MARIE ANTOINETTE

US, 1938, 149 minutes, Black and white.
Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power, John Barrymore, Robert Morley, Anita Louise, Joseph Schildkraut, Gladys George, Henry Stevenson, Cora Witherspoon, Reginald Gardiner, Henry Daniell, Albert Dekker.
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke.

Marie Antoinette was an ambitious film of the late 1930s. It was tour-de-force performance by Norma Shearer and production began with her husband Irving Thalberg who died before the film was made. It was a big-budget film – intended for colour but with restrictions it was made in black and white.

The film received several Oscar nominations including actress for Norma Shearer, supporting actor for Robert Morley as Louis XVI, set design and music.

The film traces the life of Marie Antoinette, from her arrival in France as a young woman, her being led into a life of frivolity (especially by the Duke of Orleans played with his usual sinister smooth style by Joseph Schildkraut). However, when she meets the Swedish Count Axel (Tyrone Power) she begins to become more serious and finally, when her husband is made king, she bears him children and rules France. However, there was the scandal of the affair of the necklace (filmed in 2001 with Hilary Swank) and the French Revolution leading to the execution of king and queen.

The film has a strong cast including John Barrymore as Louis XV.

The film was directed by W.S. Van Dyke, a director of a wide range of films at MGM during the 30s and early 1940s including San Francisco. The screenplay, co-written by playwright Donald Ogden Stewart and Ernest Vajda was based in some part on the book by novelist Stefan Zweig.

Almost seventy years later, Sofia Coppola made The Portrait of Marie Antoinette, focusing on her isolation in France and accompanying the narrative by contemporary 21st century music. Kirsten Dunst appear as Marie Antoinette.

1. The film is considered a classic of the thirties. Does it deserve this status? its impact in its time? Now?

2. The quality of the thirties production and the attention given to this? Black and white photography, sets, especially the lavish interiors of the palace? The impact of the stars in their time? how well does the film age? in its content, style?

3. The interest in history? The French Revolution and the period? In the character of Marie Antoinette and her place in the tragedy of the times? Public knowledge about her as a character? Response to the character? Did the film do justice to her as a personal character, her place in history?

4. The film presenting Marie Antoinette as tragic, as a wilful young girl within the context of the 18th century monarchy? As a mature woman about to be executed who had learnt a lot from the experience of life and its harsh treatment of her? The superimposition of the two images of Marie Antoinette, the eager young girl to be Queen of France, about to die? What had happened to her? For the better and for the worse?

5. The background of the courts of Europe? The Austrian Empire, Maria Theresa and her ruling of Austria, her political alliances, her informing her daughter about her marriage and the reason for it? Marie Antoinette's anticipation, joy? Her plans? The formalities rather than any personal knowledge of the spouse, love? The status of Queen in the 18the century, the Queen of France?

6. How was this reinforced by her arrival in France with its pomp and splendour? Costumes, wigs, carriages, the externals? The lavishness of the Court of Versailles? Louis XV and his style? The contrast with Louis XVI hovering in the background? Her disappointment in seeing him but her recovering herself? Louis' awkward speech and manner? The pomp of the marriage ceremony, the blessing of the bridal bed? and the ironies? The
information about each other that they communicated? Marie Antoinette and her mother's expectations, wanting to be a good Queen, trying to be friendly with Louis? Louis and his awkwardness, hesitant manner, his lack of desire to consummate the marriage?

7. What happened to Marie Antoinette in her early years in France? Her retiring, her bonds with her maid, talk about hysterics and tantrums? Yet her desiring to be a good wife, respecting her mother? The way that she cultivated an interest in Louis? The humour of her being on the chair and drawing closer to him on the marriage night, her understanding the truth especially about children and her tears? And yet her continued interest in his mending, carpentry, clocks? The irony of the crib gift and the verse from Madame du Barry and its effect on her?

8. Robert Morley's performance as Louis? His background in the family, lack of brains, inability to speak, his interest in his work and his retirement from people, lack of friends? His awkwardness on the first night and his leaving? The possibility of communication with Marie Antoinette? His wanting to speak to Louis XV but always hesitating, for example Madame du Barry's gift on their wedding anniversary?

