A Midsummer Night's Dream

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA)

for some sexual content.

Reviewed by: Maggi
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:	Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Teens Adults
Genre:	Comedy
Length:	116 min.
Year of Release:	1999
USA Release:	May 14, 1999

Copyright, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Featuring	Kevin Kline … Nick Bottom Michelle Pfeiffer … Titania Stanley Tucci … Puck Christian Bale … Demetrius Dominic West … Lysander David Strathairn … Theseus Sam Rockwell … Francis Flute See all » Rupert Everett … Oberon Calista Flockhart … Helena Anna Friel … Hermia Sophie Marceau … Hippolyta Roger Rees … Peter Quince Max Wright … Robin Starveling Gregory Jbara … Snug Bill Irwin … Tom Snout Bernard Hill … Egeus John Sessions … Philostrate Deirdre A. Harrison … Hard-eyed Fairy Heather Elizabeth Parisi … Bottom’s Wife Annalisa Cordone … Cobweb Paola Pessot … Mustardseed Solena Nocentini … Moth Flaminia Fegarotti … Peaseblossom Valerio Isidori … Master Antonio Daniele Finizio … Dangerous Boy Damiano Salvatori … Dangerous Boy Chomoke Bhuiyan … Changeling Boy Nathalie Van Ravenstein … Fairy Musician—Fairyworld Venera Torti … Fairy Musician—Fairyworld Luce Maioli … Fairy Musician—Fairyworld Xenia F. Wilson … Fairy Musician—Fairyworld Veronica Del Chiappa … Fairy—Fairyworld Monica La Vezzari … Fairy—Fairyworld Cristina Guglielmino … Fairy—Fairyworld Alessandra Monti … Fairy—Fairyworld Anna Cirigliano … Fairy—Fairyworld Elisabetta Carnevale … Nymph—Fairyworld Chiara Stampone … Nymph—Fairyworld Chiara Conti … Nymph—Fairyworld Valentina Sciarrini … Nymph—Fairyworld Alessandra Carbone … Nymph—Fairyworld Paolo Risi … Pantomime Dwarf—Fairyworld Davide Marotta … Pantomime Dwarf—Fairyworld Sabrina Marazzi … Pantomime Dwarf—Fairyworld Elisabetta La Padula … Pantomime Dwarf—Fairyworld Antonia Petrucca … Dwarf—Fairyworld Vittoria Danese … Dwarf—Fairyworld Marina Ficuciello … Dwarf—Fairyworld Marina Boccini … Dwarf—Fairyworld Roberta Galli … Fury—Fairyworld Anna Burt … Fury—Fairyworld Victoria Eugenia Martinez … Female Monster—Fairyworld Luisa Nardelli … Janus Figure—Fairyworld Lucia Nardelli … Janus Figure—Fairyworld Emanuele Gullotto … Fawn—Fairyworld Daniele Quistelli … Fawn—Fairyworld Carlo Vitale … Fawn—Fairyworld Marco Rossetti … Fawn—Fairyworld Beniamino Vitale … Satyr—Fairyworld Gianluca Del Mastro … Satyr—Fairyworld Stefano Cesarini … Satyr—Fairyworld Vincenzo Dettole … Satyr—Fairyworld Walter Maioli … Satyr Musician—Fairyworld Aldo Marinucci … Satyr Musician—Fairyworld Gaetano Delfini … Satyr Musician—Fairyworld Roberto Stanco … Satyr Musician—Fairyworld Paola Murgia … Sphinx—Fairyworld Alba Tiberi … Sphinx—Fairyworld Francesco Caruso … Winged Man—Fairyworld Giuseppe Gambino … Winged Man—Fairyworld Tommaso Accardo … Forge Man—Fairyworld Cristina Mantis … Medusa—Fairyworld Filippo Fugazzotto … Goat Headed Creature—Fairyworld Riccardo Tesi … Wedding Musician—Fairyworld Maurizio Geri … Wedding Musician—Fairyworld Luca Martini … Wedding Musician—Fairyworld Daniele Mencarelli … Wedding Musician—Fairyworld Gabriele Mirabassi … Wedding Musician—Fairyworld Isabella Rita Gallinelli … Soprano—Holding Area/Aida—Holding Area Mauro Marino … Egyptian—Holding Area/Pharaoh—Holding Area Endrius Colombaioni … Fire Eater—Holding Area Giancarlo Colombaioni … Juggler—Holding Area Angelo Bonello … Juggler—Holding Area Vincenzo Moretti … Othello—Holding Area Manuela Metri … Desdemona—Holding Area Laura Maltoni … Commedia Dell’Arte Troupe—Holding Area Ester Salis … Commedia Dell’Arte Troupe—Holding Area Donato Fierro-Perez … Commedia Dell’Arte Troupe—Holding Area Daniele Ferretti … Greek Tragedy—Holding Area Vito Passeri … Greek Tragedy—Holding Area Francesco Gabriele … Greek Tragedy—Holding Area Lilliana Vitale … Storyteller—Holding Area Keith Bisset … Bottom—Holding Area Rudy Ruggiero … Voice
Director	Michael Hoffman
Producer	Fox Searchlight Pictures Regency Enterprises Taurus Film See all » Panoramica Nigel Goldsack … associate producer Michael Hoffman … producer Arnon Milchan … executive producer Leslie Urdang … producer Ann Wingate … co-producer

