From MGM comes a big budget historical drama which tells a great story with the accuracy of real history, not common-knowledge history, or (God forbid) the trash they teach as history in public schools these days. Engrossing from start to finish.<br /><br />Norma Shearer is the star; no doubt about it. Tyrone Power has the top star box office power, but herein he's a supporting player. John Barrymore, 3rd in the cast, was every bit inferior to his offspring Lionel and Ethel; and inferior to Drew Barrymore as well. Ever the booze hound and womanizer in real life, his on screen presence is wilted and insignificant. ROBERT MORLEY is 4th, and he is the finest thing in the film, delivering a truly stunning portrayal of Louis XVI, a shy introverted man with no interest in politics, social functions, or even his new and beautiful wife; preferring keeping to himself and tinkering in his clock shop where his real ability shines bright. Giving an A+ performance as a quiet person who gradually assumes the initially unwanted roles of husband, father, and king; that's no easy trick for an actor.<br /><br />Two things are omitted or downplayed. The absolute thoughtless cruelty of the royal class crushing the common citizens into poverty is shallowly and inadequately reflected in most history books; as it is also in this film. Omitted entirely was the role this very King and Queen played in the American Revolution. It was at this time that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Ben Franklin were on their mission to acquire French aid to fight England for our freedom. According to my encyclopedia, it was their financing of the American Revolution that's given equal credit with Royal Court extravagance which bankrupted France, ended Royal rule, introduced the Reign of Terror, and ended the lives of both King Louis XVI and Marie at the guillotine.<br /><br />Americans ought not watch this history with excessive dispassion. We have endured decades of degeneration of our own traditional values by our home-grown liberals, while they infected our lives with welfare excess, crime toleration, agenda-based education, personal merit based on skin color rather than character, the eradication of our religion, and the trashing of our Founding Fathers. <br /><br />By any standard, MGM'S "Marie Antonette" is a great movie to refresh our history, and perhaps to inspire a look at our own shortcomings. "Let them eat cake," she never said it in real life, does not say it in this fine film.