Movie Review: Perfectly cast 'Duchess' begs for Oscar nominations

Merchant Ivory Productions created the sub-genre of "Anglo-centric" art films that have bewitched, beguiled and bewildered audiences since the 1970s.

The "bewildered" reference is aimed at the male moviegoers who have suffered through the epitome of what is now known as the chick flick.

As for me, I always enjoy a movie with plot, character development, love and tragedy. Merchant-Ivory films such as "A Room With a View," "Howard's End" and "The Remains of the Day" are paramount in the field.

"The Duchess" is the best Merchant-Ivory-style film of late, even if that team had no hand in the production. The influences are unmistakable - and with a great story, impeccable dramatic structure and a perfect cast - it's one of the year's best films.

I knew nothing of the story of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, but was still engaged in the story. Upon doing research, I've found that Georgiana was the great-great-great-great aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales. This connection with Lady Di is surely a selling point for the film, and the similarities, in hindsight, are obvious. Georgiana was young, vivacious, set the pace for fashion of the day and had a marriage that was based more on protocol than romance. But both women had much romance in their lives.

As the film opens, we see 16-year-old Georgiana frolicking with her girlfriends. Looking on are her mother (played by Charlotte Rampling) and the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes). The Duke is looking for a bride to bear him a son. Georgiana's mum - being of the class considered "proper" in 18th century England - is more than happy to arrange the marriage of her daughter to the Duke, who is much older and seems quite cold.

After they marry, his coldness becomes more apparent. He is kinder to his dogs than he is to his lovely bride.

Fiennes brings much complexity to the role of the Duke. He does things that are despicable but in nearly every scene, Fiennes makes the character so perfectly clear that we understand "this is the way it was."

Georgiana (Keira Knightley) does her best in the cold marriage but is only able to bear daughters, not a son. She also takes in a daughter - sired by the Duke in one of his many dalliances - and raises the child as her own.

Rescue seems to come in the person of Lady Elizabeth Foster (Hayley Atwell), a woman who becomes Georgiana's closest of friends and confidant. There is a scene that hints of an affair between the two, but in reality, it is an act of friendship and lesson in love.

That scene is what makes the ensuing events so devastating. When the Duke takes a liking to Elizabeth and she responds, Georgiana's life is shattered. Knightley's performance is stunning, and the viewer cannot help but feel her betrayal and pain.

Georgiana has a paramour of her own. She's resisted the temptation, but after things have gone so far, she seeks the comfort of a young politician, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). Grey later became Prime Minister and as an "Earl" has a famous tea named after him.

While the Duke has no problem with his own affairs, he cannot have his wife known to be dallying with another man, especially a common politician.

The final act of "The Duchess" deals with the complex relationship among the Duke, Georgiana, Elizabeth, Grey and a bevy of children.

For those who enjoy a period-piece love story, "The Duchess" will prove to be a favorite film of 2008.

The Oscar nominations will surely be numerous as well.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield freelance writer and musician. He can be reached at info@wunderlesound.com.[[In-content Ad]]