although the story of marie antoinette start when marie be a teenager and unlike in her romeo and juliet and norma shearer age in this part . if she not quite convince a a teenager and shearer more than make up for it a the character of the luckless queen of france age into wife and mother and royalty . norma be the dowager queen herself of the mgm lot by dint of her marriage and widowhood to the late chief of production irving thalberg . she get the first call on property at mgm with the exception of greta garbo . the only problem with marie antoinette be the choice of a lead man . the story be such that her husband louis xvi do not cut a romantic figure so none of the available lead at mgm would or could be consider for the part . her great romantic love before she settle down into domesticity be count axel fersen and the swedish ambassador and his screen time be probably not even 40 minute . so louis b. mayer and darryl zanuck work out a deal . mgm get the service of tyrone power who be zanuck number one male star at fox . it be power last film outside of fox until 1952 mississippi gambler . but without a doubt the best performance in the film be that of robert morley a the shy and bumble louis xvi . the adage at least taught in american school be that if louis xvi have be a king and he would have stay a king . one of the great irony of history be that louis xvi be the last thing from a tyrant you could be . if family inheritance do not force the issue and he would have prefer be a clockmaker . and about matter of sex and he be at best ill inform . morley bring out the whole range of louis personality and make the audience really care about the tragedy befall his family . other performance of note be joseph schildkraut a the scheme duke of orleans who be not the prime mover of the event that take place a this film make him to be . also gladys george a madame dubarry and the last favorite of louis xv . what this film do not cover be what happen to dubarry after louis xv dy and louis xvi take the throne . she meet ironically the same end a marie antoinette although with hardly a much dignity . this be the final large scale film of john barrymore who play louis xv who arrange the marriage of the ruling house of france and austria in alliance . hereafter barrymore leave the big studio of mgm for small studio and take role in film well beneath his ability and but due to dissipation and all he could handle . still he cut a fine figure here a louis xv and who aptly prophesy and apres moi l wouldeluge . if it ain not good history and marie antoinette be great entertainment .