The Duchess

Given the plot, cast and Oscar buzz, fans of Jane Austen adaptations and BBC corset dramas will be expected to flock to this ‘based on a true story’ account of 18th- century aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish (nee Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire.

This movie does have some elements that should interest a wider audience as well. It turns out Georgiana is an ancestor of Princess Diana. The parallels between the two are both obvious and intriguing.

Georgiana was a vibrant beauty and celebrity of her time. At 17 she married the older, distant Duke of Devonshire. Like Princess Di she became a fashion icon, a doting mother, a shrewd political operator and darling of the common people. While the film depicts the Duchess’ extravagant tastes and appetite for gambling, we also get several brief glimpses of her interest in social campaigning, particularly the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage.

But the focus is more costume design than ideas. The viewer’s desire for romantic excess is indulged as we watch sumptuous silk gowns flowing through the gilded interiors of England’s baroque drawing rooms.

The fact that The Duchess overflows with both material and human eye candy, heightens my suspicion that this film is no more than a cleverly crafted version of Mills and Boon emotional porn designed to appeal to many women.

The plot is about as subtle as a midday TV soap. The Duchess focuses on the tensions caused by the unhappy love triangle Georgiana (played to typical pouting perfection by Keira Knightley) is trapped in with her husband the Duke (Ralph Fiennes) and his live-in mistress (Hayley Atwell). Like many movies in this genre, the plot is relatively slow-moving to leave space for characterisation.

Live-in mistress Bess Foster enters the scene after Duchess Georgiana fails to give the Duke the firstborn son that he believes is his entitlement. Tragically, Bess is Georgiana’s best friend and it is at her invitation that Bess first comes to live in the Duke’s home. The Duke wastes no time in consummating the infidelity.

Georgiana is doubly heartbroken at her husband’s betrayal, losing both her husband and best friend. However, the opportunity soon arises for Georgiana to reconnect with her former love interest and future British Prime Minister, Charles Grey. Georgiana passionately pursues love with the ambitious young politician.

Not surprisingly, the affair causes a bitter conflict with her husband. Hypocrisy reaches great heights when the Duke accuses Georgiana of infidelity, given he is still living with his mistress.

The makers of The Duchess have set up the situation so the audience is led to sympathise with Georgiana. So, as the film progresses, Georgiana is shown to finally succeed in living life to the fullest when she cheats on the Duke with Grey. Things seem ‘most right’ when Georgiana is in Grey’s arms (or bed).

I don’t want to patronise fans of period drama or be dismissive of the genuine concerns of this film. Even though I see The Duchess as a sophisticated soapy dressed up in pompous wigs, fancy dresses, ye olde speech and quaint social practices, it is certainly true that the pain of a loveless marriage and the struggles of the temptations that result from being betrayed will particularly resonate with modern audiences.

Nevertheless, in essence, the film is no more than an expensive and beautifully shot tract proselytising us with the kind of ‘sexualism’ that saturates our culture.  At its heart is a tempting but dangerous myth that we swallow at our own peril, as well as risking the wellbeing of those we love. It is just not true that we can only be truly fulfilled as a human being when we are being satisfied sexually. 

In The Duchess honesty is equated with being uninhibited sexually. Of course, this really means being true to your own desires first. Any wider responsibilities as a friend, spouse and parent are to be disregarded.

I believe the filmmakers intend to leave the viewer with the sense that had Georgiana lived in another time in history where women were truly liberated (like today) she could have followed her heart and embraced a relationship with Grey. Our emotions are manipulated into seeing Georgiana’s infidelity as justified because of her husband’s prior infidelity.

As Christians, we ought not to swallow this tit-for-tat reasoning. Jesus’ life and teaching makes it clear that his people are to be characterised by faithfulness and forgiveness.

Click here to comment on this article for the next edition of Southern Cross

Latest articles in watching
- The Wager - 2 weeks, 3 days ago
- Packed to the Rafters - 3 weeks, 3 days ago
- Burn After Reading - 1 month ago