A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle, 1935, USA, 143 minutes)*

*Preserved by the Library of Congress

Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle’s pioneering version of Shakespeare’s perennially popular comedy is a landmark synthesis of contemporary developments in set design, dance, and performance (including the debut of Olivia de Havilland and a characteristically dynamic turn by James Cagney). Korngold’s score re-orchestrates Felix Mendelssohn’s musical treatments of the play.