A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)

Directors:

William Dieterle
Max Reinhardt

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Charles Kenyon (arranged for the screen by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 October 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

A New Triumph In Movie History !

Plot:

Theseus, Duke of Athens, is going to marry Hyppolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Demetrius is engaged with Hermia...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Actor | Magic | Play | Fairy

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Ian Hunter	...	Theseus, Duke of Athens
Verree Teasdale	...	Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Philostrate, Master of Revels to Theseus
Dick Powell	...	Lysander, In love with Hermia
Ross Alexander	...	Demetrius, In love with Hermia
Olivia de Havilland	...	Hermia, In love with Lysander (as Olivia de Haviland)
Jean Muir	...	Helena, In love with Demetrius
Grant Mitchell	...	Egeus, Father to Hermia
Frank McHugh	...	Quince, the Carpenter
Dewey Robinson	...	Snug, the Joiner
James Cagney	...	Bottom, the Weaver
Joe E. Brown	...	Flute, the Bellows-mender
Hugh Herbert	...	Snout, the Tinker
Otis Harlan	...	Starveling, the Tailor
Arthur Treacher	...	Epilogue
Victor Jory	...	Oberon, King of the Fairies
Anita Louise	...	Titania, Queen of the Fairies
Nini Theilade	...	Fairie, Attending Titania (as Nina Theilade)
Mickey Rooney	...	Puck or Robin Goodfellow, a Fairy
Katherine Frey	...	Pease-Blossom (as Fairies)
Helen Westcott	...	Cobweb (as Fairies)
Fred Sale	...	Moth (as Fairies)
Billy Barty	...	Mustard-Seed (as Fairies)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kenneth Anger	...	Little boy (uncredited)
Sheila Brown	...	Changeling Prince (uncredited)
Carol Ellis	...	Titania (singing voice) (uncredited)
Shep Houghton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Rags Ragland	...	Acting Troupe Member (uncredited)
Angelo Rossitto	...	Gnome (uncredited)
Helen Wood	...	Lady of the Court (uncredited)

Directed by
William Dieterle
Max Reinhardt

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play)
Charles Kenyon		(arranged for the screen by) &
Mary C. McCall Jr.		(arranged for the screen by)

Produced by
Henry Blanke	....	producer (uncredited)
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Hal Mohr		(photography by)

Film Editing by
Ralph Dawson

Art Direction by
Anton Grot

Set Decoration by
Ben Bone		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Max Rée		(as Max Ree)
Milo Anderson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	cosmetician
Faye Hanlin	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Alleborn	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Saunders	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Sherry Shourds	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Emmett Emerson	....	props (uncredited)
Harper Goff	....	set designer (uncredited)
John More	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles David Forrest	....	sound (uncredited)
Nathan Levinson	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Byron Haskin	....	special photographic effects
Fred Jackman	....	special photographic effects
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	special photographic effects (as Hans Koenekamp)

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Brannigan	....	camera operator (uncredited)
William Classen	....	grip (uncredited)
Stanley Cortez	....	camera operator (uncredited)
L. De Angelis	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mickey Marigold	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Robert Surtees	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Warren Low	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	conductor
Erich Wolfgang Korngold	....	music arranger
Erich Wolfgang Korngold	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Stanley Logan	....	dialogue director
Bronislava Njinska	....	choreographer: ballets by (as Bronislawa Nijinska)
Fred Applegate	....	continuity (uncredited)
Henry Blanke	....	supervisor (uncredited)
George P. Breakston	....	double: Mickey Rooney (uncredited)
Jane Downey	....	stand-in (uncredited)
S. Charles Einfeld	....	press agent (uncredited)
Jack A. Goodrich	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Jack Grey	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Betty Hobday	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Percy Kennedy	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Pat O'Shea	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Gladys Rehfeld	....	stand-in (uncredited)
George Slight	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Nini Theilade	....	dance ensembles (uncredited)
Charles Veneman	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Arthur J. Zellner	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (have the honor to present) (as Warner Brothers)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1935) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• United Costumers Inc.  costume supplies (uncredited)

Runtime:

133 min | USA:117 min (edited version) | USA:142 min (with overture and exit music)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Vitaphone

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #752)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

William Dieterle had full charge as director for about a week because of a breach-of-contract suit filed against Max Reinhardt by a French film company. The judge found in favor of Reinhardt, and lifted the restraining order.

Quotes:

Oberon, King of the Fairies: Ill-met by moonlight, proud Titania!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#22.32)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Scherzo in E-Minor

Warner Bros does Shakespeare, successfully!

Max Reinhardt's theatre production, together with William Dieterle's directorial flair, brings Shakespeare to Hollywood. The ideas and effects within this vision are brilliant, although the detail has undoubtedly diminished with the wear and tear of several decades.

Best in the actors are Mickey Rooney as Puck, and Joe E Brown as Flute. James Cagney is Bottom, Anita Louise is Titania, Victor Jory is Oberon, Olivia de Havilland and Dick Powell are amongst the lovers. All are ok but nothing special. The little changeling is Kenneth Anger, who would later be vitriolic in his book 'Hollywood Babylon'.

Perhaps the best thing about this film is how it looks. It truly is magical, and you get the sense of fairies and sprites causing mischief and confusion deep in the woods. I have the feeling it would look superb in colour.