The Duchess (film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 12:34:13 PM Wikipedia source
The Duchess is a 2008 historical drama film directed by Saul Dibb, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jeffrey Hatcher and Anders Thomas Jensen, based on the 1998 book Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman, about the late 18th-century English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. She was a distant relation of Diana, Princess of Wales, where the quote "There were three people in her marriage" in the promotional poster comes from. The Duchess was the older sister of Lady Diana's great-great-great-grandfather, George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer. The Duchess was released on 5 September 2008 in the United Kingdom. The film received generally positive reviews from critics. It won the Best Costume Design and was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 81st Academy Awards.
Infobox
Directed by
Saul Dibb
Screenplay by
Jeffrey HatcherAnders Thomas JensenSaul Dibb
Based on
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshireby Amanda Foreman
Produced by
Gabrielle TanaMichael Kuhn
Starring
Keira KnightleyRalph FiennesCharlotte RamplingDominic CooperHayley AtwellSimon McBurneyAidan McArdleJohn Shrapnel
Cinematography
Gyula Pados
Edited by
Masahiro Hirakubo
Music by
Rachel Portman
Productioncompanies
BBC FilmsQwerty FilmsMagnolia Mae Films
Distributed by
Pathé Distribution (France and United Kingdom)BIM Distribuzione (Italy)Paramount Vantage (United States)
Release dates
mw- 5 September 2008 (2008-09-05) (United Kingdom) 10 October 2008 (2008-10-10) (United States) 12 November 2008 (2008-11-12) (France) 23 December 2008 (2008-12-23) (Italy)
Running time
110 minutes
Countries
FranceItalyUnited KingdomUnited States
Language
English
Budget
£13.5 million
Box office
$43.3 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Awards ceremony
Academy Awards
Award Category
Best Art Direction
Subject
Michael Carlin and Rebecca Alleway
Result
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Awards ceremony
Best Costume Design
Award Category
Michael O'Connor
Subject
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Awards ceremony
British Academy Film Awards
Award Category
Best Costume Design
Subject
Michael O'Connor
Result
Won
Best Make-Up and Hair
Best Make-Up and Hair
Awards ceremony
Best Make-Up and Hair
Award Category
Daniel Phillips and Jan Archibald
Subject
Nominated
British Independent Film Awards
British Independent Film Awards
Awards ceremony
British Independent Film Awards
Award Category
Best Actress
Subject
Keira Knightley
Result
Nominated
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Awards ceremony
Best Supporting Actor
Award Category
Ralph Fiennes
Subject
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Awards ceremony
Best Supporting Actress
Award Category
Hayley Atwell
Subject
Nominated
Best Technical Achievement
Best Technical Achievement
Awards ceremony
Best Technical Achievement
Award Category
Michael O'Connor (Costume)
Subject
Nominated
London Film Critics' Circle
London Film Critics' Circle
Awards ceremony
London Film Critics' Circle
Award Category
British Actor of the Year
Subject
Ralph Fiennes
Result
Nominated
British Actress in a Supporting Role
British Actress in a Supporting Role
Awards ceremony
British Actress in a Supporting Role
Award Category
Hayley Atwell
Subject
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Awards ceremony
Golden Globe Awards
Award Category
Best Supporting Actor
Subject
Ralph Fiennes
Result
Nominated
People's Choice Awards
People's Choice Awards
Awards ceremony
People's Choice Awards
Award Category
Favorite Actress
Subject
Keira Knightley
Result
Nominated
Favorite Independent Movie
Favorite Independent Movie
Awards ceremony
Favorite Independent Movie
Award Category
The Duchess
Subject
Nominated
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Awards ceremony
Satellite Awards
Award Category
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Subject
Karen Wakefield and Michael Carlin
Result
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Awards ceremony
Best Cinematography
Award Category
Gyula Pados
Subject
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Awards ceremony
Best Costume Design
Award Category
Michael O'Connor
Subject
Won
| Awards ceremony | Award Category | Subject | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Art Direction | Michael Carlin and Rebecca Alleway | Nominated |
| Best Costume Design | Michael O'Connor | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Costume Design | Michael O'Connor | Won |
| Best Make-Up and Hair | Daniel Phillips and Jan Archibald | Nominated | |
| British Independent Film Awards | Best Actress | Keira Knightley | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | Ralph Fiennes | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Hayley Atwell | Nominated | |
| Best Technical Achievement | Michael O'Connor (Costume) | Nominated | |
| London Film Critics' Circle | British Actor of the Year | Ralph Fiennes | Nominated |
| British Actress in a Supporting Role | Hayley Atwell | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Ralph Fiennes | Nominated |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Actress | Keira Knightley | Nominated |
| Favorite Independent Movie | The Duchess | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Art Direction and Production Design | Karen Wakefield and Michael Carlin | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Gyula Pados | Nominated | |
| Best Costume Design | Michael O'Connor | Won |
References
- AFI Catalog of Feature Filmshttp://catalog.afi.com/Film/64628-THE-DUCHESS?sid=8491d7fc-fe82-445a-a9d4-a265a49d7588&sr=6.7166233&cp=1&pos=0
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3558655/On-set-report-The-Duchess.html
- Duchesshttps://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/keira-knightley-set-for-duchess-1117969388/
- The Duchesshttps://web.archive.org/web/20080829163739/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20219070_20219072_20218882,00.html
- The Duchesshttps://archive.today/20120529144841/http://www.totalfilm.com/news/susanne-bier-finds-the-duchess
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2613243/Keira-Knightley-angry-at-Diana-comparison.html
- New York Daily Newshttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/keira-knightly-refuses-br_n_115272
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/sep/08/keiraknightley.theduchess
- The Duchesshttps://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-duchess-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zntc3mdy
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2008/film/awards/2008-awards-season-shaping-up-1117983222/
- Duchesshttps://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7596614.stm
- The Duchesshttps://rottentomatoes.com/m/10009493-duchess/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-duchess
- Time Out Londonhttps://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85061/the-duchess.html
- Film Irelandhttps://web.archive.org/web/20081222041121/http://www.filmireland.net/reviews/duchess_the.htm
- CityNews Torontohttps://toronto.citynews.ca/2008/08/19/brad-pitt-and-keira-knightley-among-big-names-confirmed-for-t-o-film-fest/
- Tiscali UKhttps://web.archive.org/web/20080915034933/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/reviews/the-duchess.html
- Chicago Sun-Timeshttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-duchess-2008
- Oscars.orghttps://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2009
- British Academy Film Awardshttps://web.archive.org/web/20090117024112/http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-nominations-in-2009,657,BA.html
- British Independent Film Awardshttps://web.archive.org/web/20131216045014/http://www.bifa.org.uk/nominations/2008
- Peoplehttps://people.com/awards/angelina-jolie-brad-pitt-score-golden-globe-nods/
- "Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2008 Golden Globe Awards Nominations for the Year Ended December 31, 2008"https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/hollywood-foreign-press-association-2008-golden-globe-awards-nominations-year-ended-0
- People's Choice Awardshttps://web.archive.org/web/20081210085409/http://www.pcavote.com/pca/
- AwardsDailyhttps://www.awardsdaily.com/2008/11/30/satellite-award-nominees/