Georgiana (Keira Knightley), the Duchess of Devonshire, is reported to have been a progressive woman during her lifetime. The personal and the political realms of her life took center stage and the world was seemingly aware of her every move and thought on any and all subjects, again both personal and political. She spoke her mind and heart freely and seemingly without fear of any backlash. It could be argued that a woman like Georgiana would be welcome in today’s personal and political battles played out on such a global stage.
Of course, on a more practical level, a film based on the life of such a forward-thinking individual might have been the perfect forum to practice a little more of what she preached and lived. Saul Dibb’s costume drama The Duchess captures the look and feel of the period exquisitely but lacks the daring to provide greater context for Georgiana’s political activism. Get times and tickets here and see the full review here.