The Merchant (play) would make a big profit, but this did not happen. He wrote a book about the play in 1999, "The Birth of Shylock and the Death of Zero Mostel". In this play, Shylock is a good man and Antonio's, the title character in Shakespeare's play, good friend. They bond in their love of knowledge and mutual dislike of the antisemitism in their community. Shylock's demand for a pound of flesh is meant as a jest, but he can not retract it. Both Shylock and Antonio are relieved when the demand is denied in court. Reviewing "The Merchant", critic Michael Billington
The Thief of Venice George Sanders were to play support roles, with filming to start in Italy on 1 November 1949. Sanders eventually pulled out. The movie was shot on location in Italy with studio work done at Scalera Studios. The "Christian Science Monitor" said that "a series of coups, captures and escapes take place with a great deal of running about but very little inventiveness." The "Washington Post" called it "a rip snorting Western" style film. The Thief of Venice The Thief of Venice or Il Ladro di Venezia is a 1950 Italian film directed by John Brahm. The US title was "The