Melodramatic period piece

Rating: Null/10 (5 October 2008)

"Melodrama" and "period piece" say just about everything when it comes to "the Duchess". Several opening establishing sequences quickly set the scene  young, playful Georgiana (Keira Knightley) rejoicing at her mother Lady Spencer's (Charlotte Rampling) announcing her good fortune of soon to become the Duchess of Devonshire. The opportunity is not lost to also introduce in these early scenes her future lover Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). Her dream of a love-marriage (she has, after all, already met the Duke twice), however, is soon shattered as the Duke of Devonshire claims her virginity on their wedding night as if he is undertaking a military exercise. It soon becomes evident that to him, her only reason of existence is to produce a male heir. This all sound very familiar and "The other Boleyn girl" comes immediately to mind, a movie that, by comparison, offers more zest and vigour.
With the all-too-familiar plot line of a failed marriage (mentioned all too often by the protagonists) and the single-agenda of whether she can ultimately produce a boy, the story quickly loses momentum. To rescue comes an interesting character Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell), a sympathy-earning women prevented from seeing her three sons by her brutal husband. Befriended by Georgiana and taken into their household, she goes on to become the Duke's mistress. Georgiana, in her made-belief poetic justice, starts an affair with Grey. There are other details but essentially this is the story that provides the base for not a few emotional outbursts and melodramatic conflicts.
Acting obviously carried a lot in such a movie and here, comparison with another recent period piece is interesting and illuminating: "Brideshead revisited". The more straight comparison is Charlotte Rampling with Emma Thompson. Those who have seen Thompson in "Brideshead" will remember her impeccable, powerful portrayal of Lady Marchmain. Rampling in "Duchess" is stereotyped that does not full deserve her talents.
A much more interesting situation is Hayley Atwell who appears in both movies and is arguably the best among the three leads in "Brideshead", playing Julia Flyte. Very interestingly, there are two lines of comparison. First, as respective female leads, Atwell in "Brideshead" plays a complex role with depth and reserve that Knightley hadn't been able to command in "Duchess". The other comparison, of the both of them in "Duchess", is even more fascinating. Even when Bess Foster is a supporting role, it is a more complex character and offers some of the few non-cliché elements in the movie  her prime motivation for betraying her best friend is her absolutely unwavering determination to see her kids (something only the powerful Duke can help her with). Atwell handles the job beautifully, outshining Knightley. This is not to say that Knightley is not good; but Atwell is definitely better.
Ralph Fiennes is delightful (if not elating) to watch as he manages to create a character that is even more fiendish than Voldemort! Dominic Cooper, whom you might have seen recently as the young boyfriend in "Mama Mia!", gives a credible if not spectacular performance as Grey.
As a period piece, this movie fulfills the audiences' expectation of plush mise-en-scene, lush landscape and pulse-stopping costumes. Those interested in camera work will notice the repeated use of contrasting out-focused surroundings with the sharply focused object (such as when Lady Spencer points out her daughter to the Duke at the opening scenes). One interesting thing I must mention is how the names of the Duchess's three little girls pop up in front of them in a carriage scene. I can't help but wonder aloud if this is taking a cue from Facebook's photo tagging  signs of our time!