British historians have referred to Georgiana, the
Duchess of Devonshire, as the country’s first media star and
it’s easy to see why. Having married the Duke of Devonshire at the
age of 17, she soon showed that she was mature beyond her years in managing
matters of the royal court, was not afraid to speak her mind and reveled in
displaying dresses of her own making, which helped establish the fashion of
her time. The more sordid aspects of her soap opera life also helped keep
her in the public eye and made her an object of fascination long after her
death.
In The Duchess, Keira Knightley gives an astonishing performance, going
from a bubbly young girl to a weary but unrepentant woman who endures
repression and emotional abuse that would have killed someone weaker.
Having to endure her husband’s (Ralph Fiennes) frequent affairs, the
indignation of having one of his lover’s (Hayley Atwell) live with
them and being separated from her beloved Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper),
Georgiana’s life was one of constant turmoil. However, this film
shows her as a woman far ahead of her times, often pragmatic but never
weak, and always true to her convictions. Knightley and company infuse this
film with life, making it far more than just a dry history lesson but a
rousing testament to independence and strength.
Ridley Scott’s labyrinthine Body of Lies is often as
convoluted and confusing as our country’s current situation in the
Middle East and that’s just the way the director wants it. Russell
Crowe is Ed Hoffman, a CIA bigwig who runs various global intelligence
operations from the comfort of his Washington, D.C., home. When he’s
not manipulating agents via satellite feeds like pieces on a chessboard,
he’s taking his kids to soccer games. However, Roger Ferris (Leonardo
DiCaprio) is one of his men on the ground and he experiences firsthand the
danger that Hoffman puts him in, resenting that he is often not given all
of the information he requires for success.
This cat and mouse game is a good one, as these two
finds themselves working towards the same goal but often using different
methods. While Hoffman is able to stay emotionally detached, Ferris
can’t because he sees the toll his actions take. The film takes a
while to find its footing but once Ferris finds himself using
Hoffman’s methods to make an innocent architect look like a terrorist
mastermind, Lies sharply
points out that the highest price we pay in war is the sacrifice of our
moral code.
This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2008.
