Role: Georgiana
Director: Saul Dibb
Writers: Jeffrey Hatcher and Anders Thomas Jensen
Theatrical Release: September 10, 2008 (US)
DVD Release: December 27, 2008 (US)
Tagline: There were three people in her marriage.
Genre: Biography | Drama | History | Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13
IMDB | Official Site | Photos

Georgiana Spencer became Duchess of Devonshire on her marriage to the Duke in 1774, at the height of the Georgian period, a period of fashion, decadence, and political change. Spirited and adored by the public at large she quickly found her marriage to be a disappointment, defined by her duty to produce a male heir and the Duke’s philandering and callous indifference to her. She befriends Lady Bess but finds she is once again betrayed by her husband who wields his power with the three eventually living uncomfortably together. Against this background, and with the pressures of an unfaithful husband,strict social pressures and constant public scrutiny, Georgiana falls passionately in love with Charles Grey, a rising young Whig politician. However, despite his ongoing liaison with Lady Bess, the Duke refuses to allow her to continue the affair and threatens to take her children from her.

Facts and Trivia
• Susanne Bier wrote an early draft of the script and was originally attached to direct the film.
• Paramount Vantage bought the film for $7 million (US dollars) before production even began.
• Costume designer Michael O’Connor based the blue “Fox uniform” ensemble worn by Keira Knightley in the whig political rally scene on portraits and political cartoons of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, that were made in the late 18th century.
• The Tuscan red zone-front gown worn by Keira Knightley (known as the “Drunken Dress”) had to be made in triplicate due to a stunt scripted for the scene. The costume required 36 meters of silk total for the three gowns, with green and gold lace applied by hand to each one.
• Producer Gabrielle Tana and her partner, Executive Producer Carolyn Marks Blackwood, got the rights to the Book “Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire” back in 1998.
• The film was heavily marketed with links to Princess Diana (who is a direct descendant of Georgiana’s family, The Spencers), using her image in the trailers, and with a tagline (“There were three people in her marriage”) which is a play upon a quote attributed to the late Royal. Keira Knightley came out and denied the film had any links at all, stating that her character was interesting enough without any comparisons.
• In the background of the location used for Georgiana and Charles Grey’s first kiss is the building used in Pride & Prejudice (2005) (also starring Keira Knightley) for Mr. Darcy’s first proposal.
• This is the second period film starring Keira Knightley that opens with the view of her walking across grass carrying something. In Pride & Prejudice (2005), she is walking across grass carrying a book. In this movie, she is carrying a hat with names for runners in a race.

Character Quotes
• “You can’t ask me to battle nature in my own heart.”
• “I fail to comprehend how far we are fully committed to the concept of freedom….The concept of freedom is an absolute.”
• “All my life, I’ve been fighting my way upstream.”
• “I have many faults, as you well know. Not least among them is my ability to draw attention. Perhaps we could use that to our advantage.”
• “I fear I’ve done some things in life too late and others too early.”
• “Of all the women in England, you had to throw yourself on her. I have never objected to any of your affairs. I have accepted whatever arrangement you have proposed. But this… I have one single thing of my own. Why couldn’t you let me keep Elizabeth for myself? What kind of man are you? She is my sole comfort in our marriage. You have robbed me of my only friend. What is wrong with me?”
• “There are limits to the sacrifices one makes for one’s children.”
• “Well, I have great sympathy with your sentiments in general, but fail fully to comprehend how far we – the Whig party, that is – are fully committed to the concept of freedom.”

Other Cast
Ralph Fiennes as The Duke
Charlotte Rampling as Lady Spencer
Dominic Cooper as Charles Grey
Hayley Atwell as Bess Foster

Photos