In public, she is smiles and waves, and a fashion plate and topic of conversation the nation over. She was a true celebrity of the time, a lightning rod for gossip, and one who used her popularity to bring attention to the Whig party, showing support for Charles Fox and Charles Grey. She also was not shy about offering her views on politics and her support for the American colonists and the French Revolution. She was certainly ahead of her time in this regard.
The drama is truly built on her inability to bear the Duke a male heir (as if she could really affect this particular outcome). The Duke strikes up an affair with Lady Bess (Hayley Atwell), a woman who was a victim of her own husband who had taken a mistress and cut her off from her children. This does not sit well with Georgiana, who looks to cut a deal so that she can pursue her feelings for Earl Grey (yes, same as the tea). This makes the Duke seriously upset to the point that he rapes her in an effort to obtain a son.
You know, this really is more of the same. So many of these films tell tales of sexual politics, repressive class structures, and women who struggle to live within the confines of said society. I am reminded of the numerous biopics that center on musicians, in particular Ray and Walk the Line. In those cases, like in these true story period pieces, the bigger stories get boiled down to their essence in order fit within a typical movie run time. The problem is that the essence of these stories winds up being terribly similar, and the primary differences end up being the names.
So, this being the case, what makes the films stand out from one another? The first thing has to be the sets and costumes, which are perennial Oscar nomination favorites. Again, they do end up being similar, so it is a case of capturing a high level of authenticity, which is accomplished here. The period has been impeccably captured, everything looks fantastic. On this account, The Duchess is successful.
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