Marie Antoinette

TCM's Saturday afternoon host Tiffany Vazquez introduces Marie Antoinette, 1938.

Robert Osborne introduces Marie Antoinette, 1938.

By a mile the largest thing W.S. ("One-Take Woody) Van Dyke II ever directed, Norma Shearer in the title role nothing but charming, Cecil Cunningham her aide "Feldy," Alma Kruger her mother the Austrian empress, ambassador Henry Stephenson making a bow, opening MGM's lavish Marie Antoinette, 1938, co-starring Tyrone Power.

Over an hour into the film, just the second scene for the leading man on loan from 20th Century-Fox, Tyrone Power (as Count de Fersen) reveals his lifelong adoration to the suddenly downcast French queen, Norma Shearer in the title role, in MGM's Marie Antoinette, 1938.

At Versailles, two years into her so-far childless marriage (to Robert Morley, future Louis XVI), Norma Shearer (title character) confronts Louis XV (John Barrymore), then his catty consort Mme. DuBarry (Gladys George), in MGM's bigger-than-the-real-thing ballroom, in Marie Antoinette, 1938.

First scene for Swede de Fersen (Tyrone Power), snatched off the Paris street by her childless majesty Norma Shearer (title character), grown increasingly decadent and out to impress gambling friends Orleans (Joseph Schildkraut) and Artois (Reginald Gardiner), in MGM's Marie Antoinette, 1938.

For her wedding at Versailles, gracious Austrian princess Norma Shearer (title character) has borne up well upon learning her prince (Louis XVI) was the un-prepossessing Robert Morley, to whom she is handed off by reigning Louis XV (John Barrymore), in MGM's gigantic Marie Antoinette, 1938.

Norma Shearer stars in Marie Antoinette (1938), a lavish film biography of the French queen whose rule alienated the citizens of France.