REVIEW: The Duchess (15)

Keira Knightley's last 5 films have all been set deep in the past (her last ‘modern day’ movie being 2005’s Domino), with Knightley recently returning to wartime drama with June’s The Edge of Love. Still, it’s a formula that works, as the shed load of awards for Atonement, and mountain of money for the Pirates… trilogy testify, so who are we to judge?

Period piece #6 comes in the form of The Duchess, the tragic tale of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Like her descendant, the late Princess Diana, there were three people in her marriage to the brutish and self-absorbed Duke (Ralph Fiennes), who chooses Georgiana’s only friend to be his mistress. Unlike her, however, standards of the time meant she was expected to be the dutiful wife, and turn a blind eye to what would now be considered a bizarre marital set up. The film charts her trials, including a secret affair with up-and-coming politician Mr. Grey (Dominic Cooper).

A lot about The Duchess is familiar, although not the parts the trailer would have you believe. There is indeed a parallel with Diana (both were loved by the public, both endured love triangles), but this is by no means ‘the Diana story.’ The ‘edgy’ feel to some of the scenes is very similar to Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, and the rather more sordid aspects of the plot echo this year’s The Other Boleyn Girl. That said, this isn’t a copycat period drama. It is a rather brutal study of the importance of class in the 18th Century, and how one’s reputation overrides even one’s basic freedoms as a human being. Our heroine is thrust into a life of glamour and riches, naively believing her marriage is one of love, and not social convenience. It’s that lack of love that truly proves her downfall, as her fragile nature is exploited at every turn by her husband.

As mentioned, it’s perhaps a touch unfair to judge Keira Knightley for making so few modern day movies. Firstly, because her current career path has been so successful, and secondly because she is simply born to play these kind of roles. Her face, frame, and accent all belong in that period, and to that extent she really fills this part well. Those familiar with either Atonement or The Edge of Love won’t be in for too many surprises (aside from the very racy and at times disturbing sex scenes), but she manages to make you empathise with her plight. Ralph Fiennes now has his ‘evil b*****d’ persona down to a very lucrative art form, having scared millions of children as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. Here he’s an unfeeling brute, and the best compliment you can perhaps pay the performance is that by the end of the film you end up really disliking him. Dominic Cooper is spirited as Georgiana’s true love, but struggles during the heavier scenes with Knightley.

Overall, a good costume drama with the guts to go a little bit further than your average BBC production. The familiarity of the setting, coupled with a quite unsatisfying ending make it a little challenging at times, but a great turn out from the cast means this is an entertaining, if not thrilling movie.

Director: Saul Gibb

Starring: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper

Out: 5th September