The Duchess

Whenever I'm about to sit down and watch a British costume drama, I always feel a sense of unease. It's not that I haven't enjoyed such films in the past or that I don't look forward to them. It's just that when they're done wrong, they can be the most frightfully dull films imaginable. But when they are done right, they can lift my spirits like few films can. The Duchess, fortunately, falls under the second category. There is no denying that the film is wonderfully produced and holds a number of wonderful performances. But more than that, I was captivated by the story of the Duchess of Devonshire.

In the film's marketing campaign, much has been made of the fact that the Duchess was an ancestor to Princess Diana. Indeed, it's impossible not to think of the "People's Princess" while watching the film. Both were women brought into royalty at a young age. Both were married to men whose interests fell to another woman. Most of all, both seemed determined to change the way things were done. Fortunately, the story of the film can be enjoyed on its own, and not without any modern references. The film covers the early years of Georgina, who is married off by her mother to William Cavendish, the fifth Duke of Devonshire, when she was just 16-years-old. Keira Knightly plays Georgina (or "G", as she is known to those close to her) with a certain strength. She is brought into a world of high society that does not have a high view of women in general. The Duke, portrayed wonderfully here by Ralph Fiennes, marries Georgina not out of love, but because he is desperate for a male heir to carry on his title.

He has tried once before with another woman, but she gave him a daughter, and died before he could try again. Georgina discovers this when the daughter is sent to live with them when the mother dies. She did not know about this other woman in his life, and it is the first of many things she will learn about her husband. Much of the drama in The Duchess comes from the distant and cold relationship the two shared. To William, Georgina was just a means to produce a son, and frequently treated his beloved pet dogs with more love. He frequently forced sex upon her, one time even going so far as to rape her. And yet, Georgina hid her personal anguish, and became a very visible and popular woman in social and political circles throughout England. She became an outspoken woman, speaking out about American and French revolutions, and was an important asset to the campaign of a man vying for the position of Prime Minister. That man was Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), a man whom she truly loved, but could not marry. Because she could not have a public relationship with him, she assisted his career by using her personality and presence to draw people to his causes.

The Duke carried many private and often not-so private affairs, often right in front of Georgina, and she could do nothing about it. Even her sole friend, a woman by the name Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell) is drawn into an affair, not out of lust, but because Bess' greedy and powerful husband is preventing her from seeing her own sons, and Duke William has an equal amount of power to change it. Georgina's lack of power, despite her title, is what drives most of the story, and it effectively turns The Duchess into a captivating story that holds our attention throughout. Georgina is a woman who knows her place, and even does her best to accept it, but finds it harder to hold onto that acceptance as the film goes on. She is forced many times to choose between her title and what she truly wants for herself. The screenplay by Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen and director Saul Dibb is honest with the details, but keeps things moving at a brisk pace. It opens a door into the world of these people, without lingering over dwelling upon it.

As is often the case with these kind of films, the production values could not be better, and truly transport us to the time the story is set in. But it is the performances above all else that draw us in. Keira Knightly is truly coming out on her own as a young actress, and despite having a fairly young career, is quickly turning into an actress who can make me sit up and take attention. She demands our attention in every scene, which is important, since she is in every scene of this film. As her husband, Ralph Fiennes is a flat-out proper gentleman bastard, and I mean that as a complement. His William is a cold man who sees himself as a noble person, but is really quite childish and scared underneath his stern exterior. He is afraid of not getting what he wants, and doesn't know what to do with this woman he is supposed to love, but does not. During the rare moments he is open with her, it seems like it is the hardest thing in the world for him. It's a wonderful performance, and one that I hope will be remembered come award time.

The Duchess isn't going to change anyone's mind when it comes to "powdered wig dramas", nor will it blow the minds of anyone who is fond of such films. But I have to give it credit for being a supremely well done example of its kind. I found myself deeply involved, and very interested in the story, even if I had heard it before. If anything, the movie made me want to know more about the real story of the Duchess of Devonshire, and that I believe is the standard that all historical dramas should strive for.

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