I have been scouring for the September issue of Vogue ever since Lady Georgianna posted about there being an article about The Duchess in it. Although I'm going to have to wait a little longer for British Vogue I was able to get my paws on the insanely thick American version today.Despite Knightly being on the cover, there is no interview with the star of the movie, just a fashion shoot of her in Berlin. However, there is a great article Amanda Foreman wrote to publicize the film. In it, Foreman gives a summary of her Grace, strangely not highlighting her fashion-history as much as I would have thought. She also discusses some of her personal life, the creation of the biography, and the process of selecting a script for the movie. In true Foreman style, she melds these all perfectly, for a great article. I'd be curious to get some insight about the article from a regular Vogue reader unfamiliar with the fabulous duchess. It was great to read about the many scripts Foreman rejected before arriving with the for the film. The screenwriters seemed to have made the contemporary celebrity connection but taken it too far:
"What did incense me, however, was the script's seeming obsession with making Georgiana appear like Paris Hilton: spoiled, self-promoting, and cretinously stupid...A few months later another version arrived. This time, Georgiana had graduated from Paris, the showoff Party Girl, to Britney, the Bodice-Ripping Boozer whose downward spiral had the whiff of tragicomedy."
Yay for not letting writers murder Georgiana! But on a different note. Lauren and I have made contemporary comparisons of certain celebrities with certain 18th century celebrities many times. Lauren found that this quote about Georgiana could have applied to the crazy Miss Spears, otherwise I wouldn't allow any Britney/Paris/Georgiana comparisons. But what do you think? If you had to choose a modern equivalent of her Grace, who would that be?
I must admit that I'm a little disappointed there isn't a super gorgeous photo shoot with Keira as Georgiana for Vogue as there was one for Kirsten as Marie Antoinette! As it is, I have a subscription to Vogue and I'm looking forward to the thick fall fashion edition.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think there's a celebrity or "it girl" from today that you can compare Georgiana to...no one really seems to measure up. She was a party girl, but she was also so heavily involved in politics and supporting the arts. Nowdays, it's rare to see a heavy interest in fashion/parties going side by side with politics.
The only possibility that jumps to mind is Natalie Portman, but that doesn't feel quite right. Hmmm. I'll have to think on this!
I concur Kira. I have two copies of Kirsten as Marie-Antoinette because the photoshoot is so scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteWhen comparing Georgiana to a woman of today, what about the First Lady of France?
If you still have no joy with Vogue, let me know and I'll scan and send you the article. I really wanted to visit the Chatsowrth estate, they have an exhibition of film items and it's supposed to be really good, but I won't have time before my long-awaited holiday :-(
ReplyDeleteThank you Allegra! I haven't given up yet, but if all else fails I'll intrude on your kindness! :)
ReplyDeleteRegarding "this quote" Horace Walpole was *no fool*.
ReplyDeleteAnd a Kirsten Dunst as Marie-like shoot would have been great. I still have that cover on my wall. The B-52s can only be jealous. Now *that's* high hair.
I wish there was a big KD/Marie Antoinette shoot for this. Maybe for Vanity Fair? I'll keep crossing my fingers for one.
ReplyDeleteTwo good suggestions but it is kind of an unfair question isn't it. Georgiana seems to contain certain qualities and similarities but never the full on personalities of contemporaries. She's such a gemini :) I have to think of some more comparisons too