The 2024 thriller/action film Duchess managed to sneak in under the radar. It shows us that diamonds are dirty business. They are also, according to Scarlett, a girl’s best friend when buying big guns.
Director and co-writer Neil Marshall brings us a tale of a violent Eliza Doolittle. She is not a match seller or a street urchin, but she is common as muck. She is a pickpocket and proud of it. *Marshall shares writing credit with the star of the film Charlotte Kirk and Simon Farr.*
Duchess has a lot to offer, despite having a leading lady who sounds like an Eastenders refugee.
The story
A pickpocket with criminal roots meets the man of her dreams. He turns out to be a diamond smuggler. They fall in love and she learns how to fit into his world. An illegal lifestyle that is completely unlike the end result in My Fair Lady. There is plenty of violence, death and betrayal here and it is entertaining.
The main Cast
Charlotte Kirk is Scarlett Monaghan, Duchess.
Philip Winchester is Robert McNaughton.
Sean Pertwee is Danny.
Colin Egglesfield is Tom Sullivan.
Hoji Fortuna is Billy Baraka.
Smashing Cameos
Colm Meaney is Frank Monaghan.
Stephanie Beacham is Charlie.
duchess BTS
DP Simon Rowling with Neil Marshall here (who edits all his pictures) gives us uninterrupted viewing pleasure. Duchess is not Rowling’s first “rodeo” as DOP and it shows. He makes all the locations and set pieces look brilliant. Frames almost pop out of the screen at the viewer.
Adam Trotman does assist Marshall as editor on this one. Stunts are nigh on perfect here thanks to stunt coordinator Marta Molina Ruiz.The entire stunt crew sell all the fight scenes and the stunts themselves. Whether they are fist to fist or of the firearms variety, each one is sold.
Marshall, a personal favorite since Dog Soldiers appears to have a working relationship with Kirk. They also worked together on The Reckoning (2020).
It works
Duchess works for a number of reasons. The cast helps a lot. Philip Winchester, a personal favorite since The Player. *This was a show that was fun to watch, a lot like Duchess. Winchester has the ability to slip into these type of roles almost effortlessly. He convinces 100%.*
Sean Pertwee, also a personal favorite since practically forever, adds a bit of comedic/violent gravitas to this one. A long time fan, I kept waiting almost breathlessly for his character to die a grisly death.
The two cameos were to die for. Beacham and Meany. In terms of screen time, there could have been more Meany. Beacham proved that Dame Helen is not the only female actor who can chew up the scenery.
With Aplomb.
The story may feel a little familiar but any rags to riches tale is pretty much like the other. It does, however, move along quickly and entertain.
Charlotte Kirk
This actor is stunning. She can act, no doubt about it.
However.
Whoever convinced her that shouting out her lines in East end rhetoric was a solid idea, was telling porkies. She is a delight to watch in the action scenes. Sadly, though, each and every time she opens that gob?
Chaos.
Despite her ability to turn me off while spouting dialogue, she is fun to watch. I do hope to see her in another film soon. Preferably another Neil Marshall and one where she is not a gutsy guttersnipe on the rise.
The Verdict
Duchess is a 4 star bit of fun. It loses an entire star for that faux cockney blare. It is available to stream on Prime, Roku and Tubi. Check it out and see what you think.
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