Protocol, gossip, and societal rules—three things that can make or break a woman.  The Lady Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire knew all the rules and how to play them.  What happens when you are the most loved person in a country yet your husband does not? Scandals ensue! 

"When she appeared, every eye was on her; when absent, she was the subject of universal conversation." –French Diplomat Louis Duten on the Duchess of Devonshire 

The Duchess chronicles the real life of one of the world’s actual first celebrities.  That’s not to say that royalty and military leaders did not have their earned status, but Georgiana Cavendish did not have anything except fashion, a marriage title, and a charismatic ability to capture attention.   This movie was inspired by the biography Georgiana:  Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman that won the 1999 Whitbread Award for Best Biography and brought to light one of history’s most fabulous women.  Many might not know this but Georgiana is the late Princess Diana Spencer’s fourth Great Aunt who lived during Europe’s most intriguing time, The Enlightenment.  Just before the American and French Revolutions it was also a time called The Reign of Mad George (III) in England.  Almost from the beginning of this movie you will see how women were treated as Second Class citizens and expected to act accordingly.  In one scene the old adage of “The Rule Of Thumb” is evident when Georgiana’s newest confidant reveals marks left by her now deserted husband.  This movie has many shocking scenes of infidelity, emotional abandonment, and isolationism that live up to the hype that was originally given to and then sadly taken away from Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.  The score is theatrical without ever feeling overbearing and did not use cheesy 80’s pop songs.   

There are many aspects of this movie that can be appreciated and praised, three of which are history, fashion, and set design.  Costume Designer Michael O’Connor deserves the highest awards for this epic film for not only designing (from portraits) well over 30 gowns for Georgiana (Keira Knightley) but creating a wardrobe from paintings of Thomas Gainsborough.  

There are three distinct periods that Michael focused on in Georgiana’s life, her youth and early marriage, the celebrity icon, and then finally her struggles later in life with social scandals.  One unique fashion aspect is how Georgiana’s gowns were light and whimsical but countered against her friend (and later her husband’s live-in mistress), The Lady Elizabeth/Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell) who dressed in dark and robust colors and fabrics that only proved she was the trollop she was.  Georgiana explains early on to her emotionally unavailable husband, The Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) that a man can express his feelings freely and without abandon but a woman has to rely on gowns, hats, and gloves to express hers.  Some of the wigs are so intricate and awe-inspiring that watching more than once is almost a requirement.    

Finally, above all else is how Set Designer Michael Carlin was able to take us to and recreate some of the most incredible places by modifying existing similar locations of that time period. Through historical decorating he was able to bring us to the humble homes of the wealthy in 1770.  What is sad is that the famous Devonshire House of London, of which you will gasp when Georgiana initially arrives, no longer exists.  It would be difficult to stage a production during a time prior to the use of electricity, and using candle light as the main source of light is difficult.  Accidents will happen.  “Would somebody please put out The Lady’s hair.”