From All Movie Guide: The delicious pageantry of the big-hair-and-big-dresses historical drama is a glorious and melodramatic tradition, perfected through years of refinement in the areas of wig-making and bold, sidelong glances. Unfortunately, The Duchess opts out of this tradition, and shoots for an absolutely sober level of realism -- which doesn't make it a bad movie, but doesn't do it many favors either.

The title role is played by Keira Knightley, the go-to girl for the romantic leading lady in period movies (Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, Silk, The Edge of Love). Knightley's screen presence evokes passion, romance, and cheek-bony ethereal beauty, and you can see why she ends up playing the lead in so many of these films, but there's a distinction to the kind of period piece that seems to be her forte. After all, it's one thing to play the naïve and soon-to-be heartbroken damsel in a sweeping tale of corsets and desire, and it's another to play Catherine the Great or Eliz...

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