Simba made a comment this weekend about Movie Monday and what movie were we watching this Monday. I had to explain to her that we watch a movie during the week and the post was on Mondays. I thought I would shake her world up by posting on a Tuesday this week.

This weeks Netflix movie is The Duchess starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. The movie is set in late 18th century England and the cinematography and costuming in the film are superb.

The movie explores the relationship between the two main characters, the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. It is interesting to note that Princess Diana is a descendant of the Duchess and it seems they both made poor choices in husbands. The similarities between the Duke and Prince Charles are striking: self-involved jerks that love their dogs more than their spouses. I can't even say that I enjoyed Ralph in this role. Keira was beautiful, as always, but dang that girl needs to scraf a few twinkies.

The Duchess is popular with her peers and the people but is stuck in a loveless relationship where she continously fails to produce an heir. The Duke has zero interest in his three daughters which was probably typical of the time and the aristocracy. The Duchess befriends a woman whom she takes into her home and then she later becomes one of the Duke's many lovers. Their friendship is shattered and the Duchess then takes on her own lover and becomes pregnant.

Apparently a man taking a lover was perfectly acceptable during this period of time but the Duchess had to choose between her lover or seeing her children. She choose her children and had to live with the Duke and his mistress and her children in one of their many mansions. Can you even imagine that?

The Duchess became pregnant by her lover and gave the child up to his family to be raised. As time passed she was allowed to see the child but it was unclear whether the child knew she was her mother.

The Duchess seemed to have mended her friendship with the mistress and upon her death she approved of the Duke marrying the mistress. Again, can you imagine?

Tobey's sage comment on the movie was "Boy, that was depressing." I can't say whether I liked or disliked the movie. I found the scenery breathtaking and I was appreciative we ladies no longer have to wear the underpinings of the 18th century. I just did not see a lot of chemistry in the film between the Duchess and her lover, the future Prime Minister or the Duke and his mistress.

We have The English Patient on queue and I would highly recommend that Fiennes vehicle over The Duchess. All-in-all: 3 out of 5 stars, just one of those take-it-or-leave-it kind of movies.