I have never read anything written by Shakespeare. So I can’t tell you whether the script of the movie Merchant of Venice is faithful to Mr. Shakespeare’s original “screen play” or not. There were a whole lot of “thy”, “thou art” in the dialogues though.
The movie is actually pretty good. And in case you wonder too, Bassanio was played by the guy who played Shakespeare in Shakespeare in Love.
I quite liked the scene where Portia “expressed her affection” to Bassanio after he made the correct guess on the lead chest.
And this is what she said to him. Romantic!!
PORTIA:
You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,
Such as I am: though for myself alone
I would not be ambitious in my wish,
To wish myself much better; yet, for you
I would be trebled twenty times myself;
A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times more rich;
That only to stand high in your account,
I might in virtue, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account; but the full sum of me
Is sum of something, which, to term in gross,
Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractised;
Happy in this, she is not yet so old
But she may learn; happier than this,
She is not bred so dull but she can learn;
Happiest of all is that her gentle spirit
Commits itself to yours to be directed…
(Btw, this can be roughly translated to: I’m pretty darn good already. But I love you so much that I feel humbled. Luckily I’m young and un-dull so I’ll just take on some continuous improvements with your guidance. ; ))
