Rediscovering a Gem: Olivia de Havilland's Little-Known Screen Test for Max Reinhardt's "Danton"
This rare footage and her passionate performance still resonate today
While looking for a memento to publish in celebration of Dame Olivia de Havilland’s birthday on July 1st, I stumbled upon rare footage on Doctor Macro’s webpage. It was an intriguing short video with no caption or reference. After some investigation, I discovered it was a screen test of Olivia for the role of Marianne in Max Reinhardt’s unrealized project, Danton (1936). Although, sadly, the film was never made, this screen test provides yet another testament to de Havilland’s passion and fierce nature from the very beginning of her career.
In this post, we will explore Olivia de Havilland’s early career, focusing on her breakthrough role as Hermia in Reinhardt’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935). We’ll delve into Max Reinhardt’s remarkable legacy in theatre and his brief but impactful contribution to Hollywood. We’ll also discuss the potential connection between Reinhardt’s successful stage play, Danton’s Death, and the origins of the unrealized film Danton. Finally, we’ll highlight the most significant aspects of this screen test, in terms of Olivia’s powerful delivery, and provide details on where you can watch it. Allons-y!
Olivia de Havilland's Early Career
Beginning in 1935, Olivia de Havilland’s career spanned more than five decades, and it has been celebrated not only for her captivating performances but also for her pivotal role in challenging the studio system. Initially, she was best known for her hugely popular onscreen pairings with Errol Flynn, but truly, her journey in Hollywood and professional acting began by being cast in Max Reinhardt’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935), marking the start of her illustrious career.
Olivia de Havilland’s early connection with theatre was deeply influenced by her mother, Lilian Fontaine, an actress who instilled in her a profound appreciation for the arts. Lilian, who also taught drama, nurtured Olivia’s burgeoning talent from a young age. This early exposure to the performing arts led Olivia to participate in school plays and in various local theatre productions, including a standout role as Puck in a Saratoga Community Theater production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1934. Her performance caught the eye of one of Max Reinhardt’s assistants, who came to the U.S. to supervise a major production of that same play at the Hollywood Bowl. Recognizing her potential, they recommended her as the second understudy for the role of Hermia which went to Gloria Stuart, whom some might remember as the older Rose in Titanic (1997).
As fate would have it, Gloria’s busy schedule prevented her from fulfilling her role in Reinhardt’s production and, similarly, Jean Rouverol, the first understudy was also pulled from the play to appear in the film It’s a Gift (1934). The stars conspired so that Olivia de Havilland was left to play Hermia in Reinhardt’s lavish Hollywood Bowl extravaganza. This opportunity not only marked a significant turning point in de Havilland’s career but also led to her being cast in the film adaptation of Reinhardt’s acclaimed stage production. It set her on the path to becoming a Hollywood star.
Max Reinhardt's Theatrical Legacy
Orson Welles once said in My Lunches with Orson, his book of conversations with Henry Jaglom, “I regarded Reinhardt with awe. He was a great, great director. A great master of spectacle as well as intimate comedy. He could do anything.” Austrian-born Max Reinhardt was a towering figure in theatre during the early 20th century. Austrian-born Max Reinhardt was a towering figure in early 20th-century theatre. Although his name may be less familiar to those outside the theatre and cinema world today, Reinhardt was once known for bringing fresh perspectives and tremendous innovation to classic theatrical productions. He breathed new life into classics and Shakespearean plays by utilizing the modern technical resources of his time, like a revolving stage presenting a rotating forest during his famous 1905 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We might be used nowadays to such effects, but, at that time, this was revolutionary. Currently, many of these techniques are considered basic in theatre staging. Through his productions, Expressionism reached its full form, an avant-garde artistic discipline that later significantly influenced cinema. Esteemed film directors like Michael Curtiz and Ernst Lubitsch, who were once his assistants, carried his imprint in their keen eye for framing and expressionistic lighting.
