When one of the great Shakespearean actors of the 20th Century takes on one of the great "problematic" roles of the English speaking stage, it is close to criminal that the work is not in current DVD release except as part of a hard to find Olivier "Centenary" set.
Jonathan Miller's National Theatre production moves the setting to the late 19th Century with Olivier (who had made his more traditional OTHELLO a virtual homage to the 1943 Paul Robeson performance) adopting a look geared to evoke George Arliss' renowned film portrayal of the great Jewish (but baptized into the Anglican faith as a young child) Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. It is a brilliant touch carrying with it a world of unspoken attitude of suffering under long term bias.
Shakespeare's Shylock is one of his most problematic roles, but one remarkable for the insight given to what any other author of the time would have made a stereotyped stock villain. Shakespeare himself had almost certainly never met a practicing Jew; unconverted members of the faith having been expelled from his country before he was born in an early pogrom almost inconceivable to modern eyes. Further, there's no avoiding the fact that Shylock the vengeful money lender IS the villain of the piece - betrayed by his daughter, and plotting the downfall of a Venetian businessman (Antonio) who has spat upon him in the unthinking antisemitism of the era and undercut his lending business by lending money to friends at no interest.
(One of the great ironies of the antisemitic "money lending" liable is that the Christian church actively forced Jews into the role - frequently financed by non-Jewish rulers - with Christians forbidden by Canon Law from taking interest for loans!)
It is tempting to play the sneering villain as overtly lusting for Antonio's blood, but Olivier avoids the trap, only letting flashes of the underlying malevolence peek through in unguarded moments but they are there, as they must, be for an audience to accept the inevitable fall. Modern (post-WWII) Antonios have to work harder to keep sympathy from swinging to Shylock for the injustices he suffers under, especially so when the Shylock is played with as civilized patina as Olivier creates. Anthony Nicholls' calm demeanor manages this almost perfectly - this is very much a "gentleman's MERCHANT..." from all hands.
The centerpiece of the "comedy" - far more than the famous but shallow and just a little unbelievable "Suitors' Caskets Scene" in Act II - is the brilliant trial scene in Act V, here with Joan Plowright - Lady Olivier - the "insider" fun is doubled with real life husband and wife playing off each other at the height of their powers - overcoming the supposedly evil Shylock as Portia, passing herself off as a learned male judge, traps him into a position where his scheme to reek revenge on Antonio is turned on the Jew bringing his total, unregretted downfall...and yet...
And yet, Shakespeare is not content to let the audience laugh at Portia's cleverness and the destruction of the villain. He makes the whole scene actually dangerous by giving Shylock the most powerful speech of self defense and against mindless bigotry in all English literature ("Hath not a Jew eyes?" etc.). It is akin to the marvelous perverseness by which Iago drives his victim, Othello to madness and murder with a rain of eternally quotable GOOD advise given from bad motives ("Oh beware, my Lord, the green eyed monster!" etc.). With a great Shylock, and Olivier is a decidedly great Shylock, one is forced to see the real pain and injustice which drives him to his destructive acts - and forgo at least a little of the fun Shakespeare's audience expected in the bear bating-like joys of seeing the "monster" vanquished.
Director John Sichel ups the ante by having a musical score play Kadish (the Jewish prayer for the dead) over the final moments of the play while Jessica, Shylock's daughter who has robbed and abandoned him and her faith for a Christian lover, reads of being left the part of her Father's estate not confiscated by the State following the trial scene.
It is a powerful work, powerfully played, and worth seeing and discussing by as broad an audience as possible. 'Well worth tracking down a copy.
Jonathan Miller's National Theatre production moves the setting to the late 19th Century with Olivier (who had made his more traditional OTHELLO a virtual homage to the 1943 Paul Robeson performance) adopting a look geared to evoke George Arliss' renowned film portrayal of the great Jewish (but baptized into the Anglican faith as a young child) Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli. It is a brilliant touch carrying with it a world of unspoken attitude of suffering under long term bias.
Shakespeare's Shylock is one of his most problematic roles, but one remarkable for the insight given to what any other author of the time would have made a stereotyped stock villain. Shakespeare himself had almost certainly never met a practicing Jew; unconverted members of the faith having been expelled from his country before he was born in an early pogrom almost inconceivable to modern eyes. Further, there's no avoiding the fact that Shylock the vengeful money lender IS the villain of the piece - betrayed by his daughter, and plotting the downfall of a Venetian businessman (Antonio) who has spat upon him in the unthinking antisemitism of the era and undercut his lending business by lending money to friends at no interest.
(One of the great ironies of the antisemitic "money lending" liable is that the Christian church actively forced Jews into the role - frequently financed by non-Jewish rulers - with Christians forbidden by Canon Law from taking interest for loans!)
It is tempting to play the sneering villain as overtly lusting for Antonio's blood, but Olivier avoids the trap, only letting flashes of the underlying malevolence peek through in unguarded moments but they are there, as they must, be for an audience to accept the inevitable fall. Modern (post-WWII) Antonios have to work harder to keep sympathy from swinging to Shylock for the injustices he suffers under, especially so when the Shylock is played with as civilized patina as Olivier creates. Anthony Nicholls' calm demeanor manages this almost perfectly - this is very much a "gentleman's MERCHANT..." from all hands.
The centerpiece of the "comedy" - far more than the famous but shallow and just a little unbelievable "Suitors' Caskets Scene" in Act II - is the brilliant trial scene in Act V, here with Joan Plowright - Lady Olivier - the "insider" fun is doubled with real life husband and wife playing off each other at the height of their powers - overcoming the supposedly evil Shylock as Portia, passing herself off as a learned male judge, traps him into a position where his scheme to reek revenge on Antonio is turned on the Jew bringing his total, unregretted downfall...and yet...
And yet, Shakespeare is not content to let the audience laugh at Portia's cleverness and the destruction of the villain. He makes the whole scene actually dangerous by giving Shylock the most powerful speech of self defense and against mindless bigotry in all English literature ("Hath not a Jew eyes?" etc.). It is akin to the marvelous perverseness by which Iago drives his victim, Othello to madness and murder with a rain of eternally quotable GOOD advise given from bad motives ("Oh beware, my Lord, the green eyed monster!" etc.). With a great Shylock, and Olivier is a decidedly great Shylock, one is forced to see the real pain and injustice which drives him to his destructive acts - and forgo at least a little of the fun Shakespeare's audience expected in the bear bating-like joys of seeing the "monster" vanquished.
Director John Sichel ups the ante by having a musical score play Kadish (the Jewish prayer for the dead) over the final moments of the play while Jessica, Shylock's daughter who has robbed and abandoned him and her faith for a Christian lover, reads of being left the part of her Father's estate not confiscated by the State following the trial scene.
It is a powerful work, powerfully played, and worth seeing and discussing by as broad an audience as possible. 'Well worth tracking down a copy.