Movie spotlight
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
Comedic short featuring Shakespeare's notable characters; many performing musical numbers. An assistant director is told to read all Shakespeare’s works in order to mine them for potential film plots. Falling asleep on the job, he dreams of various Shakespearean characters coming to life from the pages of giant books and singing and dancing in celebration of their "goin’ Hollywood." The characters appearing include Romeo, Juliet, Juliet’s Nurse, Puck, Peter Quince, Hamlet, Old Hamlet’s Ghost, Falstaff, Antony, Cleopatra, and Macbeth. Shakespeare appears toward the end of the film to object, but he is quickly convinced by his characters to join a big song and dance routine. Includes passing references to a number of familiar Shakespearean scenes including Hamlet’s "to be or not to be" soliloquy, Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene, Hamlet with Yorick’s skull, and Enobarbus’ speech on Cleopatra’s barge.
Insights
Plot Summary
This animated short film features a surreal and whimsical journey through Shakespearean plays, with characters from Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth interacting in a nonsensical and humorous manner. The Fleischer Studios' signature style brings a unique, often bizarre, interpretation to the Bard's classic tales.
Critical Reception
As a Fleischer Studios short from the 1930s, 'Shake, Mr. Shakespeare' is primarily appreciated by animation historians and fans of the studio's distinctive, often avant-garde, style. Its experimental approach to classic literature was typical of Fleischer's output during this era, aiming for unique visual gags and a departure from more conventional storytelling.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its surreal and inventive animation.
Noted for its bizarre, yet humorous, interpretation of Shakespeare.
Seen as a prime example of Fleischer Studios' unique creative freedom.
Google audience: Audience reviews for this short are scarce, but it is generally recognized among animation enthusiasts as a creative and eccentric piece from the golden age of animation.
Fun Fact
This short is notable for its abstract and often bizarre visual gags, which were a hallmark of Dave Fleischer's more experimental and surreal directorial efforts.
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