Internet Shakespeare Editions

Shakespeare in Performance: Film

The Merchant of Venice (1969, John Sichel)

TitleThe Merchant of Venice
Year1969
Release LocationsGB
DirectorJohn Sichel
MediumColor video
Length2 hrs
LanguagesEnglish
Audiencegeneral public
Play ConnectionsThe Merchant of Venice (teleplay)

Description

Originally presented at the National theatre in London, the production was subsequently recorded for television. It is available on videocassette in Great Britain but presently not in the United States. The high quality of the season's television entertainment put Olivier and company in the position of competing for the prime time audience against Ernest Borgnine in Twice in a Lifetime at 8 P.M. that same evening

Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14

Cast Overview

ShylockLaurence Olivier
AntonioAnthony Nicholls
PortiaJoan Plowright
NerissaAnna Carteret
DukeBenjamin Whitrow
MoroccoStephen Greif
ArragonCharles Kay
SolanioMichael Tudor Barnes
GratianoMichael Jayston
SalerioBarry James
LorenzoMalcolm Reid
TubalKenneth Mackintosh
BalthazarJohn Joyce
StephanoPeter Rocca
GobboDenis Lawson
SingersLaura Sarti
SingerClare Walmesley

Production Team and Crew Overview

DirectorJohn Sichel
ProducerCecil Clarke
EditorAl Pigden
ComposerCarl Davis
Stage DirectorJonathan Miller
CostumesBeatrice Dawson
MakeupSheila Mann
CostumesKeith Sproul
LightingTony Hudspith
AudioHenry Bird
CameraRoy Simper
Video EngineerJim Reeves
SetJulia Trevelyan Oman
SetPeter Roden

Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell