Knightley dominates the screen in The Duchess!

Rating: 9/10 (4 October 2008)

Yes, you heard right. The critical reviews have been mixed so far, but this ordinary little film-goer thought "The Duchess" was quite wonderful, and young British leading lady Keira Knightley carries the film. She appears in almost every scene as Georgiana, an intriguing figure in royal history. Married off in her teens to the Duke of Devonshire for the sake of producing a male heir, she rebelled against the constraints of her time by indulging in extravagant partying and gambling. She became a fashion darling of the press. Even though she could not legally vote, she wheeled and dealed in political issues. She bedded a future Prime Minister and bore his illegitimate child. It's a magnificent part for any actress, but not everyone could pulls this off. Keira Knightley does.
In her past few films, the actress has really left behind her awful performances in the "Pirates of Caribbean" series (and she's still only 23). In "The Duchess", she could easily have been swallowed up by the presence of Ralph Fiennes and those huge, elaborate costumes. But she gives a wonderful, emotional and compulsively watchable performance here. Completely convincing! Fiennes at first seems to be on auto-pilot, but a subtle movement, glance or inflection of speech suggests a man who doesn't necessarily like the times, either. Saul Dibb, previously a TV director, doesn't really do anything elaborate or unique with his direction. It plays very much like a television BBC production, and one of my few complaints of the film is that I would have liked to see some more imaginative direction. The costumes and sets are lovingly recreated, and we do gain a real sense of time and place.
In supporting roles are the always satisfying Charlotte Rampling, and two newcomers in Dominic Cooper and Hayley Atwell. Atwell's character, Bess, forms the plot's most interesting arc. Bess is first Georgiana's friend, taking up residence in the castle at her insistence. Not too long after she has been moved in, she jumps into bed with the Duke. In Knightley's most effective scene she rips into Fiennes, as the "one woman in England he had to choose" is her best friend. Yet a truce and intriguing mutual respect is formed between the two women, linked by the man who Georgiana refers to as "our husband". Atwell is a lovely presence and hopefully will do well in the future. Dominic Cooper is Charles Grey, ambitious young politician and Georgiana's eventual bedmate. Cooper tries his best but he's just miscast as Grey, he doesn't understand the complexities of his character, and he doesn't really suit the period. Still, I love tragic, forbidden romance and this angle of the film satisfied me.