William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
Written by William Shakespeare, Michael HoffmanDirected by Michael HoffmanRunning Time: 121 minutes (approx)Production Year: 1999Rating: PG CertificateProduction Country: Italy/UK/USAFilmed in ColourYou know the story, you probably know half the lines, but you've never seen Ally McBeal do the Bard. Demetrius (Christian Bale) and Lysander (Dominic West) both want Hermia (Anna Friel) but she only has eyes for Lysander. The bad news is that Hermia's father wants Demetrius for a son-in-law. On the outside is Helena (Claista Flockhart), whose unreturned love burns hot for Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander plan to flee from the city under cover of darkness but are pursued by an enraged Demetrius (who is himself pursued by an enraptured Helena). In the forest, unbeknownst to the mortals, Oberon (Rupert Everett) and Titania (King and Queen of the faeries played by Michelle Pfeiffer) are having a spat over a servant boy. The plot twists up when Oberon's head mischief-maker, Puck (Stanley Tucci), runs loose with a flower which causes people to fall in love with the first thing they see upon waking. Throw in a group of labourers preparing a play for the Duke's wedding (one of whom is given a donkey's head and Titania for a lover by Puck) and the complications become fantastically funny. While Christian Bale and Dominic West make their drama school teachers proud with the RSC take on the Arden playwright, Calista Flockhart brings a bit of Boston neurosis to her role as Helena, one of the four lovestruck youngsters roaming around the forest. Director Michael Hoffman has clearly watched all the other Shakespearean adaptations, because he sensibly transports the storyline from Greece to Tuscany, the 19th-century Tuscany beloved of Merchant Ivory and Henry James. While Flockhart, Bale, Friel and West do the moonish youth bit around the woods, Queen of the Fairies Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her mate Oberon (Rupert Everett) mix it up with Oberon's cheeky little pal Puck (Stanley Tucci), who almost steals the film. That honour is ultimately seized by Kevin Kline, who walks away with the film tucked into his breeches as Nick Bottom, the weaver. The film also stars David Strathairn, an underestimated actor and another of those faces who crop up repeatedly without ever getting the kind of lavish close-ups enjoyed by the biggest stars. Strathairn will be more familiar to viewers as the movie mogul Pearce Patchett in LA Confidential, whose suave manner and deadpan delivery made his character one of the top performances in that film. He attended the Ringling Brothers' clown school in Florida before making a name for himself starring in several films by John Sayles, including Passion Fish and baseball fix movie Eight Men Out. Catch him on Sky Cinema this month appearing in a small role as Ray McDeere in The Firm. This is a superb film with superb performances by all involved. Despite Anna Friel's wooden and appauling performance (in my honest opinion) the rest shone, espeicially Calista Flockhart who really did put in an outstanding performance as Helena. Cast
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William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a Film programme that first aired in 1999 and has been rated PG. William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 4 star programme.
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