87 of 101 people found the following review helpful:
The Duchess
The Plot
At the tender age of 16, Georgiana Cavendish (Kiera Knightley) is married off to the dark, distant Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes). To the outside world, Georgina is the darling of London society. But behind the smiles, she hides pain and heartache of a crumbling marriage, due to her inability to bear an heir.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
A Beautiful Bore ...
At moments of high drama, the leading characters walk a lot. Slowly. They walk towards the camera, slowly. They walk up or down a staircase, slowly. Or along a corridor, slowly.
This is a slow so-called 'bio-pic' which even throws in a lesbian grope just to keep us watching, and altogether it's a mediocre effort summed up beautifully by the reviewer who...
At moments of high drama, the leading characters walk a lot. Slowly. They walk towards the camera, slowly. They walk up or down a staircase, slowly. Or along a corridor, slowly.
This is a slow so-called 'bio-pic' which even throws in a lesbian grope just to keep us watching, and altogether it's a mediocre effort summed up beautifully by the reviewer who points out with deadly accuracy that the leading actress is simply far too modern.
It's the voices that do it. Please don't tell me that 'received pronunciation' (or "BBC English", to be patronising) didn't exist in the 18th century. I know it didn't. But neither did the appallingly 21st century suburban twang that haunts more than one of the cast's vocal cords. It's a disease that too many modern actors suffer from, and apparently show no interest in curing.
Things like this blow credibility and gravitas out of the water where I'm concerned.
I also want more than pretty photography and pretty costumes in a film. I want some substance, some action - and some decent writing. This has none of it, while peddling an obvious 'Look at the parallels between Princess Diana and her ancestor' message, just to make sure the thing sells.
The label 'BBC Films' does not inspire confidence in the Corporation's ability to produce for the cinema. They should stick to work for the small screen.
They understand it so much better.
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The Plot
At the tender age of 16, Georgiana Cavendish (Kiera Knightley) is married off to the dark, distant Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes). To the outside world, Georgina is the darling of London society. But behind the smiles, she hides pain and heartache of a crumbling marriage, due to her inability to bear an heir.
The Review
The perfect replacement for David Tennant in the TARDIS is....Kiera Knightley. Why? Well, she seems to be stuck in the past, with her last three films (I'll just gloss over the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) have been period pieces, so she could probably do with a time machine to get back to the present day.
However, having Knightley stuck in the past is no bad thing for film fans. As the young Duchess of Devonshire, she cements her place as one of Britain's greatest acting talents, leaving Elizabeth `try wearing a corset' Swan far behind. Both actress and character have a lot in common - they're young, beautiful, strong women - making Knightley perfect for the part. Having been chosen for the role as she would be able to portray the Duchess from late childhood into full adulthood, Knightley has to contend with a whole range of emotions. From the teenage joy at the outset, to confusion and disbelieve at the actions of the Duke, to sorrow and angry at his eventual betrayal, Knightley fills every scene with the emotion and passion required from the role.
Director Saul Dibb, in only his second feature film, has perfectly captured the emotional storm in which the duchess finds her self. Transferring her from the hustle and bustle of the London set, where she is love and adored, to the loneliness and isolation of grand country manors, only serves to emphasise the broken women which she has become. Also, the dinner scenes between husband and wife, taking place across 15 feet of table, highlight the distance between the two.
Ralph Fiennes matches Knightley intensity as the Duke of Devonshire, a man who loves his dogs more than his wife. Cold and calculating, he will stop at nothing in the pursuit of his ultimate goal - a son to take on his title once he has passed on. The duke has absolutely no redeeming characters, and remains a figure of intrigue, skirting around the edges of the film, but always at the centre of the drama. Although the film is about `The Duchess' it would have been fascinating to have examined `The Duke' in deeper detail, to study his deep complexities further.
The Duchess looks at many areas of 18th century society - the role of women, class, celebrity, infidelity and the development of liberal thinking. At times thought, there are certain areas which are left under explored, including the `arrangement' which duke, duchess and mistress (Hayley Atwell) come to, and the actions which the duchess is forced to take when she fathers a child to her bit on the side Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). The film misses out on an opportunity to fully critique the era further by skimming over these areas.
The Verdict
A beautifully shot and superbly acted biopic of London's first `It-girl'.
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Lady Spencer: All of London is talking.
Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: Oh, let them talk!
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
1. An arranged marriage to the older and wealthy Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) made young Georgiana (Keira Knightley) a Duchess.
2. Unfortunately, the Duke was a man of few words, and the job description for his wife included only three tasks - bear heir; look pretty; no talking.
3. This did not sit well with the vivacious, articulate and charismatic Duchess, whose baby switch seemed set on pink instead of blue, and who had a natural flair for partying and politics
4. Soon the Duke starts triangulating the relationship, and the Duchess retaliates with a bit of Earl Grey.
5. Everyone lives scandalously ever after
Excellent acting performances are given by Fiennes and Knightley, as well as by the always impressive Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer, mother of Georgiana), Dominic Cooper (Earl Grey, also from Mamma Mia!) and Hayley Atwell (Bess Foster, really close friend of the Duke and Duchess)
The costumes and settings are breathtaking, and although somewhat lacking in depth, this movie adaptation of the life of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire does not disappoint as pure entertainment.
