Norma Shearer in “Marie Antoinette”, 1938
Although now somewhat dated (1938), "Marie Antoinette" by W.S.Van Dike II , still remains one of the films most famous and beautiful dedicated to the unfortunate queen of France guillotined during the French Revolution .
Two aspects of the film, strictly in black and white, probably strike above all others, namely the unquestionable skill of the actors and the sumptuousness of the scenes , due to the exceptional reconstruction of the rooms (the rooms of Versailles they were entirely reconstituted in the studios of MGM) and the amazing costumes, precious creations of Gilbert Adrian.
It is therefore not surprising that the film, which was one of the best of the 1930s, however, cost Metro a fortune. Goldwyn Mayer , the film company that produced it.
The plot, which although quite faithfully traces the main historical events of the time, nevertheless allows itself numerous freedoms and insists, for example, considerably, on the link between the sovereign and the Swedish count Hans Axel von Fersen (whose nature, in reality, has never been ascertained), whose interpretations are entrusted to two of the most appreciated actors of the period, both by critics and the public, namely Norma Shearer , which received a nomination an Oscar for this role, and a Tyrone Power at the height of his glorious albeit short career.
The video which I put at the bottom of the post, taken from youtube.com, collects a series of beautiful images taken on the set, which in my opinion is worth seeing, especially if you have a certain passion for cinema, history and Marie Antoinette.
Enjoy "> it.wikipedia.org).