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Features Actors:Kiera Knightly, Dominic Cooper & Hayley Atwell. Running Time:109 Min. Rating:PG-13 At 17 years of age, Georgiana (Keira Knightley) is bursting with excitement to marry Duke William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes), only to realize the union has been forged with eternal emotional ice. Secluded and made to feel worthless due to her inability to produce a male heir for the Duke, Georgiana turns to social gatherings and political causes to fill her days, soon falling for Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), an old friend who holds plans to become the Prime Minister. As William takes Georgiana's friend Bess (Hayley Atwell) to become his mistress, the Duchess has designs on her own affair with Charles, finding William's martial grip tighter and more destructive than she could've ever imagined when word leaks out to the public. "The Duchess" is defined by its scripted urgency, with the writers (working from Amanda Foreman's biography) eschewing a formal sense of manner and distance from Georgiana's life to survey the turmoil. The feature dives right into the psychological toil the Duchess encountered as she embarked on a life-long experience that rarely stopped to ask her opinion. The picture is structured with primary attention to blunt emotional trauma, not the nuances of the problematical royal life, and the stripped down focus is appreciated to cleave away the wondrous ornate costuming and social square dancing, reaching for the delicate moments of frightening isolation and bitter frustration. Knightley gives the camera her all, running through the gauntlet of emotions as Georgiana's life circles tragedy at an alarming pace. It's a true leading-lady performance, and it shows amazing versatility on Knightley's part.This movie had me fusterated towards the end, how different thing used to be for a woman, of choosing true love and leaving everthing behind or live the life you have.Hope this helps you decide.Thanks for reading! :)Read full review
This character “assessment” of Georgiana is fascinating as is the portrayal of titled women’s realities of that period. She was briefly weak and yet showed immense strength and adaptability in an unprecedented situation. She rose above both society derision and fawning with outward grace. I loved this film and had to have it to show my friends.
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"The Duchess" is a wonderful costume drama based on the life of Princess Diana's ancestor Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, who was celebrated and scandalous in her time, which was late 18th century England. Georgiana was given in an arranged marriage to the Duke of Devonshire (a wonderful performance by Ralph Fiennes), who had only met her twice previously. The Duke is desperate for a male heir, and soon, Georgiana soon finds herself in a loveless marriage and the mother of three girls - two born of Georgiana and one born of a maid who had an affair with Devonshire. Even after bearing the indignities of her husband constant affairs, Georgiana becomes a darling of English society, known for her fashion sense, political activism, and love of gambling. But Georgiana draws the line, or tries to draw the line, when Devonshire takes a live-in lover and her three children. She eventually begins an affair with a young politician that threatens her way of life. The film paints an appropriately bleak picture of what it was like for a woman in those days. Georgiana is a beautiful, intelligent, and charming young woman whose only hope in life is that she happens to marry someone who loves her and will treat her like a human being. As it turns out, Devonshire becomes increasingly unlikeable as he expects Georgiana to abide by his affairs, then sit in silence as he keeps another woman and her children under their roof, and not just any woman, but one that had become a good friend of Georgiana. The movie is beautifully filmed and the performances are very good. The story tells a compelling story of a woman trapped by her times and circumstances and forced to make terrible choices.Read full review
Georgiana Spencer became Duchess of Devonshire on her marriage to the Duke in 1774, at the height of the Georgian period, a period of fashion, decadence, and political change. Spirited and adored by the public at large she quickly found her marriage to be a disappointment, defined by her duty to produce a male heir and the Duke's philandering and callous indifference to her. She befriends Lady Bess but finds she is once again betrayed by her husband who wields his power with the three eventually living uncomfortably together. Against this background, and with the pressures of an unfaithful husband,strict social pressures and constant public scrutiny, Georgiana falls passionately in love with Charles Grey, a rising young Whig politician. However, despite his ongoing liaison with Lady Bess, the Duke refuses to allow her to continue the affair and threatens to take her children from her. This movie is a moving portrait of a very tragic figure, brought to life by a best performance from Keira Knightely. This movie exploration of unfortunate innocence and the loss of freedom is at times poignant and adds to what is an extremely satisfying experience. "The Duchess" is spellbinding.Read full review
I love English movies, I always have. This movie was a "curiosity" purchase. I have always love Keira in other movies, so I thought I'd buy this and see for myself. The costumes, locations and acting were great. The depth of disappointment and despair that Georgiana felt is almost palpable when watching this movie. She had a terrible life, but somehow had a very strong desire to be happy and dealt with everything because she had no other choices, unlike us today. She was the "face" that everyone wanted to look like. She was the woman other women wanted to emulate, yet her life was sad and lonely. Ralph Fiennes plays his part well as an extrememly self centered, cold, insensitive man who didn't care how other people felt as long as he had what he wanted, until the very end when he finally sees how sad he had made her. I would recommend this movie, but be ready to feel sad at the end.Read full review