of his friend Antonio (Jeremy Irons), who is himself in a financial predicament because his funds are tied up in naval operations. In order to assist Bassanio, Antonio seeks the help of the Jewish moneylender Shylock (Al Pacino), who offers his help on one condition: if the debt cannot be repaid, Antonio will have to provide a pound of his own flesh. Bassanio suspects that this is part of a malicious conspiracy, but Antonio agrees to Shylock’s terms in order to provide for his friend.

The Merchant of Venice is often criticized because Shylock shares many qualities with offensive Jewish stereotypes. While the notion of claiming someone’s flesh as a stand-in for monetary assets is clearly used as a means of creating dramatic tension, Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock can also be interpreted as anti-Semitic. Although he is known for giving over-the-top performances, Pacino reigns it in and shows a more subtle side of Shylock. At no point does his performance slip into caricature, as Pacino avoids leaning into the greedy caricature that Shylock has become in some previous interpretations. Given that Pacino himself has extensive history as a stage actor, he was well-equipped to take on the material from a fresh perspective.

Related

Al Pacino’s First Starring Role Was a Precursor to ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Scarface’

Before Michael Corleone and Tony Montana came the troubled Bobby.

‘The Merchant of Venice’ Addresses Its Problematic Origins

Given that Shylock’s role as a member of the Jewish ghetto is critical to the narrative of The Merchant of Venice, it would have been impossible to completely ignore the role that his faith plays within the relationship between Antonio, Bassanio, and Portia. However, Pacino added a new layer to Shylock by showing how he is ostracized from his community. The opening title cards of the film note that during this period in history, Jewish people faced persecution and were often forced to live in impoverished living conditions. This helps to explain why Shylock is so distrustful of Antonio and Bassanio, who are both privileged men who don’t face discrimination. Shylock’s threats may be extreme, but they are grounded in a desire to defend himself. The Merchant of Venice chose to embrace its historical roots rather than ignorantly ignoring them.

The Merchant of Venice complicates Shylock’s motivations by shedding more insight into his relationship with Antonio. It is implied that Antonio was originally Jewish and converted to Christianity, and has since spat on Shylock in order to insult him. This isn’t just a great way of making Shylock a more sympathetic character, but a clever device that creates a rift between Bassanio and Antonio. It’s ultimately a tragedy because Shylock is forced to witness a romance take shape, even when he is never given the same affection by anyone because he is essentially an outsider. There’s a depth of sadness in Pacino’s facial expressions that shows he’s doing more than just repeating the same words that many other great actors have said. Shylock grows from being an unreasonable villain to someone the viewer is forced to take pity on.

‘The Merchant of Venice’ Gave Al Pacino a Comeback

The Merchant of Venice was released in a period of Pacino’s career where he desperately needed a hit. Although the late 1990s had offered him a major comeback in mainstream films, he starred in many unsuccessful 21st century films, including Gigli, The Recruit, and People I Know. Finding strong roles becomes harder for aging actors, but The Merchant of Venice served as proof that Pacino is still one of the greatest movie stars of all-time. In fact, a younger actor wouldn’t have been able to deliver the same depth of feeling that Pacino was able to convey with his performance as Shylock.

Although The Merchant of Venice was followed by a series of critical disappointments, Pacino has scored another comeback in the past decade. His heartbreaking performance in Martin Scorsese’s epic gangster film The Irishman scored him his first Academy Award nomination in over two decades, and gave him another chance to reunite with his frequent co-star Robert De Niro. Recently, Pacino gave another memorable performance in the modern camp classic House of Gucci.

The Merchant of Venice is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.

Rent on Prime Video