THE DUCHESS
UK, 2008, 110 minutes, Colour.
Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Rampling, Hayley Atwell, Simon Mc Burney, Aidan Mc Ardle.
Directed by Saul Dibb.
Most audiences will probably enjoy The Duchess. No expense has been spared on settings and sets (usually actual British stately homes and gardens, London and Bath), costumes and décor. This is the Georgian era during the second decade of the reign of George III. The life style of the rich and famous was sumptuous – and looks it.
This is a star vehicle for Keira Knightly who became an international star very young, playing football in Bend it Like Beckham. In no time, she was in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film and, despite critical carping concerning her limitations as an actress, she has had the chance for substantial roles in The Jacket, Atonement and The Edge of Love. Her role as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire is ideal for her and she gives a good performance.
A key to appreciating the story, the personalities and the royal issues is that Georgiana was the great-great-great aunt (or thereabouts) of Lady Diana Spencer. Georgiana’s mother, played here with her trademark blend of the charming and the supercilious by Charlotte Rampling, was a Lady Spencer. As one watches the film, the parallels (in real life and/or in the construction of the screenplay) between the Duchess and the Princess of Wales are hard to avoid. Had Georgiana died young in a coach and horses crash, the comparisons would be complete. On the other hand, Georgina’s living on in the same house as the Duke and his mistress (her former close friend, Mrs Foster (Hayley Attwell), who later married the Duke) indicates what might have happened to Diana had she lived.
The blogs will tell us what audiences think of any comparison between the Duke of Devonshire and Prince Charles.
Georgiana was something of a late 18th century free spirit, spirited as far as society would allow her (and sometimes beyond). She is shown as a vivacious teenage girl who delights in marrying an older man only to discover that his sole interest is in her producing a male heir (traditions of Henry VIII), a man who had no trouble in supplementing his marriage vows with seemingly impartial zest – except, ultimately, in his true love for Bess Foster. Georgiana had to cope, especially, with bringing up three daughters (one being the Duke’s daughter by a commoner). But, her vivacity broke through many of the protocols, especially in her friendships with Whig Prime Minister Charles Fox and the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It has been suggested that Lady Teazle in School for Scandal was based on Georgiana. Georgiana, with her clothes’ designs, her high fashion dresses and hats, with her wit and political interests, with her being a darling of high society – and with her passion for profligate gambling which is briefly shown here but was far more substantial in real life.
Her husband referring to her and to up-and-coming politician, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), with whom she began a compensatory affair but was forced to give him up or else lose her children, as visionaries who wanted to change things. Georgiana campaigned for Grey in his Westminster constituency. Grey was later to become the Earl Grey, British Prime Minister.
Ralph Fiennes’ embodiment of the seemingly stolid Duke of Devonshire (probably less so in real life according to the histories) is frighteningly convincing. His horizons are completely in the here and now (except for the hope that his wife will produce a male heir), his attention span is limited and, according to his lines of dialogue, he is not particularly intellectual, or even intelligent. He is emotionally quite phlegmatic except for his care for his dogs and his passionate lusts. Bess Foster does seem to have mellowed him somewhat. He has little compunction in ordering Georgiana to do his will and calmly administers threatening conditions on her behaviour and her life with her children. He also has the power of the male, the power of the husband, the power of aristocracy and the power of the purse. While he arrogantly imposes his decisions, he seems quite oblivious of the impact of his behaviour – it is at the level of his sending away some mutton from his lavish dinner table because he thinks, despite Georgiana’s demurring, that it is a bit off.
The protocols of the aristocracy and the era reinforced this kind of behaviour. Whatever the private behaviour of individuals, the era controlled both men and women, but especially put controls on women.
This was the case, shown only in formal dining scenes in the film, of the Duke, Georgiana and Bess in the many years they lived together. The advertising tagline for the film rather cheekily reminds us of the Diana interview, ‘There were three people in her marriage’!
This formal control in the Age of Reason led to the French Revolution and its ‘death to the aristocracy’ soon after the action of this film. On the other hand, Victoria would ascend the throne of England fifty years after the central situations of The Duchess.
1.English heritage films? The 18th century? The 20th century parallels?
2.The sumptuous production, locations, stately homes, gardens, the countryside? The interiors? Costumes and décor, makeup? The musical score? The evocation of the age?
3.The title and the tone, the focus? The Duke of Devonshire, royalty and aristocracy? 18th century and class distinctions?
4.Keira Knightley as Georgiana, young, hopeful, the centre of attention, the initial race with the young men, the bets, her focus on Charles Grey?
5.Her mother, her strong character, dominating, the negotiations with the duke, his stolidity, wanting an heir, the accountant and his advice, the contracts? The duke agreeing? The news for Georgiana? Her happiness, hoping the duke would love her?
6.The marriage ceremony, pomp, style, expectations of the marriage, her pregnancy, bearing a daughter, her mother with her, her mother’s love? The duke’s neglect? The formal dinners, Charles Fox and the Whig parliamentarians? The speeches? The duke’s exit, Georgiana’s return? Her seeing the duke carrying on with servants? Her suffering? The adoption of Charlotte, the duke fathering the child? Her giving birth to a second girl? The miscarriages with the boys?
7.The years passing, Georgiana and her love for the girls, playing with them, her care? Her being a fashion figure, the designs of her dress, hats, her speeches? The politics, canvassing for Grey? Meeting Sheridan, watching The School for Scandal?
8.Going to Bath, the settings of Bath, the parties, meeting Bess Foster, her looking at the duke? The two woman becoming friends, their talking, Bess staying with the family, her desire to get her children back, her vindictive husband, the bonds between the two women?
9.Georgiana discovering the relationship between Bess and the duke, Bess’s motivations, to get her children back? Her staying? The attitudes and advice of Lady Spencer?
10.The duke, his character, unimaginative? His relationship with Bess? Being different, his change, mellowing? His taunts to Georgiana? The assault, her pregnancy, giving birth to the son? The duke’s happiness?
11.Bess as a character, her background, her marriage, her children, her betrayal of Georgiana, yet their remaining friends?
12.The duke, his love for his dogs, unimaginative, self-centred? His expectations as a peer?
13.Charles Fox, politician, prime minister, the Whigs, the elections?
14.Grey, his friendship with Georgiana, devoted to her, loving her? Bess and her talk with Georgiana to imagine the advances of Grey?
15.Georgiana, the bargain, her time away with Grey? Her becoming pregnant, her decision to go to the country, Bess with her, bearing the daughter? The formal handing over of the daughter to the Grey family?
16.The duke, his harshness towards Georgiana, insisting that she break with Grey, threatening her with the loss of her children? The later formal meetings, her asking Grey about her daughter? His referring to her as his niece?
17.Georgiana’s later life, the threesome in the marriage, the children, her place in society, politics, fashion?
18.The film’s comment on society, formality, expectations, marriage, morals?
