February 19 movie: Marie Antoinette. Years ago, before we had a DVR, I was watching this movie on TCM one night while Georg was out with some friends. He came back just at the end, and while he was was telling me about his evening I missed Norma Shearer's big tearful final speech. Ever since I've been watching TCM's listings, waiting for them to rerun Marie Antoinette so I could see the ending. Well they finally did on Friday, and I watched the movie on Saturday. And dang if they didn't screw up their schedule and start the movie a couple of minutes late, causing the DVR to cut out just before Norma Shearer's tearful final speech! Argh!
Now I'll never find out what Marie Antoinette said right before they executed her. Because I'm not sitting through this movie a third time. It wasn't bad, but not worth three viewings. Shearer's Marie Antoinette is kind, devoted to her husband and though largely ignorant, concerned about the poor in her own way. We all know that the real Marie Antoinette never said "let them eat cake," but this figure of benevolence was a bit much. The only interesting characters were the deliciously nasty Duke of Orleans and John Barrymore as Louis XV, but neither one is on screen long enough.
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