The Duchess depicts the life of Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, The Duchess of Devonshire, who was quite a celebrity during the Regency period in England. She was married to the 5th Duke of Devonshire, the most powerful peer of their time, and, to quote this film 'they say, the Duke of Devonshire must be the only man in England not in love with his wife.' Their marriage was complex and largely unhappy, which led Georgiana to a gambling addiction, but she was also passionate about her children, politics, and fashion, and she was chatelaine of the incredible Chatsworth House, where much of the movie was filmed. Keira Knightley portrayed her in the 2008 film, with Charlotte Rampling as her mother, and Ralph Fiennes as the Duke. The film is a bit dull at times and glosses over aspects of Georgiana's life and marriage, but the costume design (for which Michael O'Connor won both an Oscar and a BAFTA) is stunningly beautiful, as are the leading lady and Chatsworth itself.
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