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Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooper, Hayley Atwell ... see more see more... , Simon McBurney , Aidan McArdle , John Shrapnel , Alistair Petrie

Director Saul Dibb takes the helm for this period drama adapted from Amanda Foreman's best-selling novel Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, documenting the romantic entanglements of Georgiana Cavendish... read more read more... (Keira Knightley), a beautiful and clever woman who becomes a celebrity of British high society when she marries the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) and becomes consort to one of the most powerful men in England. Beloved for her trend-setting fashion designs as well as her political activism, Georgiana's fire and wit make her a beloved figure everywhere but her own home, where her cold and distant husband's control over her is stifling, soon sending her into the arms of a another man -- an act that soon forces her to learn about the brutal difference in the rights afforded to 18th century men and women. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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68% liked it

66,095 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

162 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Saul Dibb

Release Date: September 5, 2008

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DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009

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Stats: 5,105 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,105)

  • paulsandberg
    February 23, 2011
    paulsandberg
    In The Duchess you have one of those historical biopics - you know, "based on a true story", which since it is only "based upon" gives the screen writer carte blanche to play it any way he sees fit. Even then he and the director arrived at the dock well after the ship had sailed... read more.

    Sometimes a film is not so much about what it shows you on the screen, but what it infers by innuendo and association. The Duchess is such a film, and it suffers for it.

    What is allegedly relevant for the film is that said Duchess is a Spencer, and as such, is an ancestor to everyone's darling, Lady Di. The film attempts to draw parallels, showing how the Duchess was an intelligent, strong willed young woman sucked into a marriage of opportunity in 1774 - to which, one infers that she is just like her descendant. The film goes to great length to further this concept, showing ad nauseum all the trappings of being forced into an arranged and loveless marriage; wherein her sole duty is to produce a son and heir for the duke. That she rails against the system makes a sort of feminist statement, and while I abhor the duke and everything he stood for (the assumption of power and moral certitude based on your birthright), and sympathize with any person forced into any contract without their consent - you didn't see this duchess, or Di refusing all the jewels and trappings of royalty. But enough with the socio/political statements, let's discuss the film itself.

    The cinematography is top shelf and the sets and costumes beautiful, and I suppose you can't really blame Ms. Knightly in the title role - she does the best she can given the material she has to work with. The same can be said for Ralph Fiennes, who aptly plays the stuffy, pompous Duke, who while being an expert manipulator and politician, has some serious issues when it comes to expressing actual emotion.

    Emotion is what appears to be lacking throughout the film - moments that are meant to be heartbreaking aren't fully grounded by any back-story so they lose much of their potential potency. There are parallels to the film Possession, involving the sacrifices made for children. In Possession the scenes are emotionally powerful, in The Duchess, all the emotion is sucked away, as what should have been an emotional reunion becomes an empty thirty seconds of film.

    There was potential here that, with a bit more care, focus and development, could have made a wonderful film. Alas, all the attempts to portray the duchess as special and beloved by the people become nothing more than gratuitous scenes of empty pageantry where the duchess spoke, but didn't say anything truly impressive, a fault of the script writer yet again.

    There are some bedroom scenes thrown in for good measure (it seems a pre-requisite for all period piece dramas), though they are flat and emotionless, even a pseudo rape somehow simply seems matter of fact; as if reading a passage in a pot-boiler novel "ah yes, he took her hard, and without her consent" - not much emotional energy there.

    Throughout it seemed as if the film was at war with itself - wanting to show the Spencer parallel with a modern carnal sensibility, yet caught in the malaise of gentrified manners while the gossip mongers hinted of infidelities and scandal. It played like a well costumed soap opera until the film finally ran out of things to say and ended up using my least favorite film device: the written narrative conclusion - something that also seems a pre-requisite of quasi historical dramas. Kind of a "they lived happily (or not) ever after" effect. To me, if there was something important you wanted to impart to your audience, you find a way to show it and not resort to such a sloppy stunt. In this case the narrative informed us that shortly before her death the duchess gave her consent for her friend to marry her husband and become the new duchess. But wait a minute!!! The duchess was some 20 years younger than her husband - WTF?? What happened? How did she die before he did? I would have thought that this would have made for a far more interesting tale than the pointless semi political scenes that the film included in a misguided attempt to show some historical perspective.
  • wildaly14
    February 4, 2011
    wildaly14
    Interesting story and good performances.
  • RCCLBC
    January 31, 2011
    RCCLBC
    A solid period piece.
    Good acting on the part of the main characters. With Rampling and Fiennes standing out the most for me.
    Beautiful sets and costumes as you might imagine.
    The story is sad, but a very interesting slice of history and a nice introduction (for most of us)... read more to a woman who was way ahead of her time in many aspects of her thinking (not to mention style).
  • FiLmCrAzY
    January 16, 2011
    FiLmCrAzY
    I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, its a great movie about love and betrayal.
    Kiera Knightly performs yet another astonishing period drama thats interesting and brilliantly and beautifully made.
    Really worth the watch.
  • imrealgod
    December 10, 2010
    imrealgod
    Being interested in movies inspired by actual events, I decided to check it out. While it lacked the grip to keep me hooked, it wasn't absolutely rubbish.
  • LWOODS04
    December 4, 2010
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooper, Simon McBurney, Hayley Atwell, Aidan McArdle, Richard McCabe, Angus McEwan, Mercy Fiennes Tiffin, John Shrapnel, Alistair Petrie, Patrick Godfrey, Michael Medwin, Justin Edwards, Calvin Dean, Hannah Stokely... read more

    Director: Saul Dibb

    Summary: Keira Knightley stars as Georgiana Spencer, a young duchess who indulges in extravagant vices and begins a scandalous affair with politician Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) to balance her unhappy marriage to the duke of Devonshire .