Amanda Richards
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The film details the marriage of an ancestor of Princess Diana to the Duke of Devonshire. Basically the young woman played by Keira Knightly is young and innocent, catches of eye of an older aristocrat looking for a wife (or really womb to produce an heir!), and turns out to be a detached, aloof and generally unloving husband. If this all sounds a bit familiar that is probably the point. The Duke turns out to be a serial philander, but when the Duchess embarks on an affair with the young Earl Grey (who turns out to be more her cup of tea - groan!) things of course are far less acceptable. Ralph Fiennes puts in an excellent performance as the taciturn Duke, and there is historical interest with the incidental characters of Fox and Sheridan. Personally I found Keira Knightly a little unconvincing in this role, and the wig didn't suit her at all. Good costumes and scenery, deserving of the Oscar. For me the film petered out a little at the end. Still a good insight into the lives of the 18th century aristocracy.
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I went to see THE DUCHESS at the cineam with two girlfriends from work. The film was my choice; neither of my friends were particularly bothered about it, one of whom was not even sure she would enjoy it. However, as we left the cinema and discussed how we had all found it, both of my friends had to agree that they had loved it.
The film is about Georgiana Cavendish, an ancestor of Lady Diana. Married as a young girl, Georgiana is stuck in a loveless marriage. All she has taken from it is the status it brings her. Her husband, the Duke, seems to care more for his dogs than he does for her. It is clear that he views her only as a way of producing an heir. But Georgiana is not the typical lady of the 17th Century.
If you read the book, you find that she became quite fiercely involved in politics. In a way, she made a name for herself which was separate from that of her husband.
And, if this film is anything to go by, she was a woman who was able to sacrifice her own happiness for the good of others. The film concentrates on her love of another man - a man she cannot be with, unless she risks the wrath of her husband.
What I, and my friends, loved about this film was how it shows how people can sacrifice themselves for love. The emotion of the film is as true today as it would have been then. Knightley and Fiennes do a great job of acting their parts, drawing you into their story. Watching how it was for women at this time, it is hard to witness his treatment of her. The double standards that existed, almost expected, made us as the audience angry on her behalf.
While there may be parts of her life that have been left out, or there may be some historical errors, I do not think that it takes anything away from this production. View it as entertainment. The fact that it appealed to my friend who had no prior interest, shows that the film makers have done something right.
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If you've read the book then all you can really say about this film is that the costumes are lovely. Ralph Fiennes is wasted as the Duke since he can act (not a requirement in this as standing about and grunting seems to do it). Keira is pretty but then, she's always pretty - there's no character development or exploration of the complexity of the relationships between these three people. The political context is largely avoided so the main point of her status in real life is lost. I thought it was dismal, and, so did the two people I saw it with - neither of whom had read the book but both of whom left saying "What was that about, then?" Avoid.
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I really enjoyed watching this film. The period costumes were great, the scenery and lighting were fantastic. I am not a huge Kiera Knightley fan but I thought that she showed a real commitment to the character of Georgiana.
Having also read the book that inspired the film, I was intrigued to see how the film would compare. I think the way to look at it is to recognise that they have captured the essence of Georgiana. The film shows a little of this incredibly fascinating person and the pressures and temptations of her life.
Some aspects of this film are tragic, so not a feel good chick flick, but worth a watch!
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A pretty dreadful film, saved only by a great performance by Ralph Fiennes. Keira Knightly is getting better with time, but she's badly let down by a script that resorts to just about every cliche in the book. In fact, Georgina was a much feistier, resourceful, and extraordinary person than this flat, sentimental portrayal suggests. However much she may have been imposed upon as a wife, why focus on this? She was one of the first women to be a significant presence on the political scene, stumping alongside men, and was brilliant and excessive in a way that this film does not capture. It particularly overeggs what a horrible man the Duke of Devonshire was - this was an era when men quite literally owned their wives (and it's true women had no custodial rights over children, shocking as it is today), and he was no worse than many. The purpose of emphasizing his cruelty seemed mainly to give Keira Knightly as many reasons as possible to weep and cry dramatically, and viewers, as many causes to reach for the fast forward button.
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Georgina Duchess of Devonshire was in her own right an important figure in London society at the end of the 18th / beginning of the 19th century. Based on the book by Amanda Foreman on her the movie captures personality, time and dramas of her life to perfection. I loved the book but one can not expect a movie to be like the book as a movie is a completely different media. But with its very own methods the movie gets the main aspects. The cast is wonderful, but I have to admit that I adored Charlotte Rampling in her role as Lady Spencer, Georgina's mother. Unfortunately, my favourite scene with Rampling became a cut-scene. Oh dear... but all in all this is a movie I really did enjoy.
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I barely managed to get through this film. Keira Knightley seems to be a 21st century woman who's walked into the 18th century by mistake. Whilst the other actors struggle manfully with the poor script and do at least hold themselves as though they were born in the 18th century, Knightley walks, talks, and has the attitudes of an entirely modern woman.
She is surprised to find that it is legal for a man to beat his wife, that upper class women don't breastfeed their own babies, that a husband having a mistress is not a big deal! It's hard to believe anyone could be that ignorant about the society they've been brought up in. And she looks so uncomfortable in her wig and corset, her posture is so modern, that it is just impossible to believe in her character from the first scene.
I'm not blaming Keira Knightley for all this. The script was terrible, and the director should have arranged some serious coaching for her. After all, she's a young woman who's been thrusted into starring roles in big budget films simply because of her beauty, without any acting experience or training, as she admits herself.
It's period dramas like this that gives the whole genre a bad name.
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