This movie has people inevitably comparing the life of Diana Spencer to the life of one of her descendants, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire. Both fashion icons, married to one of the most important families in the United Kingdom, made disastrous unions with ever present mistresses. This is not a movie about the former Princess of Wales and the common aspects between the two women end right there.
Your attention is caught from the very first moment when you see Georgiana and her friends in her family gardens, up until the end it’s almost a non-stop succession of depressing and sad moments of the young woman’s life, with very few bits of light and happiness.
While we are not Keira Knightley’s fans, we certainly cannot deny that she seems to have improved her acting skills. This must be her best performance until now, she is gripping, charming, even if sometimes there’s a slight lack of emotion in some crucial scenes, Keira easily seduces the audience with her expressive eyes.
But the real gem in this movie is Ralph Fiennes. William Cavendish, fifth Duke of Devonshire, only cares about his dogs and a future heir, his indifference is hurtful and we almost hate him when he refuses to let his mistress go, imposing her to his wife in her own household. With time, we end up sympathizing with him as much as Georgiana, understanding that he was born and educated to be a peer, with no possibility to actually make his life decisions and plagued with the impossibility of expressing his feelings.
The worst part of the movie is Dominic Cooper. Why, oh why was he chosen as Lord Grey?! There’s no real emotion in his performance, it all seems forced with absolutely no charm. It’s hard to believe him as future Prime Minister and the Duchess of Devonshire’s lover. When he goes looking for Georgiana at her house, we immediately remember the scene in BBC’s Sense & Sensibility when he’s seeking Marianne. Completely unnecessary and boring!
A special mention to Charlotte Rampling, Georgiana’s mother, who brings beauty, elegance and strength to all her scenes. We certainly would like to see her in more historical dramas.
Let’s not forget the extraordinary costumes and even more extraordinary settings! Sumptuous wardrobe, eccentric wigs and beautifully arranged hairstyles, enclosed by luxurious surroundings that always give the impression of luminance, with the light of the sun or candles creating a very particular atmosphere. What a feast to our eyes!
The movie has its weaknesses though, like the plot or even the story rhythm, that is sometimes too slow paced, but in the end, The Duchess is an entertaining and decent movie and certainly a must for all Keira Knightley fans.
Related posts:
http://lightscamerahistory.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/news-the-duchess-nightwatching/
http://lightscamerahistory.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/admire-the-duchess/
