Based on the play by William Shakespeare.

Special features: audio commentary with director Michael Radford & actress Lynn Collins; making-of 'The merchant of Venice' featurette; weblink to the Teachers' Guide (a classroom guide); previews.

Producers, Cary Brokaw, Barry Navidi, Jason Piette, Michael Lionello Cowan ; screenplay, Michael Radford ; director, Michael Radford; director of photography, Benoit Delhomme ; editor, Lucia Zucchetti ; music, Jocelyn Pook ; costume designer, Sammy Sheldon ; production designer, Bruno Rubeo.

Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins, Zuleikha Robinson, Kris Marshall, Charlie Cox, Heather Goldenhersh, Mackenzie Crook, John Sessions, Gregor Fisher, Ron Cook, Allan Corduner, Anton Rodgers, David Harewood, Antonio Gil-Martinez.

Shylock has grown wealthy through money-lending, the only profession open to Jewish businessmen of the time, but faces indignity and danger when he ventures beyond the Jewish quarter. In the same city, though in a different world, lives Antonio, a Christian merchant beset by worry over the fate of his trading vessels and his increasing isolation from his best friend Bassanio. The younger man has fallen in love with the beautiful Portia, and seeks to go abroad to win her hand. When Antonio takes a loan from Shylock, a bond is sealed, the risk of which is one pound of Antonio's flesh. So when Antonio goes into debt to Shylock, the angst-ridden moneylender demands a pound of his flesh.

MPAA rating: R; for some nudity.

DVD, Dolby digital 5.1 surround.

In English, with optional subtitles in French.

Closed-captioned.

Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, 2006: won the Silver Ribbon for Best Production Design (Bruno Rubeo) // Sannio FilmFest (Italy), 2005: won the Golden Capital for Best Production Design in a Foreign Language Film (Bruno Rubeo).