Similar Sagas

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2008)

THE DUCHESS (based on Amanda Foreman's book "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire" which in turn was based on historical fact) has been well adapted for the screen by Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen and writer/director Saul Dibb. What was basically snubbed by the critics of the theatrical release as a 'fashion show with little else going for it' turns out to be a quite beautiful period drama. The fact that the story is based on the life of the outspoken feminist and political thinker in the late 1700s - Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire - who happens to be an ancestor of Princess Di whose life in many ways paralleled the Duchess, makes it more interesting than most costume dramas. And yet, even without the obvious parallel in stories, this film stands well on its own, due to a smart script and a fine cast.
Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling) coaxes the marriage of her beautiful daughter Georgiana (Keira Knightley) to marry the very wealthy Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes), a rather boring dog lover whose only interest in 'purchasing' a wife is to gain a male heir. Caught up in the dignity and lush homes and gardens of the Duke, the new Duchess charms all who see her - and the manner in which Keira Knightley wears the vast number of gorgeous sculpted costumes gives credence to her appearance popularity and enhances her personal popularity as she looks beyond the surface to the hearts of the people around her. When the Duchess is unable to produce live boy children (two stillborns don't count, nor do the two daughters she births), The Duke turns to dalliances both with the household maids and to the Duchess' newest friend Lady Bess (Hayley Atwell): the Duchess seeks solace with her childhood love Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) and the tension in the household comes to a breaking point. British etiquette rules, and the 'wife' must bear up under the pressure of society, a position the Duchess obeys but continues her popularity with the politics and social comments of the times - quite a daring feat for those revolutionary years in England, America, and France and the world in general. How this singularly intelligent woman copes provides the resolution of the story.
Keira Knightley is ravishingly beautiful and continues to impress with her sensitive acting skills. The contributions by Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooper and Hayley Atwell bring finely honed characterizations to life. Rachel Portman is responsible for the musical score that fits the production like a glove. There is, then, far more to this film than a panorama of elegant costumes. It is deserving of a larger audience. Grady Harp