One thing I really don't get is how Keira Knightley has established herself as so eminently suitable for period films set in the 18th century. The Pirates movies (don't think anyone's really sure exactly when those are set, but still >:-), Pride & Prejudice, and now this ... and other periods too, both earlier (King Arthur) and later (Doctor Zhivago). It's a symptom of Hollywood's deep-seated inability to see anything but our own time and its standards as truly valid. Keira Knightley looks like she has TB ... and sure, in our time, that's considered beautiful. But in pretty much every other time period she would just have looked like she had TB. So, say, Elizabeth Bennet being a celebrated beauty is impossible to believe when she is played by Knightley. I don't get it. And the main problem with The Duchess is exactly the same. She is a good actress, as far as that goes, but she looks so wrong for this part. (IMO, her talent curve peaked with Bend It Like Beckham. Kind of sad actually.) Hayley Atwell, who plays the title character's main rival, is by 18th-century standards clearly by far the most beautiful. Yet we're supposed to buy Knightley as being considered her superior. Be prepared to work at that a bit. ;-)
But apart from that this is a really good movie for its genre. Some great performances, I'd say by Ralph Fiennes especially as the title character's husband, William Cavendish, the fifth Duke of Devonshire. He is quite an obnoxious character, I loved the way Fiennes played him. The movie relates the life of Cavendish's wife Lady Georgiana Spencer from shortly before her marriage and for a decade or so afterwards. She was a celebrated aristocrat and set the tone in society in many ways; she was a fashion queen and she was also quite active politically. She was also the target of a lot of criticism, but the movie doesn't touch much on that. It's a straightforward retelling, not a lot of frills ... just this woman's apparently quite eventful and quite sad life. The story made both Findabair and me rather happy that society has moved forward a bit since the Duchess lived. There's a bit of insight into the political scene of the time, but mostly it's about her private life ... her failure to produce the son her husband requires of her, her sadness at his infidelities and her inappropriate romance with the up-and-coming Whig star Charles Fox. Which of course ends badly, but what do you expect.
This movie is based on a book by Amanda Foreman, a historical biography that became a bestseller. Which in itself makes it interesting ... and after seeing the movie, I definitely want to read the book. And/or others about Duchess Georgiana; the movie quite piqued my interest. Seeing it really made me want to know more about this historical person ... and that means, I'd say, that the movie definitely accomplished something. :-)
If you like period movies and historical biopics, then I definitely recommend this movie. (Otherwise not, no.) The costumes are fantastic, the makeup, the hair ... all the details like that. Absolutely fantastic. The period has been recreated beautifully; the interiors are especially wonderful. There aren't that many exterior scenes, actually. But it's all very beautiful. The story is ... gripping on the surface, perhaps not something you'll remember for very long, but rather moving then & there. A good movie although not a great one. Costume freaks should definitely see it (yes, Anéa, I'm looking at you ;-). Certainly, at the price we paid, it was unmissable. ;-)
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12 comments:
Unusual that Ralph Feinnes would play that type of Character!
One the unfortunate thing about British/American papers and celeb whorship is the good actress's get ignored for the ones that make the front pages.
Fiennes used to play the hero type a lot, but after the Harry Potter movies maybe he's developed a taste for villainy too. ;-)
Yes, one reason why Knightley keeps getting parts like this is probably that she's such a big box office draw. People want to see her in stuff like this, I guess. Doesn't make much sense to me though ... o_O
I was going to say I want to see her in nothing, but it might be taken the wrong way. she's not a great actress
LOL!!
I think she's a pretty good actress actually, not a great one, and her face is kind of annoying (too expressive if you know what I mean ... ?), but she's good in the right parts. The problem is she keeps getting cast in parts that I think she is very unsuitable for, eg Lizzie Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (awful movie IMO).
Maybe its a bloke thing but hated the book, I had to read it in secondary school 13-18yrs. also was supposed to read Sense and Sensibility for final exams, but took the option to read 10 modern novels to avoid it, which luckily contained Lord of the Flies, Animal Farm and Tarry Flynn which was more intersting
Yeah, it's a guy thing. ;-)
It could also be an age thing, that maybe you were too young to appreciate it. I know I read things at that age, at school and elsewhere, which gave me nothing then but which I later appreciated tremendously. Not at all that you should necessarily try P&P again, though. ;-)
no I found it recently and still find it boring beyond belief.
Tho' it meant I had to change teachers, he was an alcoholic poet, but brilliant and his mehods were unorthodox, sort of a 'O captain my captain' sort of thing, this is when I started to read!
Yeah, it's definitely a guy/girl thing, that book. Boring?? It's not boring, it's fascinating, wonderful, fantastic! Next you're going to say that you don't think Colin Firth is drop dead gorgeous ... ?? o_O
Findabair, support me on this ... !!
So this guy made you start reading?? Good for him. And for you. I still can't understand why you ever stopped though ... !!?
I used to work crazy hours, as in I have often done a 90+ hour week in 5 days. I often worked 24+hr days just to get deadlines. So I find it hard to unwind, only learning now.
As for Colin he always plays the Mr Bingley type character, the nice one the safe one, he seems to have the same effec on women here too!
So somewhere in that cynical heart there is a romantic!
'Mr Bingley' ... ??!? GASP!! You take that back right now!! >:-(
I'll have you know that Colin Firth played Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, and Mr Darcy certainly is not 'safe' or 'nice' or whatever else you may take it into your crazy head to call him next. Sniff!
OK, good excuse about working a million hours a week.
Sorry, bowing head in shame.
Oh swoon Mr Darcy, sorry for upsetting your daydreamsder
Yes, shame on you, indeed!! (what's the emoticon for sticking one's nose in the air??)
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