I just recently watched the 1935 James Cagney/Mickey Rooney movie A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it was very weird. James Cagney was quite a character as Bottom the Weaver. The funny thing is, I watched this movie only because of him. Shameful, yes, but I find Shakespeare hard to understand and therefore boring. (I couldn't understand a word of dialogue in this mov_02.jpg)
ie. No offense to you Shakespeare fans.) Sure, James Cagney may have been a little dramatically unbearable towards the end of the movie (even I can admit that) but he was pretty good in the scene where he rehearses the play for Theseus's wedding day in the forest with Joe E. Brown and the rest of the theatrical guild (which includes Frank McHugh). What's more is that you don't really get to see Jimmy's face during some of the movie since it's covered by a donkey's head. I think there was a bit of miscasting in the movie; James Cagney shou
ld have played Puck, which was played by Mickey Rooney, since he has that mischievous quality about him and because Mickey Rooney got annoying and uncontrollable after a while. James Cagney didn't even wanna play Bottom in the first place since he had no experience or background in doing Shakespearean dramas. Besides, he doesn't really give one the impression of being a Shakespearean actor (thank God). And he kind of looks like Kenneth Branagh in this film. Anyway, I sort of found this movie funny, especially the play scene towards the end of the film, even if it was histrionica
lly overdone by James Cagney and semi-homosexual. (The "girl" in the little play was played by Joe E. Brown.) Apart from the scenes with James Cagney, I didn't really like the movie. The public didn't really go for this movie—and I could see their point if some of them were James Cagney fans. The cinematography and the special effects were good, though. I would recommend this film for James Cagney fans who are also Shakespeare fans or who just likes watching him in all of his movies.
(Next blog: The Mayor of Hell [1933])
Warners Brothers' Breakdown of 1935 bloopers reel, which includes some of this movie (apparently, this movie was made on Soundstage 8 of the Warners Brothers Burbank studio lot):
Cagney on Crack, aka Cagney being weird in A Midsummer Night's Dream (This is not my video, though I do know a couple of Andrews):
cagneyfan, I haven't seen this in a long time, but can definitely agree with you about Mickey Rooney being annoying as Puck. I actually like the play (I'm not sure if you're into contemporary teen romances, but I'm a fan of the 2001 Kirsten Dunst movie GET OVER IT, which offers a nice spin on this Shakespearean work).
ReplyDeleteI am not really into Shakespeare either. I didn't know Cagney and Rooney did this movie. Mickey Rooney is someone I can't picture spittin out some old English.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen this film but if Cagney is in it I have to see it at least once.Thanks for the review.
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