Impromptu outing
Yesterday, Sandra and I did something we very rarely do. We went on an impromptu trip to a not so local shopping center (Mall). Sandra spotted a really good special on a DS game she's wanted for a while and after doing the sums about petrol costs to get to the store Vs buying it online and paying postage, we decided we'd go get it and also do a couple of other things whilst down there. I wanted to see The Duchess and also needed to visit an ATM to activate my new debit card, so having filled our "At least three reasons" criteria, we set off.
Sandra got her game, and we had lunch and then I went to see the movie while Sandra went back to the car which was parked in a shady spot, to read/study/play DS games. (no prizes for guessing which she actually did).
The Duchess:
The Blurb:
A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who reviled for her extravagant political and personal lives. She is a vibrant beauty and celebrity of her time. But she is trapped in an unhappy triangle with her husband and his live-in mistress. She falls passionately in love with an ambitious young politician, and the affair causes a bitter conflict with her husband and threatens to erupt into a scandal.
From IMDB
The Cast:
Keira Knightley (Georgiana) was only mediocre in this. She just doesn't seem to be able to get her head around the part, or something. She tried to play it all bold and courageous but her performance felt forced and rather one dimensional.
Ralph Fiennes The Duke of Devonshire (Georgiana's husband) Brilliant as he always is. He plays the bad guy very well, and managed to play it with a sympathetic touch that made me try hard not to hate him. He tends to bring this subtext to the villains he plays and I always enjoy it. It keeps it a bit believable, and makes you remember that there is good and bad in all of us, and we're all quite capable of being utter twats when something is important to us.
Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer, Georgiana's mother) Loved her in this. She played the scheming mama with aplomb. She is a lovely actress and fits these period pieces to a T.
Dominic Cooper (Charles Grey) One word. gorgeous! I must admit, I didn't notice how well he played the part because I was too occupied in checking him out. He certainly carried the fashion of the day well. *grin*
Hayley Atwell (Bess Foster, the other woman) This was a complex part to play, and she put in a good performance. Playing the other woman who first cuckold's the duke by showing Georgiana how good sex can be, and then cuckolds the Duchess by becoming the duke's mistress. She walked a tough line in this role and walked it very well.
Good perfomances were also given by Simon McBurney (Charles Fox) and Aidan McArdle (Richard Brinsley Sheridan). These were the men who inspired G's interest in politics and encouraged her support of the Whigs. Consummate politicians who reflect the current political trend in some places of using a 'popular' woman to boost interest in their political party.
The Story:
I enjoyed the story, and it kept me engaged, the classic historical menage a troi with the wife helpless to do anything about her husband's blatant affair (he had the woman move in and live under the same roof!), having to put up and shut up because he refused to send his mistress away. When the shoe was on the other foot, and G decided that if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for her as well, the Duke forced her to give her lover up and not see him anymore. Early in the story, the Duke brings a little girl to their home and informs G that the child will be staying with them. It transpires that this child is his illegitimate daughter who's mother has died and he's decided to take her in.
Whilst at first resenting the child, G later comes to love her and raises her as her own, alongside her legitimate daughters and a son born later, after the Duke has brought his mistress and the three sons (it is implied) that he fathered by her, to live at the house. When G later falls pregnant with a daughter, Eliza, to Charles Gray, she is forced to hand the child over to Gray's family after it is born, again highlighting how it was one rule for men, and another for their wives who were little more than chattels. Bess redeems herself in this situation by insisting that she will go with Georgiana to the country and stay with her until after the child is born, much to the Duke's displeasure. However, since Bess is not his wife, there is nothing he can do to compell her to stay with him. Mistresses, it seems, had more power than wives.
Georgiana and Bess return to London after giving Eliza over to Gray's family. Georgiana sees Gray at a party given in honor of her return and he tells her he is to marry. He also says that he has a 'niece' named Eliza who is much loved, and that G must come and see her some time.
The story ends on this status quo. Duchess, Duke and Mistress continued to live together until Georgiana's death after which, with G's blessing, The Duke married Bess. Georgiana visited Eliza many times in secret. Eliza named her daughter Georgiana.
It's a sad story, quite tragic in the depiction of the treatment of women in those times.
GLBT Interest:
One small, understated lesbian sex scene, which is not truly lesbian, given the fact that Bess encourages G to fantasize about Grey while she does the deed.
One cameo appearance by a "Macaroni" character. Very short and not highlighted, but the actor, Justin Edwards, is listed as The Macaroni in the credits.
My rating:
If I had not had a prepaid ticket for this, I would have possibly been annoyed at spending the money for something that might be best rented for a couple of bucks when it comes out on DVD.
