Based on the tragic life story of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, "The Duchess" follows the late heroine as she rules the hearts of London, the fashion scene and the political trail.
Once she's married off to the Duke of Devonshire, Georgiana becomes the "It Girl" of her time. Every man in London wants her for his own and every woman wants to be her. Determined to be more than just a wife and mother, the Duchess becomes deeply involved with an old friend's political campaign. As her power grows, her relationship with her husband weakens, ultimately leading him to have an affair with one of the Duchess' closest friends. Trapped in an unhappy marriage and coping with her husband's live-in mistress, the Duchess fights for control, freedom and the man she loves.
Disappointingly, Keira Knightley's performance as a mother lacked the feelings of unconditional love that she should have felt for her children. This leaves most scenes that should be heartfelt empty and passionless. Her attempt to convey Georgiana's innocent na'veté felt artificial and overacted. This error is especially egregious when you consider she's been typecast in a slew of period films as nearly the same strong-minded woman.
The character of the Duke remains static throughout the film, as Ralph Fiennes perfected the role of an abusive and cruel-hearted husband. An undemanding role for Fiennes, it seems as though the majority of his time onscreen is spent muttered in monotone as he uneasily paces the halls of his mansion.
The film itself begins at an incredibly fast pace, leaving the audience to gather the pieces of a lost plot. In less than 30 minutes, Georgiana flirts with neighbor boys, gets married, becomes pregnant and enters motherhood. Quite a feat considering there are no transitions to be found as the film hastily jumps from one scene to the next.
Now, rather than running to catch up, the audience is miles ahead of the plot. It seems that by the time the film has slowed to a normal pace, the audience is ready for it to be over. As people begin checking the time on their cell phones, "The Duchess" carries on as randomly as ever. Before time is out, the audience endures a wig burning, two unplanned pregnancies and three awkward sexual encounters. None of these events are foreseen or even referenced later.
The film's onscreen talent alone is enough to guarantee a satisfying film, however, once the viewer leaves the theater they will agree that one viewing of "The Duchess" is more than enough.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
