A Midsummer Night's Dream

Plot

This 1909 adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved comedy follows the intertwining stories of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors whose lives are manipulated by the mischievous fairy Puck and his master Oberon. When Hermia loves Lysander but is betrothed to Demetrius, they flee into the forest followed by Helena and Demetrius, creating a complex web of mistaken affections. Meanwhile, Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies, are in conflict, leading Oberon to instruct Puck to use a magical flower to make characters fall in love with the wrong partners. The amateur actors, led by Nick Bottom, are rehearsing their play in the same forest when Puck transforms Bottom's head into that of a donkey. Eventually, Puck reverses his spells, the lovers are properly paired, and the humans awaken believing it was all a strange dream, while the fairies bless the house before departing.

Historical Background

In 1909, the film industry was still in its infancy, with most films being short subjects shown in nickelodeons. This period saw the transition from simple actualities and trick films to more complex narrative cinema. The Vitagraph Company was one of the major studios competing with Edison, Biograph, and others for market dominance. The decision to adapt Shakespeare represented a significant artistic leap, suggesting that cinema was beginning to aspire to cultural legitimacy alongside theater and literature. 1909 was also the year that D.W. Griffith began his directing career at Biograph, marking the beginning of more sophisticated cinematic techniques. The film industry was primarily centered in the New York area, with the migration to Hollywood still several years away.

Making Of

The production faced the challenge of adapting Shakespeare's complex dialogue-driven comedy to the silent medium. Director Charles Kent, a former stage actor, had to rely on visual storytelling and intertitles to convey the plot. The fairy sequences required innovative special effects for the time, including the use of double exposure and matte paintings to create the magical forest atmosphere. The cast, led by Maurice Costello, had to overcome the limitations of early film technology, including the need for exaggerated gestures to compensate for the lack of sound. The young Costello sisters, Dolores and Helene, were child actors who would later become major stars in their own right. The production utilized Vitagraph's Brooklyn studio facilities, with outdoor scenes shot on the studio grounds using painted backdrops to simulate the Athenian forest setting.

Visual Style

The cinematography by Tony Gaudio (uncredited) reflects the primitive state of film technique in 1909. The camera remains static throughout, typical of the era, with compositions borrowed from stage production. Lighting was natural or simple studio lighting, creating high contrast images. The film uses the standard 1.33:1 aspect ratio of the period. Special effects for the fairy sequences were achieved through in-camera techniques and double exposure. The visual style emphasizes clarity over artistry, with the primary goal being to tell the story comprehensively within the technical limitations of the time.

Innovations

The film featured several technical innovations for its time, including the use of double exposure for the magical transformation scenes. The special effects showing Bottom's transformation into a donkey were considered impressive for 1909. The production utilized Vitagraph's improved film stock and processing techniques, resulting in clearer images than many contemporary films. The condensation of a complex Shakespeare play into a coherent 11-minute narrative demonstrated emerging skills in cinematic storytelling and editing.

Music

As a silent film, it had no recorded soundtrack. During original exhibition, it would have been accompanied by live music, typically a pianist or small ensemble in the nickelodeon theater. The musical selections would have been chosen by the theater's musical director to match the mood of each scene, with popular classical pieces or ragtime melodies commonly used. No specific musical score was composed for this film.

Memorable Scenes

• The transformation of Nick Bottom into a donkey using early special effects
• The fairy sequences in the magical forest setting
• The final scene where the lovers awaken, believing it was all a dream

What Critics Said

Contemporary reviews in trade publications like The Moving Picture World praised the film's ambition and technical achievements, particularly noting the successful condensation of Shakespeare's complex plot. Critics of the era were impressed by Vitagraph's willingness to tackle literary material and commended the performances, especially Maurice Costello's work. Modern film historians view the adaptation as historically significant but artistically primitive by today's standards. Scholars recognize it as an important artifact demonstrating early cinema's aspirations toward cultural legitimacy. The film is often cited in studies of early literary adaptation and the development of narrative cinema techniques.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1909 reportedly enjoyed the film's magical elements and were impressed by the special effects used in the fairy sequences. The novelty of seeing Shakespeare adapted to the new medium of film drew curious viewers to nickelodeons. The familiar story, even in condensed form, made it accessible to audiences who knew the play. The presence of popular actors like Maurice Costello likely boosted attendance. Contemporary accounts suggest the film was successful enough to encourage Vitagraph and other studios to pursue further literary adaptations. Modern audiences viewing the film in archives or on home video typically approach it as a historical artifact rather than entertainment.

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