The Duchess (2008)
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61% of critics liked it
(163 reviews) -
68% of users liked it
(67,520 ratings)
Director Saul Dibb takes the helm for this period drama adapted from Amanda Foreman's best-selling novel Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, documenting the romantic entanglements of Georgiana Cavendish (Keira Knightley), a beautiful and clever woman who becomes a celebrity of British high society… More Director Saul Dibb takes the helm for this period drama adapted from Amanda Foreman's best-selling novel Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, documenting the romantic entanglements of Georgiana Cavendish (Keira Knightley), a beautiful and clever woman who becomes a celebrity of British high society when she marries the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) and becomes consort to one of the most powerful men in England. Beloved for her trend-setting fashion designs as well as her political activism, Georgiana's fire and wit make her a beloved figure everywhere but her own home, where her cold and distant husband's control over her is stifling, soon sending her into the arms of a another man -- an act that soon forces her to learn about the brutal difference in the rights afforded to 18th century men and women. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Saul Dibb
- Written By
- Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen, Saul Dibb
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Sep 5, 2008 Wide
- On DVD
- Jan 27, 2009
- Studio
- Paramount Vantage
Critic Reviews
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Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies
This is a wonderful film.
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Ben Lyons, At the Movies
There's something really special about Kiera Knightly in these period pieces.
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Claudia Puig, USA Today
It chronicles the saga of a vibrant and forward-thinking woman hampered by the constraints of a rigid society.
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Tasha Robinson, Chicago Tribune
It's disturbingly shallow, focused so tightly on one woman's feelings of repression and loneliness that it lacks any perspective on their causes.
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Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
The Duchess is clearly Knightley's movie, ultimately rising or falling on her performance. She's up to the task, capturing both the charm and grace that made Georgiana so captivating.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Keira Knightley
as Georgiana Spencer
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Ralph Fiennes
as Duke of Devonshire
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Charlotte Rampling
as Lady Spencer
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Dominic Cooper
as Earl Grey
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Hayley Atwell
as Lady Bess Foster
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Simon McBurney
as Charles Fox
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Aidan McArdle
as Richard Sheridan
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John Shrapnel
as Gen. Grey
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Alistair Petrie
as Heaton








