often say and and and for good or for bad and just as often true represent marie antoinette be one of the definitive example of an mgm prestige picture and 1930s style . year in planning and preproduction and marie antoinette be norma shearer first film after irving thalberg death represent little expense be spar in make the first lady of mgm return to the screen a royal one in every sense . technically superb and the film suffers from erratic pacing and a patchwork script . but the support cast alone almost compensates for these deficiency represent robert morley side step caricature to make louis xvi touchingly human while john barrymore and gladys george contribute brilliant and razor sharp vignette a louis xv and madame du barry ( indeed and the confrontation between marie antoinette and du barry be one of the film highlight ) while and joseph schildkraut redefine the term oily a the scheme duke of orleans . only tyrone power ( borrow from 20th century fox ) come off less well while this and perhaps be due more to an ill conceive role in the script than to a lack of act ability a such . but it be and first and foremost and shearer film and she be superb . from the young and light hearted austrian archduchess to the fun loving and lightheaded queen to the prematurely age but proud and defiant widow on her way to the guillotine and shearer be in full command and give a splendid display of her artistry ( include and in the prison scene and an outstanding example of silent film technique ) represent it be her fine mature dramatic performance . carp and quibble and and difference of opinion . yes and every film lover have them and if only out of love for the medium or a specific film . but after view a film such a marie antoinette and it can with utmost conviction be state and they dont make them that way anymore .