SHAKESPEARE

Alternative title

Great Role, The

Synopsis

Feature film. A tragicomedy about an actor and his dying wife. Maurice Kurz (Freiss) is a forty-something jobbing actor who has never had a big career break. One day a world-renowned director Grichenberg (Coyote) auditions Maurice for a part in his Yiddish film version of The Merchant of Venice. After the third audition he is offered the role of Shylock. Only when his wife Perla (Bejo) learns of his success does she reveal that she has terminal cancer. But a big star suddenly becomes available to play Shylock and Maurice loses the role. He decides not to tell Perla and pretends each day that he is going off to the studio and giving interviews.

Language

French (Standard)

Country

France

Medium

Film

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Year of release

2004

Duration

89 mins

Credits

Director

Steve Suissa

Cinematographer

Guillaume Schiffman

Screenplay

Daniel Cohen; Sophie Tepper; Steve Suissa

Music

David Marouani

Animator

Eric Barboza

Cast

Berenice Bejo	Perla
Peter Coyote	Rudolph Grichenberg
Stephane Freiss	Maurice Kurz

Additional Details

Production type

Fiction Films

Plays

Merchant of Venice, The

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

Available on DVD region 1 only.

General

Adapted from a novel by Daniel Goldenberg.

Reviews

Gates, Anita. ‘Elaborate Lies and Buried Secrets’ in New York Times (May 6, 2005).

Production Company

Name

Films de l’Espoir

Archive

Name

Folger Shakespeare Library

Email

reference@folger.edu

Web

http://www.folger.edu External site opens in new window

Phone

(202) 544 4600

Fax

(202) 544 4623

Address

201 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington
DC 20003
USA

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.co.uk

Web

http://www.amazon.co.uk External site opens in new window