I first saw this excellent and powerful story on television sometime in the late 50's or early 60's, and had not seen it since until I caught it on television more than 40 years later. The powerful impression the story made on me had not dimmed with the passage of time. Norma Shearer, who here was toward the end of her career, puts in a topnotch performance as the doomed, conflicted dauphine and queen, which serves as the core of the film. Robert Morley gives us a superb portrayal of the dim and well-meaning but hopelessly incompetent Louis XVI. Joseph Schildkraut's portrayal of d'Orleans is a classic study in unctuous treachery. John Barrymore shines in his short appearances as the dauphin's father. The weakest major part, for my money, is Tyrone Power, whose box office appeal as far as I can see seems to have been rooted more in sex appeal than in acting ability. Not being sufficiently versed in the actual history I suspect the relation between Marie and Powers' Count Axel was blown up or perhaps even invented for drawing power, and indeed I find the film's weakest parts the rather purple moments between the two which do seem to encroach into the realm of melodrama. However, the powerful closing scene of Marie - prematurely old and broken - ascending the gibbet with memories of her girlish fancies ("Think of it! I shall be Queen of France!") is one of the great moments of cinema. Altogether a rich, sumptuous and multifacted portrayal of a tragic story which does pretty well by the historical reality.