'The Merchant of Venice' is not among my favourites of William Shakespeare's plays, but in no way is that a knock. It is one of his most controversial plays, being dubbed by many as anti-semitic and sparks much debate today, not just for that but also analysing the character of Shylock (as to whether he is a villain or a sympathetic character) and there is debate frequently of whether the play is a comedy or tragedy. It is also one of his most interesting, as an overall play and when analysing the text and characters, especially for Shylock's Act 3 Scene 1 speech and Shylock himself.
It's a play that has a mostly solid DVD competition (that includes the 1980 BBC Television Shakespeare production, 2004 film and the one with Jonathan Pryce as Shylock), with the only disappointment in my view being the 2015 Royal Shakespeare Company production for primarily the under-cooked stage direction (as a result of trying to put more emphasis on Antonio and not doing enough with everything else) and an out of his depth Shylock. This 1973 film is not perfect but overall it is one of the better available versions of 'The Merchant of Venice'.
Am going to be another person that felt that Charles Kay and Stefan Greif resort too much to clownish mugging. Often it is Launcelot that's the annoying character but not here.
More perhaps could have done with Antonio's conversion to mercy.
However, there is so much to like about this version of 'The Merchant of Venice'. Even though updated, here than Victorian era rather than the Elizabethan one, the setting is very handsomely and handsomely designed captured beautifully by the photography. Carl Davis' score is suitably rousing with also some truly ravishingly orchestrated parts. Jonathan Miller's direction is intelligently done and tasteful, with no pointless or gratuitous touches that make no sense (a bugbear of mine for non-traditional productions of operas, ballets and plays). The characters of Shylock and Portia are especially well directed.
Furthermore, Shakespeare's mastery of language and writing shines through all the time in the play, given with full impact from beginning to end here. 'The Merchant of Venice' is full of witty and ironic humour, a vast majority of it inducing many laughs without being overdone generally. The more serious, somewhat tragic elements of the story are poignant while not being overly-serious that it becomes dreary. Act 3 Scene 1 is the play's turning point and handled beautifully. The story is never static or too busy, while always being compelling.
Laurence Olivier is superb as Shylock, it was a complex suitably ambiguous portrayal that didn't make him too sympathetic or too much of a villain (getting that balance right and not falling in either extreme is what is difficult about the part). The other standout is Joan Plowright as a very intelligent Portia while Jeremy Brett is a strong presence as Bassanio. Personally liked Anthony Nicholls' Antonio, it was a subtle portrayal while successful in showing the nastier side of Antonio in his treatment of Shylock (without going too far on that). Denis Lawson manages to achieve the near-impossible feat of not making Launcelot, one of Shakespeare's most crude and obnoxious characters, annoying while still having personality.
Overall, very well done version to be seen for Olivier. 8/10