9. The sinister aspects of Court with the Duke of Orleans? His artificial appearance, smooth manner, his falling out with Madame du Barry about the verse and the courtiers snubbing him? His decision to use Marie Antoinette and his insinuating visit? Taking her on a social whirl, pretending to love her? His not standing by her on the fatal night of her snubbing Madame du Barry? Her seeing through him? His continuing his sinister career for his own purposes? His use of the situation about the necklace? His conditions for Louis to abdicate? His speech in the Parliament condemning the two to death? The information that he himself was to die? A sinister 18th century selfish figure? A suitable villain for the dramatics of the film?

10. The other members of the Court, Louis' brothers, fops, wealth and selfishness, the extravagance of the gambling, parties and balls, unreality? The involving of Marie Antoinette in this whirl? The Austrian ambassador and his criticism of Marie Antoinette and the confrontation with her conscience?

11. What motivated Marie Antoinette to join this whirl, how much vindictiveness against Madame du Barry, the effect on her and her appearing so much in public? The crisis in the encounter with Axel, his reaction in being brought up as a Russian, her kissing him, his stern attitude and the later explanation that he gave to Marie Antoinette about loving her in his imagination and confronting her in reality?

12. The build-up to the ball with Madame du Barry's presence? The ambassador's plea for her to accept Madame du Barry's arrival, the King's presence, her sneers, Marie Antoinette's snubbing her and its being deserved? The King's reaction? Her being summoned to the King and his illness, his decision to send her back to Austria and annul the marriage? The sobering
effect on her and her visit to the ambassador? The encounter with Axel on that night and the bond of love?

13. What happened in the encounter between herself and Axel? Their talking, her telling the truth, her fascination with his knowledge of her, love? The strength of this for the rest of their lives? The pledges, the ring?

14. The presentation of Louis XV and his ruling of the Court, his laughing at Orleans, bond with Madame du Barry and his old age, his death and its repercussions? Pomp and circumstance? liturgy, pomp?

15. Marie Antoinette's decision to stay by Louis? Her wanting to tell him the truth and her later learning that he knew everything? His explanation of his speaking out in her regard to his dying grandfather and snubbing Madame du Barry? The bond that grew up between the two, the kind of love? The collage of the passing of the years, the birth of the children and the birth of the Dauphin?

16. The transition in the film from attention to events within the Court to the status of France? The presentation of glimpses of poverty, the people at work? Their resentment against the aristocracy? The Duke of Orleans capitalising on this and stirring them up?

17. The contrast with the extravagance of the Court, Marie Antoinette and her children being stoned in their carriage? Louis' response? The setting up of the necklace situation? The use made by the Duke? The details of Marie Antoinette's being impersonated and therefore robbed? The political repercussions? The court case and the exoneration of the Duke? Marie Antoinette's visit to the opera and people's hostility and the turning of the tide against her?

18. The storming of the Bastille and the events of the Revolution familiar to us? The brief way in which they were visualised? Parliament and its being dissolved? The revolutionary personalities? The guillotine, the court trials, the atmosphere of blood and revolution, people fleeing? How credible for the French peasants to revolt?

19. The siege of the palace, Louis' political decisions and acting on advice? Their flight and Axel's reappearance and the detailed set-up for their escape? The tenseness, the timing, the coach ride and their being checked, the irony of their being caught? The precocious child, their being found out by the priest recognising them? Their return and the savage death of their maid?

20. What happened to Louis and Marie Antoinette in prison? The change in Louis in his return to a simple life, acquiring a dignity, some meaning? The final meal, fixing his son's toy? His dying with some kind of dignity? Marie Antoinette and her suffering, the taking of her son from her? The reports of his behaviour in the court? Her maturing in her imprisonment and her realisation of the recklessness of her life? The joy of Axel's final visit as she appeared - an ugly and plain ageing woman? Her going to her death with dignity? facing the guillotine, the superimposition of her eager joy at going to France and the final reality? The transition to Axel and his achievement for her finally?

21. The achievement of the film in communicating the atmosphere of an era, the political implications of the extravagant and splendid way of the French court and the repercussions of the Revolution? A study of characters involved in this extremist world?