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The Duchess
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The Duchess (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 59 | slideshow) Videos (see all 6)
The Duchess (2008) -- The Duchess - Theatrical Trailer
The Duchess (2008) -- Clip: The Whig Rally
The Duchess (2008) -- Kiera Knightley has starred in some of the biggest blockbuster period pieces in recent memory. She talks with Harry Smith about her new role as "The Duchess."
The Duchess (2008) -- UK
The Duchess (2008) -- A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who reviled for her extravagant political and personal lives.

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   11,510 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Saul Dibb
Writers (WGA):
Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay) and
Anders Thomas Jensen (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Duchess on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 September 2008 (USA) more
Tagline:
There were three people in her marriage more
Plot:
A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(214 articles)
Director Dibb Not Doing The Spider Dance
 (From WENN. 2 July 2009, 9:21 AM, PDT)

Another Period Piece Heads To Australia
 (From Cinema Blend. 1 July 2009, 9:54 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
More fun in corsets more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Keira Knightley ... Georgiana

Ralph Fiennes ... The Duke

Charlotte Rampling ... Lady Spencer
Dominic Cooper ... Charles Grey
Hayley Atwell ... Bess Foster

Simon McBurney ... Charles Fox

Aidan McArdle ... Richard Sheridan
John Shrapnel ... General Grey

Alistair Petrie ... Heaton
Patrick Godfrey ... Dr. Neville
Michael Medwin ... Speechmaker
Justin Edwards ... Macaroni
Richard McCabe ... Sir James Hare
Calvin Dean ... Devonshire House Servant
Hannah Stokely ... Devonshire House Maid
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
La duchessa (Italy)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material.
Runtime:
110 min
Country:
UK | Italy | France
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS
Certification:
USA:PG-13 (certificate #44471) | UK:12A | Ireland:15A | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIA | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Sweden:7 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | New Zealand:M | Brazil:14 | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | Czech Republic:U | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Germany:12 (f)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the background of the location used for Georgiana and Charles Grey's first kiss is the building used in Pride & Prejudice (2005) (also starring Keira Knightley) for Mr. Darcy's first proposal. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Mr. Grey and the Duchess meet by the lake (where they give their first kiss), the Duchess' hairdo is complimented with a rose above her right ear, which, according to the camera angle, is covered/not covered by her hood. more
Quotes:
Charles Fox: Today we have won the vote. Tomorrow we define the future. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009) (TV) more

FAQ

What did "the Duchess" do to warrant having a movie made about her?
Where is Devonshire?
How many children did the Duchess have and by whom?
more
23 out of 38 people found the following comment useful:-
More fun in corsets, 8 October 2008
7/10
Author: David Clare (david.clare@ntlworld.com) from Ipswich, England

The latest slice of period drama to grace our screens is this biopic on Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who during the 1770s was patroness of the Whig party and prisoner of a marriage which made her, among other things, suffer the indignity of having her husband's mistress living under the same roof. These heritage dramas are an industry all by themselves; the armies of prop hirers, wig and costume makers, researchers, production designers, location scouts and (mostly) British actors who go to make them must find themselves in almost permanent employ. The BBC does them, the Americans have a go at them, and the public can't seem to get enough of them. The Duchess is a superior example of the genre, though nowhere in the league of Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, and combines the spectacle of Keira Knightley looking glamorous in a range of frocks and wigs, while at the same time honing her acting talents (no more those rictus grins), with the guilty pleasure of following the uncomfortable parallels between the fortunes and indiscretions of the ancestress of Lady Diana Spencer with those of the Princess of Wales herself. Lowering over the whole proceedings is the truly superb presence of Ralph Fiennes's Duke of Devonshire, Fiennes an actor who can convey polite discomfiture or threatening ire with slightest twitch of the mouth. In his hands the Duke becomes far less a melodramatic villain than a product of his time, and you almost feel sorry for him. Go and see The Duchess; only those who have had children will balk at the liberties taken with childbirth and breastfeeding. But not even that will spoil the fun.

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Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Could they not have cast a handsome Charles Grey? ashyevs
Did Eliza Know Who Her Parents Were? retro_junkie23
depressing flick!!!! samanthaseaotter
Not So Defiant (spoilers) LaBoulet
Anyone else find this scene sensual? sweetcloud1989
Did anyone else cry? *spoilers* elixiress
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