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.
The Merchant of Venice is a 2004 romantic drama film based on William Shakespeare's play. It is the first full-length sound film in English of Shakespeare's play—other versions are videotaped productions that were made for television, including John Sichel's 1973 version and Jack Gold's 1980 BBC production.
