Dutchess

The Duchess
$15.95

This is an interesting time in British history. We Americans tend more to focus on our revolution and its luminaries. Most of us connect with British history before and after this time. There was a lot going on in Britain, as Foreman documents as she tells the tale of Georgiana Spenser, whose brother is an ancestor to Princess Diana.

Parallels to Georgiana's life and Diana's include being emotionally needy while trapped in loveless marriages. Both marriages came with privileges and constraints. Both were forced into compromises and both, like forces of nature, found ways to persevere to do what they thought was right. Georgiana was perhaps the more adventurous, but in her time there were no telephoto lenses or listening devises, only servants who, being human, could be dodged.

This is a story of aristocratic life in the 18th century. There is an austere social code. Perhaps gambling is popular since it relieves the tension. A lot depends on ceremony and reputations are very important.

Besides the fascinating portrait of Georgiana and her times, there are other interesting characters of note. One is Georgiana's sister Harriet. She suffers extreme domestic abuse as well as debilitating illness, but she is not a victim. She does not cower to this abusive husband and apparently flaunts him with affairs. The mother of these two daughters (as well as Diana's direct forebearor) hectors her daughters to standards which she, herself, cannot uphold. I presume there is a good story about her son and how he re-establishes the family's finances after Lady Spencer's reckless gambling. Some of the men, including the Prince of Wales seem to be emotionally unstable, they fall to the floor and cry.

I was very surprised to read at the end (p. 384) " women's lives... were equally susceptible to the pressures caused by class, locality, economy and age" since it appeared to me that the whole book demonstrated the vulnerability of women. A big "for instance" is how Georgiana had to accept Bess, her husband's mistress, in her home. Moderns might extrapolate a three way romance here, but if this is so, it still speaks to the power of the Duke. He could expel both of them to the continent and while he could experience societal pressure it was obviously not enough to prevent him from doing this. Bess, herself, is nothing without a male patron. Another society woman in similar circumstances is said to "starve". Illegitimate children are taken from their mothers and given to their father's wives to raise. Georgiana's marriage is essentially an official/legal bond to the Duke. She views and treats him more as a boss/authority than a loving husband. Despite her many abilities, they are not a partnership of equals.

Foreman gives a good introduction to the character of Georgiana and her times. More is needed on the pre 1800 issues so that the reader can understand what the Whigs are fighting for. They are vaguely defined as curbs on the King and some sympathy for the American colonists. After 1800 Forman introduces issues such abilition of the slave trade and rights for the Irish, which if they were part of the earlier narrative too, would have made the Whig's passion more meaningful. While this is a book about Georgiana, more on her husband, the Duke of Devonshire is warrented. What does he do with his time? How does he preserve his wealth at a time when so many are losing theirs, and how does he fit into Georgiana's political life?

The Duchess [Blu-ray]
$29.99
I'm not normally a fan of contemporary movies (witless Hollywood trash) but this BBC film production gave me a really pleasant surprise -- I grabbed a used copy at the video store in perfect condition for three bucks and that proved to be a smart buy. I loaned it to my movie-fan Yuppie neighbors and they want to borrow it again soon, (I'm certain that they'll buy their own copy, they liked it so much.)

THE STORY (mini-spoilers ahead!): A young and stunning lass of nobility is thrilled to become the new bride of the renowned and fabulously rich Duke of Devonshire (thus, she becomes the Duchess); however, she quickly finds the Duke to be rather a cold fish in the romantic aspect of love-making. Still, after talking with her mother about it she holds out hope for improvement of the situation. Then she discovers that the Duke has previously fathered a little girl who comes to live with them. Then she discovers that her best friend has become the Duke's mistress. Then she enters into her own love affair with Charles Grey (future Prime Minister of England)... and so on, and so forth. The subsequent complexity of events does not follow the normal flow as one typically encounters in such films of the historical drama genre. I should also mention that this movie features only brief sexual scenes and is in no way overloaded in that aspect.

This tale is based upon the true story of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire who lived during the late 18th- and early 19th-Century.

I can definitely say this: If you enjoyed Barry Lyndon then you'll like this film. They have much in common, albeit "Barry Lyndon" is a notably older film (1975) and more epic in length.

This 2008 film is shot in widescreen, runs 109 minutes, and is rated PG-13. The cinematography is spectacular, compelling -- it reeks of quality. This movie provides exceptional entertainment and I give it my highest recommendation.

The Duchess
$19.99
I'm not normally a fan of contemporary movies (witless Hollywood trash) but this BBC film production gave me a really pleasant surprise -- I grabbed a used copy at the video store in perfect condition for three bucks and that proved to be a smart buy. I loaned it to my movie-fan Yuppie neighbors and they want to borrow it again soon, (I'm certain that they'll buy their own copy, they liked it so much.)

THE STORY (mini-spoilers ahead!): A young and stunning lass of nobility is thrilled to become the new bride of the renowned and fabulously rich Duke of Devonshire (thus, she becomes the Duchess); however, she quickly finds the Duke to be rather a cold fish in the romantic aspect of love-making. Still, after talking with her mother about it she holds out hope for improvement of the situation. Then she discovers that the Duke has previously fathered a little girl who comes to live with them. Then she discovers that her best friend has become the Duke's mistress. Then she enters into her own love affair with Charles Grey (future Prime Minister of England)... and so on, and so forth. The subsequent complexity of events does not follow the normal flow as one typically encounters in such films of the historical drama genre. I should also mention that this movie features only brief sexual scenes and is in no way overloaded in that aspect.

This tale is based upon the true story of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire who lived during the late 18th- and early 19th-Century.

I can definitely say this: If you enjoyed Barry Lyndon then you'll like this film. They have much in common, albeit "Barry Lyndon" is a notably older film (1975) and more epic in length.

This 2008 film is shot in widescreen, runs 109 minutes, and is rated PG-13. The cinematography is spectacular, compelling -- it reeks of quality. This movie provides exceptional entertainment and I give it my highest recommendation.

Wild Gals of the Naked West / Black Snake ( Black Snake: The Whip / Dutchess of Doom ) ( Naked Gals of the Golden West / Immoral Girls of the Na ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Great Britain ]
$12.99
Great Britain released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: Two Russ Meyer's flicks: Wild Gals of the Naked West: An old geezer recalls some of the antics of the men and women of his western town, more wild and woolly than Tombstone or Dodge City. In this town no one is a good shot, the women are hungry for new meat, and practical jokers abound. A stranger strolls into town, proving resistant to the mayhem, and after donning some cowboy duds begins cleaning up that town. Black Snake: Story of a slave revolt on a 19th-century Caribbean island.