The Duchess (2008) – on rental. British actress Keira Knightley seems to have settled into a persistent role based on the most recent films she’s been in, and it’s period dramas. There were those three Pirates of the Carribean movies, Atonement, Pride & Prejudice, and now there’s The Duchess.
This new film’s loosely based on the 18th century English socialite and aristocrat, Georgiana Cavendish, who was stuck in a loveless marriage constructed solely for the purpose of producing a male heir for William Cavendish, the then Duke of Devonshire.
When she fails to produce such an offspring in the first years of her marriage, the Duke turns horndog and goes on it with Georgiana’s best friend. She finds out, and starts her own affair with the future prime minister of England, Charles Grey. Talk about a mess LOL.
From the onset, the film’s theme is similar to the recent The Tudors series I watched the first two seasons of and blogged about here: you get marriages for the sake of producing heirs, adultery, magnificent costumes and heaving bosoms.
Thing is, I don’t find many of these recent adulterous period dramas as interesting or memorable as the grandpapa of all such flicks – and that’d be Dangerous Liaisons of 1989. It’s not merely a matter of the cast: Liaisons had Michelle Pfeiffer, John Malkovich and Glenn Close – The Duchess has Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling and Knightley – the latter whom can act once you put aside her distracting jaw.
Nah – it’s something else: and I think it’s that none of these period dramas have the same story sophistication or definable characters as Liaisons had. There’re no surprises and only obvious twists in the story development in Duchess. Whatever you’re seeing, you’ve seen before in other films.
Knightley I don’t especially enjoy watching, and Ralph Fiennes turns in a sort of low-key performance muttering and looking disinterested in his scenes though that’s how his character is written.
It was very nice though to see Charlotte Rampling in the film, and whom I remember from the small role she had in Deception. She has a certain grace about herself and brings a degree of dignity and seriousness to films she’s in.
The costumes and production sets are a different matter though: they’re incredible. I’m not sure how much of it was CGed, but there’s a scene where the newly married Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are in a horse carriage traveling through the city, and the bustling city is teeming with life and backdrop characters. There’s also a scene involving the city of Bath – just stunning in the looks department.
On the overall though, the film’s watchable if period dramas, costumes and sets interests you. The film unfortunately didn’t leave with with much of an impression and I had to stifle a yawn or two during the proceedings. For a different opinion, check out Ann’s entry.:)
we have rather differing taste in movies some times. there are shows you rave about but i find zzzz… LOL i hated ralph fiennes in duchess… so disgusting. he was much better in Maid in Manhattan. so shuai =)
Not always what – we both enjoyed Taken.:)