*This entry is part of a mini-feature, High School Nostalgia: books-turned-movies that were discussed during my high school years. Cast: Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes Director: Michael Radford
Merchant of Venice was the first Shakespearean work that I had my hands on. It's light, and it served its comedic purpose, but had dramatic flair. To this day, Sherlock's monologue is the only speech that I can still recall. While the play is light to read and easy to take in, the same can't be said regarding the movie. Interpreted in the traditional sense, Merchant of Venice succeeds in transporting ancient Venice on screen, the flaw might have been the interpretation of the lines in itself.