Max Reinhardt made his first guest appearance in the U.S. in 1912. In the following years, he continued to make several guest appearances, regularly traveling to New York by the end of the 1920s along with his colleagues. According to Orson Welles, Reinhardt’s staging of Georg Büchner’s play Danton’s Death was “one of the biggest successes of his career.” This production became a classic work of the European stage and is still performed today. Heavily influenced by the Austrian master, Orson Welles himself staged a production of Danton’s Death in New York in 1938, which Reinhardt came to see. Vladimir Sokoloff, who had appeared in numerous Reinhardt productions in Berlin, played the role of Robespierre for Orson Welles too. This marked his first stage role in the U.S. after fleeing Europe due to the rise of Nazism.
His transition to Hollywood was marked by a commitment to infusing films with the same depth and creativity that characterized his theatrical productions. Max Reinhardt’s passion for finding new locations for his plays led to a series of open-air performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in California. In 1934, at the Hollywood Bowl, the production was so spectacular and successful that it led to a movie contract for Shakespeare’s play’s onscreen adaptation by Warner Bros.
“Reinhardt's name on our picture would guarantee important international attention.
The most famous European entrepreneur of his time, he lived and dressed as flamboyantly
as a prince of the realm. Young actors and actresses flocked to his classes; his theaters in Germany and Austria were enormous and decorated by the finest artists. His productions
were the most spectacular seen outside of Russia in the twentieth century.”
Hal B. Wallis, head producer at Warner Bros. at the time
Here’s a clip of Vitaphone’s short A Dream Come True that I encourage you to watch, featuring the splendid premiere and making of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935). Notice a little moment with Reinhardt supervising Olivia and Dick Powell for a scene. Oh, imagine the thrill of such an opportunity at the tender age of just 18 or 19!
The Connection Between "Danton" and Reinhardt's "Danton's Death"
Danton’s Death was the first theatrical work by German-born playwright Georg Büchner. Written in 1835, when Büchner was only 21 or 22 years old, the play emerged during a period when he was being pursued for his revolutionary activities. Set during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution, the play focuses on the political and personal struggles of Georges Danton, a leading figure who eventually faces execution. Büchner’s portrayal of Danton as a tragic hero reflects his disillusionment with the revolution and explores themes of political idealism, power, and betrayal.
The play is considered a seminal work in the canon of European theatre due to its complex characters, intense dialogue, and unflinching examination of revolutionary fervor and its consequences. The play’s raw depiction of political machinations and human frailty influenced many later works and remains painfully relevant today. Büchner’s innovative approach, combining elements of realism and expressionism, laid the groundwork for modern drama.
Max Reinhardt’s productions of this play, helped cement the status of its importance and theatrical magnificence. During his U.S. tour of November 1927 to February 1928, one of his most successful tours by his own estimate, he impressed audiences and critics alike with his “mise en scène” combining elements he had already shown with the added magic of lighting effects and his use of music. For Büchner’s Danton’s Death he used a song from the period of the French Revolution to tie the twelve scenes together.1 Gilbert Seldes, writing in the literary magazine The Dial, said, “On the street, in the club, and before the tribunal, a tremendous thing takes place; the French Revolution creates itself. You never say, ‘could it have been like that,’ only ‘This is how it must have been.” Reinhardt’s theatrical mastery at the time was unsurpassed. As made abundantly clear, his theatrical ideas, techniques, and practices were adopted by modern theatre and definitely influenced stage productions all over the world.
Since Reinhardt, some of the most important directors have approached Danton’s Death. Büchner’s play transforms theatre into a revolutionary space, inviting audiences to ponder and reflect on the turmoil of a complex political tragedy. It remains uncertain if Hollywood and the cinematic medium of the mid-1930s were ready for such a powerful message, beyond the typical lavish historical and literary adaptations of the time. Watching Olivia’s screen test and hearing the spoken ideas reveals a passion and impact unlike anything I have encountered in Hollywood films from that era. It appears that the play’s depiction of cynical political actions and perspectives provides a vivid mosaic of the French Revolution during the Reign of Terror. Although it is unclear if Max Reinhardt’s unrealized Danton was directly based on Danton’s Death, it is not far-fetched to imagine that it might have been.
