The Duchess DVD Review

"Duchess, The" reviews

DVD

Duchess, The

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-03-16 10:26:35

Rating

3/5

Provider

DVD Review

There are certain questions that provoke endless debate - do blondes have more fun? What does Cheryl Cole see in Ashley? And can Keira Knightley act? Well if anyone has seen Pirates Of The Caribbean 2 or 3, then the answer to the latter is a firm no. But for those lucky enough to have avoided those bloated maritime beasts, or those who have faith in self-improvement, then perhaps Ms Knightley’s recent ventures will inspire.

After her Oscar nominated performance in Pride And Prejudice, Knightley has followed up with a series of ‘strong’ turns in Atonement and The Edge Of Love. Admittedly they are all period pieces, but each performance shows a strong progression and The Duchess is her latest work.

Knightley plays Georgiana, the daughter of Lady Spencer. A talented and gifted young woman, Georgiana becomes the flavour of society and the parallels between her and Princess Diana, a direct descendant, are truly startling. But she is also a young girl stuck in a marriage with an uncaring and coldhearted individual – The Duke of Devonshire. His sole ambition from the marriage is to produce a male heir, and sadly love doesn’t enter the agenda. Infidelities abound, for the Duke is as horny as a prize-winning rhino, and when he beds her best friend, that really is the last straw.

Knightley is excellent in the central role. An attractive young woman, she certainly manages to carry off the array of dazzling Oscar-winning costumes and wigs so large, a family of gypsies could set up home in them. Her terrible relationship with her husband is pivotal to the film and the casting of the Duke is crucial. Fortunately the cold and reptilian Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast in the role, and, to some degree, he steals the show with a performance so frosty you could stick a carrot on his nose and get the Jackson Five to sing a song about him.

However, the film, as the title suggests, is really about The Duchess and regardless of what people say about women drivers, this really is Knightley’s vehicle. There is also a strong supporting cast in the form of Charlotte Rampling, Hayley Atwell and Dominic Cooper.

Glossy, gorgeous and full of grace, The Duchess will no doubt lord it over its rivals on DVD.

Copyright © 2009.