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).