Shakespeare’s The Merchent of Venice is one of his least performed plays these days because it rasises the ugly issue of Anti Semitism. No one has the nerve to deal with the issue head on it seems any more. Well finally someone has come up with the perfect antidote. The latest adaptation, starring Al Pachino as Shylock, Jaeremy Irons as Antonio, and one of the Fiennes Brothers as Bossinio, presents us with a clear picture of life in 16th century Italy. From the opening montage where Antonio spits on Shylock we are presented with a world where Jews are treated as second class citizens, which was there status in those days. The insults rained down on that community and on Shylock in particular give the motivation needed for the infamouse pound of flesh demand. Pacino plays Shylock as a man driven beyond his limits, to the point where he too loses his perspective, just as those who abuse him are villians, so he too becomes a villan. His desire for vengence so overtakes him that he ends up destroying himself. Lke all Shakespear’s heros his tragic flaw, desire for vengence in this case, ensures his downfall. What is unique in this production is that Shylock is portrayed as the tragicaly flawed hero, and that the characters of Antonio and Bassiono, who are normally played as paragons of virtue, are shown to be greedy and self centred. There has been no manipulation of the text to obtain this result, what has happened is that the characters are played to accuratly reflect the attitudes of the time. The acting is universaly wonderful, from the smallest parts to the leads, all are acomplished speakers of some of the most difficult language to perform. If you have the opportunity, see this movie. It wonderful