Warner Brothers imported the legendary German stage director Max Reinhardt to mount this lavish 1935 production, with co-director William Dieterle providing the cinematic know-how.

Perhaps not the most faithful of Shakespeare screen adaptations, he nevertheless created an eye-popping phantasmagoria, a movie laced with sparkling sequins, flying fairies, and moon-kissed forests. Featuring James Cagney as Bottom, Mickey Rooney as Puck and Olivia de Havilland as Hermia among many other stars and a cracking Mendelssohn, this is a complete delight.

Part of BFI presents Shakespeare on Film programme.

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