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The filmmakers hope we see parallels with Georgiana and the life of Princess Diana, who somehow found a way to channel her pain into good. And they are there, to be sure. Dibb and Co. accomplish their goal of transforming an unorthodox 18th century noblewoman into a 21st century heroine relevant to contemporary moviegoers. The Duchess of Devonshire (and the Princess of Wales) stand in for women down through the ages who have confronted the brutality of male power and pushed back with colossal, if transitory, force. Those who stood their ground so long ago, the film suggests, paid a heavy price. But without their sacrifice, the rights of women today would be but an illusive dream.

Even as The Duchess elevates Georgiana to hero status, it is not shy about showing the wages of her decisions and, indeed, even her sins. We are shown Georgiana in the midst of her highs and her lows. This is not a film with a perfect, Hollywood ending. The consequences of Georgiana's actions are revealed with tragic detail. Even if we sympathize and, for a moment at least, admit to understanding Georgiana's impulses, The Duchess never lets us forget that for every action there is a reaction, and that the successes of today are build on the sacrifices and broken dreams of yesterday.

Talk About It

1. Do you ever find yourself watching a film like The Duchess and feeling empathy for characters who are breaking God's laws? How do we reconcile compassion with spiritual obligation, especially when the shattered happiness of another human being is at stake?
2. In one scene, Bess tells Georgiana that there is nothing that a mother wouldn't do for her children. Georgiana seems skeptical. How does Bess' comment come back around to inform Georgiana's decision to put her children's needs above her own desires?
3. There is a running motif throughout the film of children at play. Why do you feel these images are used and to what effect? What are the filmmakers trying to say about freedom vs. slavery?

The Family Corner

The Duchess is rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material. There are several sex scenes in the film (including one hinting at lesbianism, and another at rape) that, while provocative, do not involve nudity. Rear female nudity is glimpsed very briefly during an alternate scene. While we do not see sex, we often hear it. The Duchess is not a film for children—its mature themes, chewing over the reasons for and consequences of adultery, are problematic.

Photos © Copyright Paramount Vantage

© Brandon Fibbs subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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