    My Thoughts: "I have now seen Keira Knightley in a few period pieces, and this has to be my favorite along with 'Pride and Prejudice'. She gives such an amazing performance as Georgiana. Maybe her best acting that I have seen. Ralph Fiennes also puts in a great performance as the easy to hate husband, Duke of Devonshire. But this was Keira's film. She gave such an emotional performance that I completely felt it all with her. Georgiana must have been an extremely strong woman to endure her life's misfortunes. Mainly the cruelty of her husband. *SPOILER* When she has to hand over the child she bared with Earl Grey, I totally lost it and cried with her. It was such a sad and heartbreaking moment. *END OF SPOILER* Hayley Atwell, was also very good in the film as Lady Bess Foster. She really pulls you in and you like her. Then you hate her, just to kinda go back to liking her just a bit. Her character had a bit of a sad story as well. I really liked Dominic Cooper as Earl Grey. The story is sad, depressing, and emotional. Definitely a film I wouldn't mind seeing again."
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    September 1, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Holy costumes! And Holy Evil Ralph Fiennes! Can this guy play a nice guy, like ever? Whatever. He does evil so well. Even though I don't have a particular liking to children, I found this pretty cruel. (Funny the only other film I've thought that about was another Ralph Fiennes f... read moreilm...) Still, I think the acting was fine and the costumes were phenomenal. And as for Keira Knightley, I could watch that woman run around in pretty, period dresses all day and not have a problem with it.
  • thmtsang
    March 1, 2010
    thmtsang
    Excellent movie based on true events of the Duchess of Devonshire. She is wed into a loveless marriage to provide a male heir. She is intelligent and beautiful and attracts much attention. But for the sake of her children, gives up her true love. Amazing costumes and settings. Th... read moreis is Keira's best performance. Some of the movie was shot in Chatsworth, which is where the real Duchess lived. I've visited it and they have 'The Duchess' display, along with a display for 'Pride and Prejudice' where some scenes were also filmed.
  • lewiskendell
    February 14, 2010
    lewiskendell
    It's easy to see why Keira Knightley is drawn to so many movies with a historical slant; she's good at them. If she was sent back in time to historical England, she'd probably fit right in. She certainly has the necessary experience, and she looks good in the dresses and wigs.

    ... read moreThe main problem with The Ducjess isn't Keira, the other actors, or the grand palaces and beautiful English locales that serve as the setting. It's the title character herself, who's written to be a bit too plucky and familiar. Yes, I get that she's a woman who's smarter than many of the powerful men that surround her, and yes, I sympathize with her when her idealism and naïveté meet the unyeilding wall of the real world. But these things have been done to death, and the story is incredibly predictable as a result. I'm waiting for one of these movies to spin the genre on its head...there has to be a way to keep them somewhat historically accurate, while discarding the constantly re-used plot devices.

    You know what you're getting here, and you probably know whether you'll like it or not. Just don't expect anything more than a slightly above-average example of the genre.
  • newvogueravyn
    July 26, 2009
    newvogueravyn
    Terribly beautiful in terms of period detail, but too upsetting for me to love, though the performances are good.

View All The Duchess Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ben Mankiewicz
November 7, 2008
Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies

This is a wonderful film. Full Review

Ben Lyons
November 7, 2008
Ben Lyons, At the Movies

There's something really special about Kiera Knightly in these period pieces. Full Review

Claudia Puig
October 18, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

It chronicles the saga of a vibrant and forward-thinking woman hampered by the constraints of a rigid society. Full Review

Tasha Robinson
October 18, 2008
Tasha Robinson, Chicago Tribune

It's disturbingly shallow, focused so tightly on one woman's feelings of repression and loneliness that it lacks any perspective on their causes. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
October 9, 2008
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

The Duchess is clearly Knightley's movie, ultimately rising or falling on her performance. She's up to the task, capturing both the charm and grace that made Georgiana so captivating. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
September 26, 2008
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

Beguiling. Full Review

Colin Covert
September 26, 2008
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Duchess gives us a gorgeous world, a detailed picture of a time and place that could have been painted by Constable, Gainsborough or Watteau. But you wouldn't want to live there. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
September 26, 2008
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

It isn't just eye candy; there's an active intelligence behind this design. Full Review

Tom Long
September 26, 2008
Tom Long, Detroit News

Though extravagantly pretty, The Duchess still manages to be a costume drama in which the drama survives the costumes. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
September 26, 2008
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

It's easy to joke about Knightley's fondness for period dramas. But we shouldn't underestimate her ability to channel the historic and modern into one compelling figure -- or her grasp of the power of... Full Review

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