Michael Hoffman

RATED: PG13

Studio: Fox Searchlight

Running Time: 115 minutes

Clare reviews - A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM [New York release: May 7, 1999]

What could be better than watching Calista Flockhart madly chasing a disdainful lover through the woods, declaring herself to be his "spaniel"? And seeing handsome Rupert Everett as Oberon, the "King of the Fairies?" (Tee hee.) And the wonderful Kevin Kline as the grandstanding Bottom? And the sprightly Stanley Tucci as the mischievous Puck? And the ethereally beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, Queen of the Fairies?

Such inspired casting! Flockhart plays the lovesick Helena in this merry version ofShakespeare’s comedy, and she thankfully doesn’t have to move too far over from her portrayal of the ditzy barrister on "Ally McBeal." Which is just one reason why this casting is inspired. But even better, the director of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Michael Hoffman (of the great SOAPDISH, the middling-at-best ONE FINE DAY, and the awful RESTORATION), gets great performances out of all of his cast members, and does a swell job interpreting the Bard in general, creating an enjoyable and lovely film.

Hoffman, who also wrote this adaptation, sets the story in 19th-century Italy instead of ancient Athens (cue the Italian opera music--good call!). He makes a few more choices that subtly affect the tone of the film, and they're almost always good ones (except for an unfortunate mud fight that I could have done without).

The rest of the time, Hoffman just lets Shakespeare be Shakespeare, which is no less than great. DREAM is playful and sweet from the outset. Even the titles are cute, illuminated by bright little firefly-looking fairies zooming around the screen. Then we see Theseus (sigh! David Strathairn! Love this guy!) and his fiancee, Hippolyta (Sophie Marceau, who is beautiful, but still, French, and her delivery of Shakespeare sounds a little, well, accented, but I guess that’s okay), talking of their impending marriage.

Theseus is a busy guy, a Duke, no less, and people come to him for law and guidance. So when Egeus drags his daughter Hermia (a wonderful Anna Friel) to Theseus, demanding that she marry Demetrius (Christian Bale) instead of Lysander (foxy, foxy Dominic West), whom she really loves, Theseus settles the matter. Hermia must either a) marry Demetrius, b) die, or c) swear herself to Diana and never, ever be with any man at all.

Instead, she makes plans to run to the forest with Lysander and escape to nuptial freedom. Now come the hair extensions. Enter Helena (Flockhart), who loves, loves, loves Demetrius, but is shunned by him. She has lots of long, curly, where’s-the-hairdresser-for-PRACTICAL-MAGIC-when-you-really-need-him hair. Helena tells Demetrius of Hermia’s and Lysander’s plan so she can follow Demetrius into the forest when he follows Hermia. Which he does.

Meanwhile, the perfect, gorgeous fairy king Oberon (Everett) is feuding with his haughty fairy wife, Titania (Pfeiffer, with 12-foot-long hair extensions herself, and sparkly eyeshadow to boot). To exact his revenge, Oberon sends Puck (Tucci) to find a flower that works as a love potion; he uses it to make Titania fall in love with an ass (or, more precisely, a Bottom). Of course, the four lovers end up embroiled in Oberon’s plan, and much mayhem ensues.

What’s great about DREAM is that you can’t go wrong with Shakespeare’s saucy dialogue. At one point, Helena says that she knows she’s pretty, but rues that Demetrius loves Hermia’s "fair," not her own. (Who hasn’t wondered about the fickle nature of love?) After chasing Demetrius around for a bit, she wails, "We cannot fight for love as men do! We should be woo’d and were made not to woo!" (Who hasn’t felt stupid chasing some guy around?) By the end of the film, this theme of love’s idle nature really resonates, just as it does in the play, causing a subversive, distinctly Shakespearean feeling that even when things seem right at the end, they’re not, if we examine them too closely.

What’s also great about DREAM is the extra bits that the director allows. Puck gets a lot of sight gags--especially with Oberon, whose stately dignity contrasts well with Puck's puckishness--that had me giggling, and Bottom is given a new depth, sadness, and even dignity that I'd never seen before. The last delightful surprise lies in the play-within-the-play (or movie), in which Bottom’s troupe puts on "Pyramus and Thisby" for Theseus’ wedding. Look for Sam Rockwell’s moving performance here.

For some reason I cannot explain, the movie’s 115 minutes seemed slightly long to me, but that's just about the only gripe I can come up with. DREAM is whimsical, DREAM is a dream, DREAM is even a little thoughtful and tender. Come for the Calista curiosity, stay for the fun of it. Go to the A Midsummer Night's Dream to discuss this film!