The Duchess

Rating:

* * *

Verdict:

It's well cast and acted, visually beautiful but ultimately a bland costume drama.

If you've got a thing for 18th century fashion, the feathers, corsets, and elaborate embellishments of this costume drama should have you in raptures.

If, though, you favour dramatic weight over seeing an early favourite clotheshorse in the race for the best outfits Oscar, then you might find

The Duchess

a touch dreary.

Seemingly on a roll after

Atonement

and Dylan Thomas drama

The Edge of Love

, Keira Knightley is well cast as Lady Georgiana Spencer, who marries well to become the Duchess of Devonshire. Knightley's performance is a lesson in restraint and subtlety, highlighting beautifully the social and sexual restraints on women in the 18th century.

Her husband, the Duke of Devonshire, is also perfectly cast with Ralph Fiennes taking on the role. Fiennes' performance is likewise well measured and restrained, with his frustration and boredom at having to abide by duty and social expectations also tangible.

Georgiana is, as the filmmakers have suggested, an 18th century version of Princess Diana. She's charming, fashionable, politically minded and an aristocratic celebrity of her day. The only person it seems Georgiana can't seduce with her charm is her husband, who views his wife purely as a necessity to enable him to complete his major duty in life, to provide a male heir.

The marriage is a miserable one. Georgiana is expected to raise her husband's bastard daughter, her husband seduces her best friend and is determined the people around him live their lives within his rules and the strict conventions of the time, regardless of how hypocritical it makes his behaviour appear. Georgiana, predictably, begins an affair with potentially devastating consequences when she finally finds happiness in the arms of a young ambitious politician.

Rounding off the impressive cast is Charlotte Rampling as Georgiana's mother and

Mamma Mia's

Dominic Cooper as Georgiana's lover, Charles Grey.

Despite the solid performances and stunning location, the repressive effect permeates the overall tone of the film. What is no doubt a scandalous story fails to hit an emotional nerve and falls flat. Nice frocks though.

 Francesca Rudkin

Cast:

Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling

Director:

Saul Dibb

Running Time:

110 mins

Rating:

M (sex scenes)

Screening:

SkyCity, Hoyts, Rialto, Bridgeway  Lido, Matakana