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”

The works of the Bard, William Shakespeare, are getting plenty of attention in recent years due to several film releases: “Hamlet,” “Much Ado About Nothing”, “Romeo and Juliet,” “10 Things I Hate About You” and now, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. And that doesn’t even mention several other Shakespeare-based releases. This rendition stars such talented actors and actresses as Michelle Pfeiffer, Kevin Kline, Calista Flockhart, and Christian Bale.

Titania (Michelle Pfeiffer), the Fairy Queen, has an argument with her husband. To teach her a lesson, he sends his mischievous servant Puck (Stanley Tucci) to put a love potion on her eyes so she’ll fall in love with the first thing she sees. Puck also turns a weaver Bottom (Kevin Kline) into a donkey-headed monster for Titania to fall for. The potion is also used on four human lovers who appear confused about who loves whom. “A Midsummer Nights Dream” is full of funny moments and a picturesquely stunning visual setting. The great thing about this movie is that those who never liked Shakespeare (myself included), will surely enjoy it. The Shakespearean language is done in a way that makes it understandable. Not only that, but it is certainly refreshing to sit through a film uncoarsed by verbal vulgarity.

There is no violence in the film, which was also refreshing to see. The major objection is nudity and sexual content. Sexual intercourse is implied a few times, and there is one sexual scene with Titania and Bottom. There is also a little bit of nudity, but not too graphic. I wouldn’t recommend this to very young viewers, but I would recommend it to teens and young adults. In an age where violence, gore, homosexuality, and other anti-Christian themes are flooding movie theaters, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a nice change of pace.

Positive

I agree with the review. I’m a high school English teacher, and I found this film version of Shakespeare’s most famous fantasy charming. The dialogue, even with Shakespeare’s puns and verbal challenges, was made easily understood by the superb acting. Puck, that mischievous little fairy, was delightful. You must pay special attention to the ending, for the “play within the play.” Kline’s troop of actors is splendidly funny. My friend, who despises everything Shakespeare, found herself laughing to tears. Well done, even with the slight sexual overtones and nudity. Not for little kids, but adults and mature teens will enjoy!

Karen Gibson, age 42

I agree with the reviewer about the generally fun and uplifting feeling conveyed throughout the movie. It was not coarse or vulgar in any spot that I can recall. I would certainly be comfortable with my teenage children seeing this movie. One point to consider is that the Shakesperean language requires a fairly high degree of concentration from the viewer. It is easy to miss the humor if not listening carefully and even with concentration, it is a bit hard to keep the four young lovers clearly identified.

David, age 46

Negative

Negative—Although “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1999) movie has great costumes, acting, actors, and, of course, the Bard’s well written play and dialogue, it had nudity and sexual scenes from beginning to end. I did watch it based on the reviews already here, stating that it had a very “little nudity” and that none of the nudity was “offensive.” However, sex scenes were implied through the film, with completely naked couples, showing most of their nakedness in the scenes for sustained periods of time, including breasts and backsides.

In addition, there were provocative scenes of nude women (fairies) bathing, and female outfits that were completely immodest and revealing. The morality of it also included the idea of premarital sex and promiscuity. All in all, the nudity had the feeling of porn, especially for any men watching. In my belief, this is not a movie Christians should be watching, no matter the high quality and the Shakespearean classic. Please do not let your children see this film—find an alternative.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5

Mrs. F, age 26 (USA)

Comments from young people

I went to this movie with my aunt, and even though I like action and suspense movies more than anything else, I found this film surprisingly enjoyable. The scene where they put on the play was hilarious (as in the tradiotion of Monty Python). Though I found some parts boring, it was alright.

Josiah Hager, age 15