I get it, really I do: aristocratic women were considered to be nothing more than baby making machines, whose sole purpose was to produce an heir to her husband's regal title. With her feelings being completely ignored, she turns to parties, gambling, fashion and passionate affairs with men younger and handsomer than her husband, but too dirt poor to run away with. If you've seen one film supposedly based on one of these women, you've seen them all. And The Duchess is no exception.I'm sure the filmmaker's initial intent was to show us Georgiana's sad tale and take us on a truly emotional journey throughout her short life. It didn't work out. Letting the big sets, big costumes and even bigger hair take center stage, the story and acting really get pushed to the backburner in order to get some technical awards praise (which it did for costuming and art direction).
As lovely as the movie is too look at, the characters suffer from a lack of real personality and depth. If Georgiana is suppose to have a passionate, but forbidden, love affair shouldn't it show some actual passion? Shorting the actors on real character development keeps any sort of chemistry between the characters at bay. So Charles and Georgiana's tryst ends up a dull fling.
The Duchess isn't a bad movie, it just stretches itself in too many directions, trying desperately to nail down the time period it portrays instead of the real life person on which its based. And it all just felt too familiar.
Rating:
2 pieces of fan mail:
This movie didn't really do anything for me either. It seemed to be more style than substance. I found some of the historical aspects interesting, but overall I cannot recommend the film.
Yeah, it's pretty sad when a film with Ralph Fiennes is boring, but I guess that's just how it goes.
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