- Film Review
- Reviewed By Stella Papamichael
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3 out of 5
Much has been made of the parallels between the lives of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806), and her descendant Lady Diana, Princess of Wales. Both were young newlyweds when they entered high society, and both were required to please a devoted public and a cheating husband. Thankfully, this historical drama is not a frivolous adaptation of the bestselling biography by Amanda Foreman, and Keira Knightley - as well as having the air of an English rose - displays great dignity in portraying Georgiana's frustration with her lot. Still, it's disappointing that Saul Dibb (who directed Bullet Boy) only skims the surface of the lady's political life. This movie is a study of a conventional romantic heroine and the intrigues that compromised her marriage, rather than an examination of a woman whose radical views encouraged her to actively campaign for the government opposition (and led to an affair with future Prime Minister Charles Grey). Unfortunately, this approach also results in Ralph Fiennes, as her philandering husband, coming across as something of a pantomime villain.
Plot Summary
Historical drama starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. Following a marriage arranged by her mother, 17-year-old Georgiana Spencer looks forward to a privileged existence as the wife of the much older Duke of Devonshire. She soon discovers, however, that her aloof husband is more interested in his dogs and sleeping with the maids than sharing her company, and that her only purpose in life is to provide him with a male heir.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
- Keira Knightley
- Duke of Devonshire
- Ralph Fiennes
- Bess
- Hayley Atwell
- Lady Spencer
- Charlotte Rampling
- Charles Grey
- Dominic Cooper
- Charles James Fox
- Simon McBurney
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan
- Aidan McArdle
Crew
- Director
- Saul Dibb
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