A rich merchant, Antonio is depressed for no good reason, until his good friend Bassanio comes to tell him how he's in love with Portia. Portia's father has died and left a very strange will: only the man that picks the correct casket out of three (silver, gold, and lead) can marry her. Bassanio, unfortunately, is strapped for cash with which to go wooing, and Antonio wants to help, so Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, the money-lender. But Shylock has been nursing a grudge against Antonio's insults, and makes unusual terms to the loan. And when Antonio's business fails, those terms threaten his life, and it's up to Bassanio and Portia to save him.
John Franklyn-Robbins
as Antonio
John Rhys-Davies
as Salerio
Alan David
as Solanio
John Nettles
as Bassanio
Richard Morant
as Lorenzo
Kenneth Cranham
as Gratiano
Gemma Jones
as Portia
Susan Jameson
as Nerissa
Daniel Mitchell
as Balthasar
Warren Mitchell
as Shylock
Marc Zuber
as The Prince of Morocco
Enn Reitel
as Launcelot Gobbo
