The Duchess (2008)

A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.

Director:

Saul Dibb

Writers:

Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay), Anders Thomas Jensen (screenplay)

Stars:

Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper

Won 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 21 nominations.

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 A. Dean	...	Devonshire House Servant (as Calvin Dean)
Hannah Stokely	...	Devonshire House Maid

Storyline

Georgiana Spencer became Duchess of Devonshire on her marriage to the Duke in 1774, at the height of the Georgian period, a period of fashion, decadence, and political change. Spirited and adored by the public at large she quickly found her marriage to be a disappointment, defined by her duty to produce a male heir and the Duke's philandering and callous indifference to her. She befriends Lady Bess but finds she is once again betrayed by her husband who wields his power with the three eventually living uncomfortably together. Against this background, and with the pressures of an unfaithful husband, strict social pressures and constant public scrutiny, Georgiana falls passionately in love with Charles Grey, a rising young Whig politician. However, despite his ongoing liaison with Lady Bess, the Duke refuses to allow her to continue the affair and threatens to take her children from her.

---

Plot Keywords:

marriage | duchess | heir | infidelity | adultery | 

---

Taglines:

The scandal that shocked a nation. The courage that defined a woman.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK Italy France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

La duquesa

Filming Locations:

Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£13,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,402,200 (United Kingdom), 7 September 2008, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$190,426, 21 September 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$13,823,741, 7 December 2008

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,306,325, 20 September 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Vantage, Pathé, BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paramount Vantage bought the film for $7 million (US dollars) before production even began.

---

Goofs

During the scene where Georgiana introduces her daughters to Bess a couple walking a black and white dog walk past. They are then seen further along the river before disappearing from the shot. They then pass in front of the camera again at the end of the scene.

---

Quotes

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: [speaking about Charles Grey] We love each other.
Duke of Devonshire: I do not doubt it; he is a dreamer like yourself. You both dream of another world that does not exist, and never will.

---

Connections

Referenced in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009)

---

Soundtracks

Country Dance from Water Music Suite in G Major
Written by George Frideric Handel
Master courtesy of Universal Publishing Production Music

User Reviews

ignore the critics, the duchess is spellbinding

After reading copious amounts of mediocre reviews for "The duchess", I wasn't expecting much from this film. However, from the first scene I was utterly absorbed.

The film isn't "just another period drama", it is an absolutely beautiful and heart-rendering tale of the tribulations faced by Georgian woman. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who although is the key character in the film (as you can probably infer from the title), represents the situation of all woman belonging to a patriarchal society, not just the aristocracy.

Keira knightly is exemplary in this role. Her facial expression tells more than a script ever could. I enjoyed her performance in "atonement" but this was in a whole new league. Ralph Fiennes was also excellent. My best advice is to ignore the critics and come to your own conclusion. My only negative criticism was the rapidity with which Georgiana bonded so intimately with Bess. However, I don't know enough about the social context of the time to really make a judgement.

All in all, a deeply moving tale that shouldn't be neglected.