The Duchess is a 2008 historical drama film directed by Saul Dibb. He helped write the screenplay with Jeffrey Hatcher and Anders Thomas Jensen. The film is based on the 1998 book Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman. It tells the story of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, an English aristocrat from the late 18th century. She was a distant relative of Diana, Princess of Wales. The quote "There were three people in her marriage," shown on the film's promotional poster, comes from this connection. Georgiana was the older sister of Lady Diana Spencer’s great-great-great-grandfather, George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer.

The film was released in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2008. Critics gave it mostly positive reviews. It won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 81st Academy Awards.

Plot

In 1774, young Georgiana is promised in marriage to William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, with the hope that she will have his son. She becomes disappointed with her husband, especially when Charlotte, a child born outside of marriage to William, moves in with them while Georgiana is pregnant. William expects Georgiana to care for Charlotte and treat her as a daughter.

When Georgiana gives birth to a girl, William is upset. He believes he has met his duty as a husband, but he thinks Georgiana has failed because she did not have a son.

Georgiana becomes an important figure in society. She spends time with Lady Bess Foster in Bath and invites Bess to live with them because Bess has nowhere else to go. William has a secret relationship with Bess, making Georgiana feel betrayed. Bess explains that she wants to be reunited with her three sons, who were taken from her by her husband.

Georgiana begins a secret relationship with Charles Grey, a man she has known since childhood. Charles tells her he has always loved her. William is angry when Georgiana suggests that since he has Bess, she should be allowed to be with Charles. William forces Georgiana into a harmful situation, and a son is born from their relationship. Bess supports Georgiana’s relationship with Charles after the boy is born.

Soon, people in London learn about Georgiana’s secret relationship. William threatens to stop Charles’s career and tells Georgiana she must end the relationship or he will stop her from seeing her children. After first refusing, Georgiana ends her relationship with Grey.

However, Georgiana tells William she is pregnant with Charles’s child. She is sent to the countryside, where she gives birth to a daughter named Eliza Courtney, who is raised by the Grey family as Charles’s niece. Georgiana finds comfort in Bess’s friendship during this time. Georgiana and William eventually reconcile, and they continue living together with Bess.

After the story ends, it is revealed that Georgiana secretly visits her daughter Eliza. Eliza later names her own daughter Georgiana, after her mother. Charles later becomes prime minister under William IV. Before she dies, Georgiana allows William and Bess to marry.

Cast

• Keira Knightley plays Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
• Ralph Fiennes plays William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
• Hayley Atwell plays Lady Elizabeth "Bess" Foster
• Charlotte Rampling plays Georgiana Spencer, Countess Spencer, who is Georgiana's mother
• Dominic Cooper plays Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
• Aidan McArdle plays The Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan
• Simon McBurney plays The Right Honourable Charles James Fox
• Sebastian Applewhite plays Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet
• Calvin Dean plays a servant at Devonshire House
• Emily Jewell plays the nanny
• Richard McCabe plays Sir James Hare
• Bruce Mackinnon plays the role of Sir Peter Teazle in The School for Scandal
• Alistair Petrie plays Heaton
• Georgia King plays the role of Lady Teazle in The School for Scandal
• Camilla Arfwedson plays Lady Charlotte
• Paul Daley plays George Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, also known as "the Duke's brother"

Production

The film The Duchess was made by British Qwerty Films and American Magnolia Mae Films. It received money from BBC Films, French Pathé, and Italian BIM Distribuzione. The movie was filmed at Twickenham Film Studios and on location at Chatsworth, Bath, Holkham Hall, Clandon Park, Kedleston Hall, Somerset House, King's College London, and the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

Regarding lead actress Keira Knightley, director Saul Dibb said The Duchess was "a chance to show a character growing from a young adult, who gets married at 17, into a fully grown adult 10 years later." It also gave Knightley the opportunity to work with Ralph Fiennes, whom she considered one of her most skilled co-stars so far. Dibb said, "When I said, 'We've got Ralph interested in playing the Duke,' we both took a gulp and went, 'F—.' [sic] … But I didn't for one second feel that she wasn't up to the task." Originally, the film was to be directed by Susanne Bier.

Release

Studio executives wanted to use images of Keira Knightley that had been changed using computer technology for promotional materials. These changes were meant to make her breasts look bigger. Knightley did not agree to these changes, and they were not used. Some news reports said that the film's story was similar to the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, and that this was part of a plan to attract more people to the movie. However, Knightley said there was no connection between the film and Diana's life.

The BBFC gave the film a 12A rating because of a scene that suggests marital rape. This scene is shown through the sounds of a character named Georgiana screaming for help, which are heard from outside a bedroom door. The BBFC's PG rating allows scenes that suggest sexual activity if they are not too obvious or happen often. The board decided that the scene in The Duchess was not discreet or implied, so it was not given a PG rating. The film first showed in Leicester Square on September 3, 2008, and was available in the United Kingdom on September 5.

Reception

The film received mostly positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 62%, based on 170 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3 out of 10. The site's summary states: "Although The Duchess covers familiar themes about women's struggles in the past, the costumes are well-designed, and Keira Knightley's acting is strong in this quiet story about a woman's challenges in a historical setting." Metacritic gave the film an average score of 62 out of 100, based on 34 critics, which means "most reviews were generally positive."

Many critics praised the acting by Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Time Out London wrote: "The film benefits greatly from Knightley's calm and thoughtful performance, Fiennes' skillful portrayal of a character who hides his emotions, and Atwell's gentle and persuasive acting." Film Ireland noted, "The movie moves slowly, but the acting is strong. Knightley and Fiennes are well-suited for their roles, especially Fiennes, who delivers a powerful and impressive performance." Cameron Bailey, co-chair of the Toronto International Film Festival, said, "Keira Knightley gives a mature and serious performance in The Duchess of Devonshire, showing she is becoming a talented and skilled actress, not just a pretty face."

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote that the film "looks good" but called it "boring and slow-moving" and gave it a 2 out of 5 stars. However, Paul Hurley gave the film 8 out of 10 and called it "an excellent new film," adding that it "has a good chance of winning awards later this year."

Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, writing, "I enjoyed the film, but I have a strong interest in British culture. Some viewers might find the characters' behavior unusual."