A Midsummer Night’s Dream

(William Dieterle and Max Reinhardt, US 1935, 117 min., 35mm)

Senior Matinee. Shakespeare’s romantic and fantastical comedy is given prestige treatment by Warner Bros. in this star-studded and lavishly designed production. Warners imported the legendary German stage director Max Reinhardt for a rare excursion into cinema and the cast includes a number of top WB contract players including James Cagney (as Bottom), Joe E. Brown, Olivia de Havilland, Dick Powell, and, as the impish Puck, Mickey Rooney.