The Jew of Mestri

1923 Drama 123 minutes Directed by Peter Paul Felner

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About The Jew of Mestri

In Venice, the merchant Antonio borrows from the Jewish moneylender Shylock so his friend Bassanio can court the heiress Portia. If the debt is not paid, Shylock may cut a pound of flesh from Antonio. Antonio's ships do not come in. Shylock demands the bond in court. Portia, disguised as a lawyer, beats him on the letter of the contract. The German film adds scenes and characters that are not in Shakespeare's play. The 1926 American release retitles Shylock as Mordecai, the Jew of Mestri, and renames the rest of the household.

Cast & crew

More about The Jew of Mestri

Peter Paul Felner wrote, directed, produced, and edited it. Axel Graatkjær and Rudolph Maté photographed it on location in Venice. Michael Krausz wrote the music. Phoebus Film distributed the German release on October 13, 1923. The United States release in 1926 used the title The Jew of Mestri. German listings give 123 minutes.

Themes

  • A bond of a pound of flesh
  • Ships that do not return
  • A woman disguised as a lawyer
  • A retitling for the American release
  • Venice
  • Shylock
  • Portia
  • pound of flesh
  • trial
  • Henny Porten
  • Werner Krauss

Background

A German silent adaptation of The Merchant of Venice, opened in October 1923 and retitled for the American market three years later.

Making

Felner shot in Venice and then built a longer story around the pound-of-flesh trial, with Porten's disguise as the lawyer kept from the play.

Look

Axel Graatkjær and Rudolph Maté shot the Venice locations and the trial.

Music

Michael Krausz composed the music for the German release.

Preservation

Prints survive, including an 86-minute circulating copy and the German release version.

Notes

  • Werner Krauss plays Shylock. Henny Porten plays Portia. Harry Liedtke plays Bassanio. Albert Steinrück plays Tubal.
  • In the English script the characters are renamed: Shylock becomes Mordecai, and his daughter is Rachela, betrothed to Elias and in love with the Christian Lorenzo.
  • The film claims to return to an earlier source as a reason for departing from the play.
  • A circulating copy runs 86 minutes.
  • Carl Ebert is also in the German cast.

Scenes

  • Shylock demands the pound of flesh in court after Antonio's ships fail.
  • Portia, dressed as a lawyer, turns the contract against him.

Influenced by

  • The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Also available

  • Internet Archive (silent-the-jew-of-mestri)
  • Wikimedia Commons