There isn’t one concrete piece of
The Duchess that can be faulted; in fact, if one was to
evaluate the picture under the most textbook definition of a
“good film,” then one would have no choice but to consider it a
masterpiece.. After seeing it twice—once in the early stages of
post at a preview screening and once when completed—I can’t stop
raving about certain elements of the production. The Duchess
is, indeed, masterful in many respects.
The two
leads—Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes—are impeccable in their
depictions of a cold duke and vulnerable duchess of Devonshire
in the 18th Century. Knightley deserves Oscar
consideration given how powerful a woman she is able to foster
from a rather emptily-written role. By the end of the picture,
the viewer feels the kind of unity with the protagonist that
distinguishes a great performance. Fiennes is surprisingly
effective in his part, too, which is something of a feat because
of the trickily high degree of dark humor he must manage to
deliver while simultaneously portraying an often evil man.
Two technical
elements also merit noting. The more predictable of the pair is
Michael O. Connor’s costume design, which is even more lavish
and eye-popping than one is accustomed to expecting from this
type of picture. The bigger surprise (and a totally welcome one,
at that) is Masahiro Hirakubo’s precise and transfixing
editing-job. When I saw the final cut of The Duchess, I
was swept away by how gracefully and perfectly the movie moved,
supporting every bit of the actors’ work with elegant pacing and
perfectly cut and constructed scenes.
The
Duchess’ unafraid view of sexuality is rare for a film of
its kind, too. Unlike the muted, earlier-set Other Boleyn
Girl that was released earlier this year, this picture does
not stray from exploring the devilishly erotic side of what is
usually considered a prim culture. The first sex scene between
Knightley and Fiennes is dynamic (although I do remember it
being longer in Dibb’s first cut) and a passionate sequence
shared between Knightley and Hayley Atwell (who plays the Duke’s
extramarital mistress) is scintillating.
And yet the
movie left me feeling peculiarly empty. Despite its broad range
of accomplishments, The Duchess has a tendency to be
monotonous, as if it’s going through manufactured motions. Yes,
it boasts fine theatrical and technical elements, but doesn’t
one expect these from a period-piece with a cast of this
stature? Sure, its protagonist is one of the most sympathetic of
the year—certainly the most sympathetic from this historical
time-period to grace the silver-screen in a long time—but isn’t
said sympathy exploited by a hollow and ordinary plot? And as
much as I find some of the movie’s themes daring, they go
largely unsubstantiated by the narrative whole. The Duchess
may indeed seem a masterpiece on the surface, but it’s actually
far from one considering its lack of an ultimate punch. The film
is brilliant in strides but is also collectively benign.
That last
paragraph isn’t meant to suggest that you not see The Duchess.
For all the reasons I’ve discussed, I’m recommending the
picture. But it can’t help but feel like missed opportunity in
the end given how striking some of its assets are. Shame.
-Danny Baldwin, Bucket Reviews
Review Published on: 9.20.2008
Screened on: 9.19.2008 at Pacific's
The Grove 14 in Los Angeles, CA (final cut); 4.16.2008 at the
ArcLight Sherman Oaks in Sherman Oaks, CA (early cut).
