Co-starring Ralph Fiennes as the Duke of Devonshire the storyline follows the life of Georgiana Spencer throughout her marriage and a chaotic love affair with Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper).
The movie opens on an idyllic scene in the garden at the Spencer’s Estate of Althorp. Georgiana (Knightley) is outdoors with a group of friends including future Prime Minister Charles Grey (Cooper) to whom she’s attracted. She also catches the eye of the Duke of Devonshire (Fiennes) visiting her mother to discuss marriage terms with Georgiana including the promise of a son. They are soon married, and Georgiana is catapulted into a higher class of society where she becomes the most popular woman in 18th century England.
Georgiana births two daughters leaving the duke believing she is unable to bear sons. They visit Bath where he believes the waters will heal what ails her. It is there she meets and befriends Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell) whose husband beats her causing her departure from the marital home. Georgiana invites Bess to live with them in London.
Sometime later Georgiana realizes the Duke has betrayed her friendship with Bess as they fall in love. Feeling betrayed she throws herself into political campaigning for Charles Grey (Cooper) they eventually give into their mutual attraction. When the duke finds out he makes her choose between her children and Grey. She makes her choice, moving back in with the Duke and Bess. She realizes she’s pregnant with Charles Grey’s child and is sent away to give birth. She is forced to give up the child and resume her life with the Duke, where she lives until her death.
Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes’ Performance
Usually with historical dramas, they portray the main character as a hero/heroine no matter what flaws they possessed in reality. Director Saul Gibb bucks the trend choosing to portray Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire with all her flaws.
Keira Knightley plays to this, turning in one of her better performances so far. She uses subtlety while playing Georgiana as a ‘real person’ instead of playing to the ‘it’ girl of the 18th century. She carried the movie showing a maturity that added to the overall atmosphere.
Fiennes’ job was tougher. His ducal character could have been portrayed as the film’s obvious bad guy cruelly mistreating his wife and family. Instead he played the Duke of Devonshire as a man of his time, doing what other noblemen would do. In one part of the movie he remarks to Georgiana: “I love you in the way I understand love.” It makes him seem more misunderstood than willfully cruel. The subtleties he brought to the role complimented Keira Knightley.
The Real Georgiana
Much of the movie is based on historical fact. Georgiana Spencer was a real woman, a celebrity of her time she gambled and drank with near reckless abandon. Chatsworth where she lived was used as a setting for the movie. A testament to her life lies in letters written by her own hand.
The Duchess is now available for sale or rental DVD and Bluray.
