New film asks, was Merchant of Venice gay?
Charges of anti-Semitism are standard fare when it comes to “The Merchant of Venice” but a new film of the Shakespeare play also raises another controversial question — was the merchant gay? An emotionally charged kiss between two men raises the issue of their sexual orientation, but even the actors who play them do not agree about what the kiss means. The film, which opens nationally on Wednesday, is based on Shakespeare’s play about the merchant Antonio, whose friend Bassanio is deeply in debt and needs money to woo an heiress named Portia. To help his friend, Antonio borrows money from the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who has been subjected to past prejudice and anti-Semitic insults from Antonio. In lieu of interest, Shylock, played by Al Pacino, demands a pound of Antonio’s flesh if the loan is not repaid. Despite a speech considered a classic plea for tolerance, The Merchant of Venice has long sparked charges of anti-Semitism for its unflattering portrait of Shylock. Director Mich
