How Helped Out on Keira Knightley’s New Film (With Audio)

When films stars Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes took up residence at Derby’s Kedleston Hall, Victoria Flanagan’s chief concern was that they might drop a cup of coffee on the irreplaceable furniture.

National Trust property manager Victoria was delighted that a major movie project chose the historic hall to be the backdrop for the costume drama The Duchess but had to make sure that the cast and crew left Kedleston the way they found it.

“The film crew were keen on using our furniture in the scenes,” says Victoria. “So you see all our pieces in the background but they are sitting on props brought in to match up.

“We were all watching like hawks to make sure nothing got damaged.

“We spent a lot of time briefing people before we allowed them in the building (and probably came across as complete tyrants) but we wanted to set in stone the ground rules.

“They are used to bringing cups of coffee on set but we couldn’t allow that, so there were huge crates of bottled water everywhere as that’s all we allowed them to have.

“We had to tell them that this is an internationally important house and collection and that’s why we were being so particular.”

The Duchess was filmed at Kedleston in September and October last year and is based on the novel Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman. It tells the life story of Duchess Georgiana (1757- 1806), who married from the Spencers into the Devonshire family in the 18th century.

Georgiana (played by Keira Knightley) was a celebrity of her day, a celebrated beauty and socialite and also an active political campaigner.

During the filming, Kedleston Hall relived its days of Georgian grandeur and was used in the film to depict Althorp (the Spencer family home), Devonshire House in London and a rented villa in Bath.

Joining Knightley at Kedleston for filming were Ralph Fiennes (the 5th Duke of Devonshire) and Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer).

Victoria Flanagan spent most of the near six weeks the crew were at Kedleston supervising the shooting.

She says: “Keira Knightley kept herself to herself, which you understand considering the position she is in. She was surrounded by her minders and drivers and we never really got to talk to her.

“Ralph Fiennes seemed less bothered about all that.

“It was the only time in the last two years I have regretted giving up smoking as I was standing outside and he came out in full costume and said ‘ I don’t suppose you have a cigarette?’ I could have stood there and shared a cigarette with Ralph Fiennes.

“But he did chat to people and went off to local pubs for his lunch.

“But we were clear with staff beforehand that there was to be no autographs and no photographs because we wanted to make the experience good for the actors as well.”

Kedleston Hall has a major new exhibition opening on Monday – The Duchess: Behind the Scenes. It shows how five of the rooms at Kedleston Hall and parts of the parkland were used as locations for the film.

Victoria says: “Our main motivation in taking the film on was to boost visitor numbers. Kedleston is a hidden gem in Derbyshire and there’s still people who don’t know much about it.

“It would have been difficult to pass on an opportunity to feature in such a major film with all the publicity we will get.

“When Basildon Park, near Reading, was used for Pride and Prejudice it made a huge difference. Lyme Park was used in the BBC Pride and Prejudice and people still think Mr Darcy lives in the lake there.

“Yes, you get paid for the filming (and it seems a hefty amount) but when you factor in closing for three weeks and no income coming in and all the staffing we had to have in place, it takes the cash down to not a huge amount. So the motivation is what’s happening now in terms of all the interest a successful film generates.”

Victoria also sees Kedleston as one of the stars of the film.

“The thing the film makers liked about us was that when you see costume dramas like this one it’s always the same houses being used and they loved that we had hardly been seen. The last big thing filmed here was Nanny, in 1981, with Wendy Craig. Since then there has only been an odd thing like the BBC Jane Eyre – but that was only for one scene. Kedleston really does star in this film and it was great to see it up there on the screen”

Victoria was also delighted with The Duchess as a film overall, after enjoying a sneak preview of the movie.

“I’m very biased,” she says. “I sat there with a big smile on my face every time Kedleston came on but I did think it was fantastic.”

The Duchess is released on September 5.

Kedleston Hall is open Saturday-Wednesday until November 2. For opening times, admission prices and information about The Duchess exhibition visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/theduchess.

(c) 2008 Derby Evening Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.