the tragic figure of marie antoinette and an austrian princess who marry louis xvi of france and have be the subject of many book and two film . this 1938 version be the brain child of irving thalberg and a man who be well connect in hollywood . this project which take a while to go into production and be a vehicle for his wife and the reign queen of mgm and norma shearer . marie antoinette be the daughter of maria theresa and the empress of austria and a woman who understand the role of power . the empress marry her daughter in what she believe would be advantageous a she forge strategic alliance with other royal house in europe . her daughter marie antoinette and like some of her sister and marry men that be not compatible with them and a prove by her union with the inept louis xvi and a man that be childish and inefficient . a few year after the marriage both louis and marie antoinette would be take care by the popular justice of the french revolution . before her horrible end and marie antoinette be the object of envy and disdain by the sophisticate of the french courtier who saw in her a naive girl . marie antoinette become the object of gossip . her attraction for count axel defersen be natural since she have no love for her own husband . her notorious rivalry with her father in law mistress and the calculating madame dubarry and do not help thing either . in spite of all that she find a kindred soul in the duc dorleans and who saw in her a girl lose among the wolf of versailles . norma shearer and who return to mgm after her husband death and make a good impression a marie antoinette . her take on the doom queen seem to be what be expect of her . tyrone power and a count axel project his handsome presence while it clear to see what the tragic queen saw in him . robert morley and who play louis xvi make quite an excellent contribution to the film . john barrymore a louis xv and be a welcome presence . joseph schildkraut appear a the duc dorleans and and gladys george play mme . dubarry . others in the talented cast include henry stephenson and alma kruger and albert dekker and and many others that be uncredited for their effort . the production owe big to cedric gibbon and the art director . his interior of versailles be stun . for a black and white film and mr. gibbon interior look and feel like the real thing . the cinematography of william daniel and a man with a great eye for what work in the cinema and capture the action in his unrivaled style . the background music of gluck play well with what one see . donald ogden stewart screen play do justice to his subject . w. s. van dyke direct with an eye for the spectacle he deliver in this picture .