When I first saw the original 1935 trailer for A Midsumme Night's Dream I knew I had to purchase a copy of the film for my shelf· The trailer itself is a delight!
The film is wonderfully bombastic, very much what I suspect would have been Shakespeare's concept if he were producing it in 1935· Even though Reinhardt cut half the lines, the spirit of the mayhem and comedy comes through· While I quibble a bit with some of the casting, overall they nearly fit my perception of the characters pretty well· My favorite is Joe E Brown, a favorite of mine since a boy (I had an uncle who's smile and mannerisms were very much Mr Brown's)· Puck was played by fifteen year old Mickey Rooney, just starting in a very long acting career· The film was not a commercial success, and Max Reinhardt made no other Hollywood movies·
I strongly suggest reading the reviews in the "Links" section· The Commentary included on the dvd is also well worth viewing.