The Duchess

2008
PG-13
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

88K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:47

Costume Drama Period Drama Biography Drama History Romance Thriller

A chronicle of the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was revered for her extravagant political and personal life.A chronicle of the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was revered for her extravagant political and personal life.A chronicle of the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was revered for her extravagant political and personal life.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

88K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,453

2,862

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 8 wins & 21 nominations total

Videos3

The Duchess: Costumes (Exclusive)

Photos191

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Storyline

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Trivia
The current Duchess of Devonshire invited Keira Knightley to her stately home to inspect artefacts that belonged to the real Georgiana. One of these was her debt book. Georgiana was a gambling addict in real life and racked up considerable debts. Knightley was keen to have this aspect of her character worked into the film but it proved to be a nut that the writers and production team failed to crack.

Goofs
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire was born in 1757. Charles Grey was seven years younger, born in 1764. According to the subtitle, the scene depicting a wager among the young ladies over a footrace between Charles Grey and other young men was held in 1774. Georgiana was correctly seventeen at the time, but Charles Grey was ten. He would have been a boy, not the young man about to attend Cambridge portrayed in the film.

Quotes
Duke of Devonshire: This will be the mistake of your life.
Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: No, I made that many years ago. I trust you can see yourself out.

Alternate versions
Paramount Vantage preferred a PG-13 version for the United States and in order to get that rating some cuts and alternate shots were used.

Connections
Featured in The Orange British Academy Film Awards (2009)

Soundtracks
Allemande from French Suite V in G Major
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach

User reviews180

Review

Featured review

7/10

Visually stunning, if lacking in the story

I saw this film for the first time this weekend, and overall I liked it a lot. The story is a little uneventful, with some parts feeling as though they were skimmed over(the political life) or only briefly explored, and the pacing can be pedestrian. That said, it is a visual feast really, as the costumes, sets, scenery, cinematography, interiors and even the carriages are spectacular, while the music gives a lovely touch to the proceedings too. The script is well written and gripping, and the direction is fairly good. Kiera Knightley is great as Georgina, really quite dignified, while Ralph Fiennes is perfect as her philandering husband. To conclude, a visually beautiful film. 7/10 Bethany Cox