As with all her period-piece movies, Kiera Knightley arrives romping across an estate lawn surrounded by Lords and Ladies (think “Pride and Prejudice.”) It’s (once again) the 18th century, and Georgiana (Knightley) has been promised to the Duke (Ralph Fiennes) with certainty, according to her mother, Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling) that her daughter will bare him a male heir. And so Georgiana becomes the Duchess to the Duke, and life is one big seven course meal in the castle. But, alas, three daughters and no male babies later, the frustrated Duke takes on a lover, Bess (Hayley Atwell) and the movie turns into an unusual stretch-of-a-mature role for Knightley, best known for her limited acting, jaw-quivering, and whining. While often amusing to watch the evil ways of royalty back-in-the-day, this turns out to be a sentimental and desperate tale of a mother’s motives when it comes to protecting her off-spring. Although the only thing that grows faster than the premise’s twist-of-fate, is the condo-for-canaries hair-style atop Knightley’s head! Undoubtedly one of the most stunning and scenic films of the year, with a naughty and wicked performance by Ralph Fiennes. Three tiaras.
