''The Merchant of Venice'' (french: Le marchand de Venise, it, Il mercante di Venezia) is a 1953 French-Italian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by Pierre Billon and starring

Michel Simon Michel Simon (; 9 April 1895 – 30 May 1975) was a Swiss-French actor. He appeared in many notable French films, including ''La Chienne'' (1931), ''Boudu Saved from Drowning'' (1932), ''L'Atalante'' (1934), ''Port of Shadows'' (1938), '' The He ...

Andrée Debar Andrée Debar (5 May 1920 – 24 January 1999) was a French actress and producer of stage and screen.Hayward p.464 She was married to the right-wing French politician and film producer Roger Duchet. Selected filmography * ''Judgement of God' ...

and

Massimo Serato Massimo Serato, born Giuseppe Segato, (31 May 1916 – 22 December 1989) was an Italian film actor with a career spanning over 40 years. Serato was born in Oderzo, Veneto, Italy and started appearing in films in 1938. He played leading roles in ...

. It is loosely based on

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personifi ...

play of the same name Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni.

Cast

as Shylock *

as Portia *

as Antonio *

Armando Francioli Armando Francioli (21 October 1919 – 6 April 2020) was an Italian actor. He appeared in over 50 films since 1942. Selected filmography References External links * 1919 births 2020 deaths Male actors from Rome Italian centenaria ...

as Bassanio *

Giorgio Albertazzi Giorgio Albertazzi (20 August 1923 – 28 May 2016) was an Italian actor and film director. Born in San Martino a Mensola, Tuscany, Albertazzi joined the Italian Social Republic and reached the rank of lieutenant. After their defeat, he spen ...

as Lorenzo *

Liliana Tellini Liliana Tellini (19 January 1925 - 15 June 1971) was an Italian actress and voice actress. Life and career Born in Florence as Liliana Polledri she was the daughter of a Swiss father and a Venetian mother. She enrolled at the Centro Speriment ...

as Jessica *

Olga Solbelli Olga may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olga (name), a given name, including a list of people and fictional characters named Olga or Olha * Michael Algar (born 1962), English singer also known as "Olga" Places Russia * Olga, Russia, ...

as Bianca *

Clara Auteri Pepe Clara may refer to: Organizations * CLARA, Latin American academic computer network organization * Clara.Net, a European ISP * Consolidated Land and Rail Australia, a property development consortium People * Clara (given name), a feminine give ...

as Nerissa *

Franco Balducci Franco Balducci (23 November 1922 – 7 June 2001) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 75 films between 1947 and 1978. He was born in Umbria, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Bullet for Stefano'' (1947) - Giacomo * ''Tempesta su Pari ...

as Antonio's Friend *

Nerio Bernardi Nerio Bernardi (23 July 1899 – 12 January 1971) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1918 and 1970. He was born in Bologna, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * ''Nero'' (1922) * ''The Sheph ...

as Doge *

Gualtiero Tumiati Gualtiero Tumiati ( 8 May 1876 – 23 April 1971) was an Italian actor and stage director. Life and career Born in Ferrara, Tumiati studied at the College of the Oaks in Florence and there he attended the acting courses held by Luigi Rasi. He ...

as Dr. Bellario

Plot

In order to come to the aid of his friend Bassanio, the wealthy merchant Antonio, while awaiting the imminent arrival of his ships, is obliged to ask the usurer Shylock to advance him a sum of money. The latter accepts, on the condition that, if the loan is not returned on time, he will pay himself by taking a pound of flesh from his creditor...

References

Bibliography

* Burt, Richard. ''Shakespeares After Shakespeare: An Encyclopedia of the Bard in Mass Media and Popular Culture, Volume 1''. Greenwood Press, 2007.

External links

* 1953 films 1953 drama films Films based on The Merchant of Venice Films scored by Giovanni Fusco French drama films French films based on plays Italian drama films Italian films based on plays French black-and-white films Italian black-and-white films Films directed by Pierre Billon 1950s French-language films 1950s French films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub