Say, who is this Shakespeare guy anyway? He had some imagination.
This film has been on my must see list for some time, and the truth of the matter is because James Cagney was in it. I didn't think his role in the story would be as prominent as it was, but he rose to the occasion quite well considering he had to step out of his more familiar characters as a gangster or tough guy. You had to wonder how audiences of the day reacted to his being turned into a jackass; Cagney himself seemed to delight in the portrayal.
The other surprise for me here was Victor Jory in the role of Oberon, King of the Faeries. He played the part with a touch of malice and it occurred to me that he was more effective here than in any villain role I've seen him in. Quite comically, his instructions to mischief maker Puck (Mickey Rooney) ran the gamut of unintended consequences for a pair of star crossed lovers, not to mention Cagney's ill fated turn as a pointy eared mule.
Above all however, I was impressed by the stunning cinematography, costuming and special effects. Quite honestly, for 1935 I can't imagine how the film makers achieved those wonderful sequences involving the flight of the Faeries and those dazzling dance scenes. I realize it was still too early for the use of color in movies, but wouldn't that have been a glorious enhancement?
The only downside for this viewer was the extended finale that cast Cagney as Pyramus and Joe E. Brown as Thisby. It felt as if the excitement and glamour of the main story had already achieved it's desired effect, so sitting through those final moments felt like a chore to get through to make it to the end.
This film has been on my must see list for some time, and the truth of the matter is because James Cagney was in it. I didn't think his role in the story would be as prominent as it was, but he rose to the occasion quite well considering he had to step out of his more familiar characters as a gangster or tough guy. You had to wonder how audiences of the day reacted to his being turned into a jackass; Cagney himself seemed to delight in the portrayal.
The other surprise for me here was Victor Jory in the role of Oberon, King of the Faeries. He played the part with a touch of malice and it occurred to me that he was more effective here than in any villain role I've seen him in. Quite comically, his instructions to mischief maker Puck (Mickey Rooney) ran the gamut of unintended consequences for a pair of star crossed lovers, not to mention Cagney's ill fated turn as a pointy eared mule.
Above all however, I was impressed by the stunning cinematography, costuming and special effects. Quite honestly, for 1935 I can't imagine how the film makers achieved those wonderful sequences involving the flight of the Faeries and those dazzling dance scenes. I realize it was still too early for the use of color in movies, but wouldn't that have been a glorious enhancement?
The only downside for this viewer was the extended finale that cast Cagney as Pyramus and Joe E. Brown as Thisby. It felt as if the excitement and glamour of the main story had already achieved it's desired effect, so sitting through those final moments felt like a chore to get through to make it to the end.