The Duchess has emerged amid a slew of period dramas, adaptations or re-imaginings over the last few years. Many of these have starred the "Corset Queen", Keira Knightly. Knightly again appears here as Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, who marries the distant and world weary Duke of Devonshire, played by Ralph Fiennes.
Plot
The film centres around Knightly's character of Georgiana, a young and beautiful woman, who's mother decides to arrange her marriage to the Duke of Devonshire in order to profit the family with wealth and status. Georgiana is excited that a man of such stature has shown an interest in her, and they are quickly wed.
The Duke wants a son to succeed him and, despite several attamept, Georgiana can only provide him with girls, 3 of them. The Duke becomes increasingly frustrated with this and begins to tire of Georgiana, and he starts to aim his affections elsewhere.
During this time, after becoming a public figurehead, as well as taking control of many political debates, and becoming a bona fide fashion icon, Georgiana becomes the darling of the people, much like her granddaughter Diana Princess of Wales would become. It seems that all of England, save for the Duke himself, love his wife and it is regularly commented upon how revered she is by the people, and what a good mother she is to her daughters.
It is during this time that Georgiana meets and befriends Lady Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell), who she invites to stay with her and her husband at their home. However, this horrifically backfires as Bess becomes mistress to the Duke, and eventually his second wife. During this time Georgiana forms a relationship with Charles Grey who became an Earl and later, Prime Minister, much to the resentment of the Duke, who opposes the proposed eloping of the two lovers, and sets about making Grey's life a misery.
Cast Performances
Keira Knightley is her usual self as she pouts and poses her way through the role of Georgiana. A part that allows her ample corset time, and another excuse to don those big hats she loves so much. Whilst not really challenged by the role, Knightley does appear to slip in and out of her pouting and ample annunciation and she never really gets out of second gear (not that she is required to with the role).
All too often she is overshadowed by Ralph Fiennes and his menacing Duke of Devonshire. Not that that is anything to scoff over, for Fiennes is a wonderful actor, and, though the part is well within his range, he chews up the scenary with a world weary, self-obsessed and truly nasty character. Though it is a very difficult performance to absorb, Fiennes dominates the film, at times reducing Knightley and co-star Atwell to mere props in the background.
Overall The Duchess is a well acted period piece that tells an interesting, if tragic, story about love and finds the audience genuinely caring about the characters. The film does seem overly padded out in places, and it is ocassionally very slow-moving, but if one can get past this then The Duchess is a very fulfilling viewing (and Fiennes' performance alone is worth the ticket price)
