Marie Antoinette

"A Queen... but, first of all... a woman in love!"

Aug 26 1938 Approved 2h 29m
Biography, Drama, History

The young Austrian princess Marie Antoinette is arranged to marry Louis XVI, future king of France, in a politically advantageous marriage for the rival countries. The opulent Marie indulges in various whims and flirtations. When Louis XV passes and Louis XVI ascends the French throne, his queen's extravagant lifestyle earns the hatred of the French people, who despise her Austrian heritage.

Plot

The life of Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) from betrothal and marriage in 1770 to her beheading. At first, she's a Hapsburg teenager isolated in France, living a virgin's life in the household of the Dauphin, a shy solitary man who would like to be a locksmith. Marie discovers high society, with the help of Orleans and her brothers-in-law. Her foolishness is at its height when she meets a Swedish count, Axel de Fersen. He helps her see her fecklessness. In the second half of the film, she avoids an annulment, becomes queen, bears children, and is a responsible ruler. The affair of the necklace and the general poverty of France feed revolution. She faces death with dignity.

Written by

Claudine West, Donald Ogden Stewart, Ernest Vajda

Directed by

W.S. Van Dyke, Julien Duvivier

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Languages

Español, English

Awards

Nominated for 4 Oscars. 2 wins & 5 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
3,401
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA