In recent times, Al Pacino has been routinely guilty of overacting and forced bluster, but his exquisitely judged performance is one of the main reasons this version of The Merchant of Venice works.
For those who of you who haven't encountered the play since the Inter Cert, The Merchant of Venice follows a selection of characters in 16th century Venice, chief amongst them Antonio the Merchant (Irons). His barely disguised lust for the handsome if utterly self-serving Bassanio (Fiennes) means that he is prepared to borrow a substantial amount of money from Shylock (Pacino), a Jewish moneylender who imposes a vicious pre-condition upon their transaction. Meanwhile, the object of Bassanio's affections, Portia (Collins) is attempting to persuade her would-be suitor and his friend to surrender jewellery that he is obliged to retain.
Though Shakespeare's play veers between comedy and bitter drama, writer-director Michael Radford thankfully resists the all-too-easy option of placing the action in a modern setting. Indeed, if written today, The Merchant of Venice would probably encounter some uncomfortable questions regarding its depiction of Jews, but Radford focuses on the human failings of all the characters, exposing the collective duplicity rather than just Shylock's. See it for Al alone, though.
