The Duchess (12A)

Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, was Princess Diana's great-great-great-great aunt and their stories bear uncanny similarities.

Georgiana (Keira Knightley) was born in Althorp. In 1774, at the age of 17, she was married off to the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes).

She soon discovered that he didn't love her and her sole role was to provide him with a male heir. He also embarked on an affair with her best friend Lady Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell), who had moved in with them - a ménage à trois that was to last for the duration of Georgiana's lifetime.

The Duchess became the first celebrity and fashion icon of her kind. She was loved and adored by everyone but her husband.

Women copied what she wore and the papers realised that, if they featured her on their front page, sales would soar.
She was also the first woman to dabble in politics. She backed the Whig Party, one of the two main political parties in Britain at the time, which supported the great aristocratic families and non-Anglicans. When she attended their rallies, a huge turnout was guaranteed. She had the ear of the Prince of Wales and was good friends with Marie Antoinette.

She was a fascinating woman and her story makes a fascinating film, which focuses mainly on her marriage from her point of view. Based on Amanda Foreman's biography, it's directed by Saul Dibb, who made the gritty Bullet Boy, a very bold choice that has paid off handsomely.

The Duchess is stunningly shot, beautifully acted and engaging from beginning to end with a story and issues that still resonate today.

Knightley, love her or hate her, gives a sterling performance as the troubled and complex Georgiana. Fiennes is outstanding as the cold and aloof Darcyesque Duke, while Charlotte Rampling is grandiose and imposing as Georgiana's mother Lady Spencer.

The weakest link is Dominic Cooper, fresh from Mamma Mia! as Earl Grey. He lacks the charisma and presence to convince anyone that, one day, he would become the prime minister.

One of the problems with this film is that it only scratches the surface of Georgiana. She was a compulsive gambler, owing millions and millions in debts, a drug addict, a drinker and a doting mother. She had a number of lovers, including Earl Grey. The movie just glosses over all this, concentrating on her marriage and portraying her as a victim.

The similarities between Georgiana and Princess Diana are obvious and who can blame the film's marketing people for milking it in a bid to get more bums on seats. The film-makers, however, are reportedly not amused.

MARIA DUARTE