Score:
*** / *****
Saving Points:
There was an elderly couple sitting next to me in the cinema who had some delightfully amusing commentary going on between them. I would normally be annoyed by such things, but they actually added to the experience.
Sandra got her game, and we had lunch and then I went to see the movie while Sandra went back to the car which was parked in a shady spot, to read/study/play DS games. (no prizes for guessing which she actually did).
The Duchess:
The Blurb:
A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who reviled for her extravagant political and personal lives. She is a vibrant beauty and celebrity of her time. But she is trapped in an unhappy triangle with her husband and his live-in mistress. She falls passionately in love with an ambitious young politician, and the affair causes a bitter conflict with her husband and threatens to erupt into a scandal.
From IMDB
The Cast:
Keira Knightley (Georgiana) was only mediocre in this. She just doesn't seem to be able to get her head around the part, or something. She tried to play it all bold and courageous but her performance felt forced and rather one dimensional.
Ralph Fiennes The Duke of Devonshire (Georgiana's husband) Brilliant as he always is. He plays the bad guy very well, and managed to play it with a sympathetic touch that made me try hard not to hate him. He tends to bring this subtext to the villains he plays and I always enjoy it. It keeps it a bit believable, and makes you remember that there is good and bad in all of us, and we're all quite capable of being utter twats when something is important to us.
Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer, Georgiana's mother) Loved her in this. She played the scheming mama with aplomb. She is a lovely actress and fits these period pieces to a T.
Dominic Cooper (Charles Grey) One word. gorgeous! I must admit, I didn't notice how well he played the part because I was too occupied in checking him out. He certainly carried the fashion of the day well. *grin*
Hayley Atwell (Bess Foster, the other woman) This was a complex part to play, and she put in a good performance. Playing the other woman who first cuckold's the duke by showing Georgiana how good sex can be, and then cuckolds the Duchess by becoming the duke's mistress. She walked a tough line in this role and walked it very well.
Good perfomances were also given by Simon McBurney (Charles Fox) and Aidan McArdle (Richard Brinsley Sheridan). These were the men who inspired G's interest in politics and encouraged her support of the Whigs. Consummate politicians who reflect the current political trend in some places of using a 'popular' woman to boost interest in their political party.
The Story:
I enjoyed the story, and it kept me engaged, the classic historical menage a troi with the wife helpless to do anything about her husband's blatant affair (he had the woman move in and live under the same roof!), having to put up and shut up because he refused to send his mistress away. When the shoe was on the other foot, and G decided that if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for her as well, the Duke forced her to give her lover up and not see him anymore. Early in the story, the Duke brings a little girl to their home and informs G that the child will be staying with them. It transpires that this child is his illegitimate daughter who's mother has died and he's decided to take her in.
Whilst at first resenting the child, G later comes to love her and raises her as her own, alongside her legitimate daughters and a son born later, after the Duke has brought his mistress and the three sons (it is implied) that he fathered by her, to live at the house. When G later falls pregnant with a daughter, Eliza, to Charles Gray, she is forced to hand the child over to Gray's family after it is born, again highlighting how it was one rule for men, and another for their wives who were little more than chattels. Bess redeems herself in this situation by insisting that she will go with Georgiana to the country and stay with her until after the child is born, much to the Duke's displeasure. However, since Bess is not his wife, there is nothing he can do to compell her to stay with him. Mistresses, it seems, had more power than wives.
Georgiana and Bess return to London after giving Eliza over to Gray's family. Georgiana sees Gray at a party given in honor of her return and he tells her he is to marry. He also says that he has a 'niece' named Eliza who is much loved, and that G must come and see her some time.
The story ends on this status quo. Duchess, Duke and Mistress continued to live together until Georgiana's death after which, with G's blessing, The Duke married Bess. Georgiana visited Eliza many times in secret. Eliza named her daughter Georgiana.
It's a sad story, quite tragic in the depiction of the treatment of women in those times.
GLBT Interest:
One small, understated lesbian sex scene, which is not truly lesbian, given the fact that Bess encourages G to fantasize about Grey while she does the deed.
One cameo appearance by a "Macaroni" character. Very short and not highlighted, but the actor, Justin Edwards, is listed as The Macaroni in the credits.
My rating:
If I had not had a prepaid ticket for this, I would have possibly been annoyed at spending the money for something that might be best rented for a couple of bucks when it comes out on DVD.
Score:
*** / *****
Saving Points:
There was an elderly couple sitting next to me in the cinema who had some delightfully amusing commentary going on between them. I would normally be annoyed by such things, but they actually added to the experience.