Duchess

2008, Rated PG-13, 110 minutes, Directed by Saul Dibb, written by Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen, Saul Dibb, based on the book “Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire” by Amanda Foreman, Produced by Michael Kuhn and Garbrielle Tana, Cinematography by Gyula Pados, Original Music by Rachel Portman

With: Kiera Knightley (Georgiana), Ralph Fiennes (the Duke), Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer), Dominic Cooper (Charles Grey)

“It’s just our way of expressing ourselves...you [men] have so many ways of expressing yourselves whereas we must make doe with our hats and our dresses” said the Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana. And Georgiana expressed herself fully through the clothes she wore. Trapped in a loveless marriage, forced to tolerate and even cohabitate with the Duke’s mistresses, Georgiana seemingly accepted her fate and let herself be heard through style and even her politics. 

Georgiana became the Duchess of Devonshire when she was seventeen and it was made quickly clear that she and her husband would fulfill their 18th century aristocratic roles as husband and wife: she would be faithful until she produced a male heir and he would be go about his normal routine and entertain mistresses as he fancied. The only problem with the setup was that she was unable to produce a male heir for many years. 

The Duchess took on her public role with all the gusto she could muster and became the trend setter of the age who defined feminine expression. She was the life of the party as heads turned when she walked through the door.  But behind the public appearance there was a private turmoil that continued to build in the house of Devonshire.

The Duke was “the only man in Devonshire who did not love the Duchess Georgiana.” She tried to fight for their marriage but the Duke wanted no more than a public marriage and a male heir. Amidst the lavish castles, sweeping countryside and immaculate gardens, Georgiana, or G as her husband endearingly called her, was imprisoned in a life she dreamed of as a child but was discontent with the reality of her lot. 

The Duchess, as far as my understanding of social roles in the aristocratic eighteenth century, does a great job of transforming the true story of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, into a film that delicately addresses  masculinity and femininity and the concept of freedom and expression in that time. It deals with the conflict of life in a graceful and at the same time tension filled manner. The movie invites the reader to examine the lives of men and women of the time and even evokes thoughts of roles of men and women and the trappings of status today. What is obviously a period piece manages to transcend time and speak to universal issues.

Kiera Knightly, who seems more suited to period pieces than any other genre, does an apt job of taking on the role of the social queen of her age but at times feels uncomfortable in her role playing such a magnanimous character. Ralph Fiennes does an excellent job of becoming the disinterested and detached duke. His actions speak the most as you observe the subtlelty of his movements and faces that express his detachment. The supporting cast does an average job in their roles.

One key problem with the film is the cinematography. What could have been the opportunity for striking awe inspiring and sweeping shots is more an average job. There are numerous overhead shots of landscapes and gardens but they are shot very plainly. With a plethora of candles burning in the indoor scenes there is an obvious artificial light highlighting the characters. The cinematography of the Kubriks period piece, Barry Lyndon, would have been an excellent mark for the film to try to attain. Instead of using artificial light let the candles or the sun at magic hour illuminate the shot. None of it looks bad, but it could have looked much better if the time were taken to wait for each shot and to create the natural artistic environment that is a cinematographers dream.

The film seems to be trying to create a setting similar to Scorcece’s Age of Innocence but falls short of that masterpiece. It is, however, an wonderful film that places the viewer in the heart of the action of eighteenth century. It does an excellent job of leaving the viewer thinking and discussing after it captures the imagination and entertains around the subject of politics, love and sex of the eighteenth century.

B

Content Advisory

The movie has brief back nudity of a woman running, and several bedroom scenes, including one hinting at lesbianism and another at rape, with no nudity but of a sensual nature and little language.

Food for thought/discussion

1. In a conversation with a Whig politician Georgiana inquires about the party's position on freedom and he responds that they are for freedom in moderation. Georgiana retorts, "the concept of freedom is absolute." Is freedom absolute

2. The duke has many affairs and so does Georgiana. Is the moving condoning, condemning or merely accepting extramarital affairs? How or is this a comment on modern day society as well?

3. The movie portrays two views of love, the dukes and the duchess. How do those versions of love differ, how are they similar?