The Lady and the Duke (2001)
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Starring Lucy Russell and Jean-Claude Dreyfus
Directed by Eric Rohmer
Written by Eric Rohmer, based on book by Grace Elliott
Cinematography by Diane Baratier
Set Decoration by Lucien Eymard
Costume Design by Nathalie Chesnais and Pierre-Jean Larroque

Features:

• Trailers
  

Rating: PG-13

Anamorphic: Yes.

My Advice: Rent it.

The Lady and the Duke tells the story of Grace Elliott, a Scottish aristocrat living in exceptionally dangerous time--the French Revolution in Paris. The former mistress of the Duke of Orleans, she still maintains a friendship with him. The times depicted in this movie, based upon Elliott’s own journal, will test that friendship and the character of both people, as they struggle to survive the best way they can, both being true to greater ideals and what they believe to be the best way to live their lives in this situation.

The acting is incredible. In what is essentially a character piece, there is a great deal of pressure upon Russell to be engaging enough that viewers can stand to see her in nearly every frame of the film. It must have been exhausting for her, but it ends as a treat for us. The secondary parts are equally successful, as each character, from Nanon, Elliott’s maid, to the various watch soldiers are a real presence and lend credibility and drama to this feature.

The costuming deserves a special mention. Not only does Madame Elliott appear in many fantastical outfits, it never actually gets in the way of the viewers appreciation of the action. The costuming does a marvelous job of adding to the stylized view of the action, reminding the viewer that this is all about ideals, such as “liberty” and “nationhood,” and not about the real.

The features are, alas, practically non-existent. It would have been nice to have had some snippets from Elliott’s journal in text form on the disc, especially since the journal is currently out of print. A commentary might be difficult with American audiences, but a gallery would have been easy enough to do. What would have been really nice, though, would be an interview with the costume and set designers, along with a peek into their sketchbooks.

All in all, fans of history will love this piece, as will anyone particularly fascinated by the French Revolution or the revolutionary temper in general. Anyone who likes a good drama with a strong cast of characters will also appreciate this film, as will anyone who likes adventure, mystery, or political drama. The Lady and the Duke transcends genre, but is somewhere between romance and adventure, but pleasantly controlled and understated in both instances, without squeezing the emotion out of it.