# We Need a Good Merchant of Venice. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2019, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516 "2019-07-04T13:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/1 "2019-07-04T13:54:13Z")
Do you have any idea of how few film adaptations there are of _A Merchant of Venice?_ As a practical matter, just the Al Pacino version. That’s it. And that version did not keep to the script! In fact no film keeps true to the play. How the hard could it possibly be to read the lines Big Bill wrote? They are pretty words; important words. We need a good film adaptation. Something in modern dress, if you please. Call me when it is ready. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/2 "2019-07-04T14:27:49Z")
Why? Why do “we” need it? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/3 "2019-07-04T14:32:12Z")
Because it is an excellent story. It is an important play. Because it is unique in a world that is so out of stories that we are rebooting the _Child’s Play_ series. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/4 "2019-07-04T21:02:44Z")
Back in 1973, [Laurence Olivier did a version of _Merchant_ for TV](https://www.amazon.com/Merchant-Venice-Laurence-Olivier/dp/B01BHCPQGC)set during the late 19th century. It might be worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/5 "2019-07-04T23:58:44Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Back in 1973, [Laurence Olivier did a version of _Merchant_ for TV](https://www.amazon.com/Merchant-Venice-Laurence-Olivier/dp/B01BHCPQGC)set during the late 19th century. It might be worth a look. The beginnings of my aversion to the stranglehold sports have on our television networks started that day. I had looked forward to that broadcast all week and, locally, it was pre-empted by the Iowa class D Girls Basketball quarter finals. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/6 "2019-07-05T00:01:53Z")
isn’t that play considered to be rather anti-Semitic these days? so I don’t think you could do a straight version these days ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/7 "2019-07-05T05:37:31Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > isn’t that play considered to be rather anti-Semitic these days? so I don’t think you could do a straight version these days Depends on how Shylock is played. Is he an evil Jew motivated by evil? Or is he just another guy motivated by revenge? Is his forced conversion a “happy ending” or is it another horrible insult to him and his community? It is not clear from the text alone who is the bad guy. Nowadays, it is always played with Shylock and the victim. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/8 "2019-07-05T06:03:46Z")
The Royal Shakespeare Company did and excellent [production in 2015!](https://www.rsc.org.uk/the-merchant-of-venice/past-productions/polly-findlay-2015-production) It is available [on DVD](https://shop.rsc.org.uk/products/merchant-of-venice-rsc-dvd-2015) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/9 "2019-07-05T08:06:23Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > The Royal Shakespeare Company did and excellent [production in 2015!](https://www.rsc.org.uk/the-merchant-of-venice/past-productions/polly-findlay-2015-production) > It is available [on DVD](https://shop.rsc.org.uk/products/merchant-of-venice-rsc-dvd-2015) Thank you so much! Wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/10 "2019-07-05T13:24:14Z")
Merchant of Venice has been consider problematic for a long, long time. The depictions of Jewish money lenders are terrible stereotypes. Many would say racist. I wouldn’t go quite that far, but I’m not surprised this play isn’t performed as regularly as Shakespeare’s other plays. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/11 "2019-07-05T14:04:40Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Merchant of Venice has been consider problematic for a long, long time. The depictions of Jewish money lenders are terrible stereotypes. > > Many would say racist. I wouldn’t go quite that far, but I’m not surprised this play isn’t performed as regularly as Shakespeare’s other plays. Without numbers in front of me, I would hesitate to give a definitive statement. Nonetheless, we can agree that Big Bill had a lot of obscure plays that are obscure for a reason. Some companies try to cycle through all the works every few years. I wonder if you get a t shirt if you do them all. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/12 "2019-07-05T14:15:04Z")
I studied Merchant in high school. I remember then (mid 1970’s) that our teacher discussed the stereotypical descriptions and actions of the Jewish characters. I think the Cliffs Notes study guide also brought it up. It’s been so long ago that I don’t remember. It is a good play and one of the easier ones to read & understand. Some Shakespeare plays are harder to understand without a study guide. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/13 "2019-07-05T17:12:57Z")
Do we have a city state we want to annex? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/14 "2019-07-05T17:59:31Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Because it is unique in a world that is so out of stories that we are rebooting the _Child’s Play_ series. Everything else aside, that IS an excellent reason. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/15 "2019-07-05T20:16:43Z")
The Maori Merchant of Venice is apparently excellent. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/16 "2019-07-05T22:42:42Z")
Taming of the Shrew is another Shakespearean play you don’t see performed much anymore. Pretty obvious why. The entire story is about making a woman humbly submit to her husband. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-good-merchant-of-venice/836516/17 "2019-07-06T00:57:48Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Everything else aside, that IS an excellent reason. So because the world is “so out of stories” the answer is to remake another story that already exists? Not really seeing how that is any different.