The Duchess (The Duchess (DVD))

Member Name: tinkerbelle90

Product:	The Duchess (DVD)
Date:	10/08/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really good story and settings

Disadvantages: Makes you cry

Georgiana (Keira Knightly) marries the Duke (Ralph Fiennes), a man of power and influence, a man any woman would be happy to marry. However the Duke is distant with her and only desires that she bear him a male heir. After the birth of three daughters and still no son, Georgiana must bear the pain of having her only friend become the Duke's mistress. The film goes on to explore further trials of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage.

Keira Knightly has her work cut out in this role, she has more to do than just look angry and sexy. Georgiana is a tortured soul, something which Knightly can't always pull off, sometimes she looks more lost than hurt.

Fiennes is brilliant as a man who is meant to be worldly but really appears to have no true concern for any but his dogs. He manages to mix awkwardness and brutality so well that through most of the movie the audience may be on the fence, until he proves his brutality physically.

This is a historical drama and so a lot of effort has been put into creating elegant settings and brilliantly detailed costumes. Each scene has a hundred glittery things to observe, and the ballroom scenes overwhelm us with the grandeur of that time.

This is a sad movie based on a true story, and I wouldn't advise watching it at a particularly depressing moment in life. Watch this if you want to see something moving and realistic that deals with helplessness of women, an issue that still sometimes echoes in our decade.

Summary: A mioving film about a woman trapped by her husband and society