The Merchant of Venice (1953 film)

The Merchant of Venice (French: Le Marchand de Venise, Italian: Il mercante di Venezia) is a 1953 French-Italian drama film directed by Pierre Billon and starring Michel Simon, Andrée Debar and Massimo Serato. It is loosely based on William Shakespeare's Elizabethan play of the same name.^[1][2]

The Merchant of Venice
Directed by	Pierre Billon
Written by	Pierre Billon Louis Ducreux Cesare Lodovici Giuseppe Mangione Corrado Sofia Federico Zardi
Based on	The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Produced by	Giorgio Venturini Eugène Tucherer
Starring	Michel Simon Andrée Debar Massimo Serato
Cinematography	Arturo Gallea
Edited by	Loris Bellero
Music by	Giovanni Fusco
Production companies	Élysée Films Venturini Film
Distributed by	DisCina Venturini Film
Release date	1 February 1953 (1953-02-01)
Running time	102 minutes
Countries	France Italy
Language	French

The film's sets were designed by the art director Giancarlo Bartolini Salimbeni.

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.

Cast

• Michel Simon as Shylock
• Andrée Debar as Portia
• Massimo Serato as Antonio
• Armando Francioli as Bassanio
• Giorgio Albertazzi as Lorenzo
• Liliana Tellini as Jessica
• Olga Solbelli as Bianca
• Clara Auteri as Nerissa
• Franco Balducci as Antonio's friend
• Nerio Bernardi as Doge
• Gualtiero Tumiati as Dr. Bellario