This unrealized project underscores the often unpredictable nature of the film industry, where even the most promising collaborations can remain unfulfilled. In Max Reinhardt’s case, his Hollywood tenure was regrettably brief. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was his first and last film there. As Warner Bros. producer Hal B. Wallis states in his autobiography called Starmaker, co-written with Charles Higham, “Sadly, Reinhardt never worked in pictures again, as it was too difficult to find anything suited to his talents.” Orson Welles also speculated, “he didn’t have enough respect for the medium, either, I think.” Nonetheless, beyond his significant theatrical legacy, we can certainly thank Reinhardt for discovering Olivia de Havilland and paving the way in Hollywood for superior expressionistic literary productions.
The Screen Test and What Could Have Been
Danton’s screen test can be found in the extras of the A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) DVD, but also through Doctor Macro and YouTube. In it, Olivia de Havilland delivers an impassioned performance, perhaps unlike anything you have ever seen from her. At around 20 years old, she clearly spared no effort in her bid to be cast as Marianne. The footage, lasting a little over 8 minutes, offers a glimpse into different scenes. In the first part, she pleads with Danton for an audience with the King, showcasing her commitment and determination to fight for the oppressed and the meagre situation she and her family are in. The second part, the most compelling, features Marianne with her brother and recently deceased mother. In the final scene of this portion, she delivers a powerful speech about personal sovereignty, a theme that remains profoundly relevant today.
“I know you think we have no rights but you're wrong. We have one and we'll keep one. The right to do with our bodies as we please. And you're not going to get 50 percent of that!”
Olivia de Havilland as Marianne
Her performance is not only a testament to her talent at such a young age, but it also reveals qualities that would define her career and influence. Even when consistently cast by Warner Bros. as the love interest, particularly in her pairings with Errol Flynn, de Havilland always portrayed characters who were instrumental, proactive, and supportive partners. This fighting spirit was not confined to her roles on screen. As many of you would know, in a landmark lawsuit against Warner Bros., de Havilland challenged the oppressive studio system and won, leading to the De Havilland Law, which significantly improved working conditions for actors. Her unwavering stand for what she believed in is vividly echoed in the passionate speech she delivers in the Danton screen test, highlighting her lifelong commitment to personal integrity and justice.
The screen test, according to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, “was originally given to de Havilland by a Warner Brothers editor. In 2006, De Havilland donated the footage to the Academy Film Archive, which later preserved the film in 2012.” While Danton (1936) remains an unrealized project, the screen test could have introduced a powerful and politically charged narrative to mid-1930s Hollywood, a time when such themes were rare on screen. Olivia’s passionate delivery of lines about personal rights and bodily autonomy would have been groundbreaking, resonating deeply with audiences and potentially sparking important conversations about freedom and oppression.
Danton’s significant themes and de Havilland’s compelling performance might have cemented its place as a landmark in cinematic history. Despite the film never being realized, perhaps it wouldn’t have had this desired impact, but the screen test itself remains a valuable piece of film history. Preserving and rediscovering lost or unrealized works is important in understanding the full scope of old Hollywood’s legacy and the role of the people who participated in it. I encourage you to watch the screen test and share your thoughts below on what this project could have meant for both de Havilland and Reinhardt. Their legacies will continue to inspire, and this short piece of footage only adds to their remarkable stories.
Quote from the journal article “Max Reinhardt’s American Tour 1927-28: A legacy understood or misunderstood?” by Fraeda Parish in the Modern Austrian Literature journal, Vol. 10, No. 1 (1977), pp. 55-67.