February 7 - Aristocrats

Today’s movie is a period drama that has a scene that happens today – February 7. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

ARISTOCRATS         

After three London seasons, Lady Caroline Lennox has still not found a husband. However, her parents are appalled when she falls in love with the untitled Henry Fox, a politician. After her parents refuse to approve the marriage, they elope. Her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Richmond disown Caroline. Her younger sister, Emily is wooed by Lord Kildare, but her family dislikes him, because even though he is very rich, he is Irish. The Duke of Richmond is promoted to the post of Master of the Horse, but this puts him in the Cabinet and into conflict with Henry Fox. Caroline’s first child is sickly and was lucky not be killed by his doctors.  Emily’s parents finally withdraw their objections to Lord Kildare.   On February 7, 1747 [Part 2 – 2:34 to 7:08] Lord Kildare and Lady Emily are married. Taking advantage of her married state, Emily visits her sister Caroline. Emily starts spending big bucks, while Caroline thinks her husband cares more about politics than her. Emily is finally able to reconcile Caroline with their parents. The Duke of Richmond dies of a stroke and his wife soon dies also. The mother’s will gives the custody of the three younger girls Louisa, Sarah and Cecilia to Emily, not Caroline, which causes a rift between the sisters.  Emily raises the girls and arranges the marriage of Louisa to Thomas Connolly. Caroline is upset when her sons turn out to be wastrels, losing vast sums at gambling and drinking. Lord Kildare wants to keep Irish taxes in Ireland, but Henry Fox thinks he is wasting his time.   Emily sends her sister Sarah to London to be introduced into society by Caroline. The King tries to encourage a match between Lady Sarah and the Prince of Wales. Sarah is sent to the country to make the Prince’s heart grow fonder for her, but she injures her leg. Then George II dies. His advisors suggest that the new King, George III should marry Charlotte of Mecklenburg instead of Sarah, who marries Charles Bunbury. He is an idiot who soon ignores her.  Caroline’s oldest son dies.  Emily hires William Ogilvie as her children’s tutor. Sarah is the subject of gossip due to gambling and flirting. She commits adultery with a Frenchman and then starts an affair with William Gordon and becomes pregnant by him. She then runs away with him. Emily and Caroline become estranged. Louisa tries to restore harmony, but the price for Sarah to return to the family is to never see William Gordon again. The youngest sister Cecelia dies.  Bunbury divorces Sarah. Emily begins an affair with William Ogilvie, while Sarah meets George Napier, a poor army Captain. Both Emily and Caroline’s husbands die.  Caroline and Emily reconcile, but Caroline dies shortly thereafter.  Emily shocks Sarah and Louisa by announcing she is going to marry William Ogilvie. Captain Napier’s wife dies of a fever.  Sarah and George Napier are married and have eight children. Mr. Ogilvie has trouble fitting into society. He and Emily’s grandson Edward support democratic ideas in opposition to the rest of the family.  Edward becomes involved in the French plans to support the United Irishmen in an anti-English revolt. Emily tries to get those involvedin this plot to give up their plans, as she is convinced it will not succeed. Some of Louisa’s servants are arrested for being involved in plotting. Mr. Ogilvie visits Edward, who is in hiding, but fails to persuade him to flee the country. Edward is wounded while being arrested and dies shortly thereafter of his wounds.    

An interesting historical movie. For the most part it is accurate. The aristocrats in this film followed their natures instead of morality and paid the price.

The Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. VII ed by Sir Leslie Stephen and Sir Sidney

Lee (Oxford University Press, New York, 1968) at page 130 gives the wedding date.

Producers – Christopher Hall and David Snodin

Director - David Caffrey

Screenplay - Harriet O'Carroll

Runtime – 5 hours

Released – June 20, 1999

Starring –

Serena Gordon as Lady Caroline Lennox Fox

Anne-Marie Duff as Lady Louisa Lennox Conolly

Geraldine Somerville as Lady Emily Lennox FitzGerald, Duchess of Leinster

Siân Phillips as Older Lady Emily Lennox FitzGerald, Duchess of Leinster

Jodhi May as Lady Sarah Lennox (age 16)

Alun Armstrong as Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland

Ben Daniels as James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster aka Lord Kildare

Julian Fellowes as Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond

Diane Fletcher as Sarah Lennox, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox

Tom Mullion as Thomas Conolly

Andrew Havill as Sir Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet

George Anton as William Ogilvie

John Light as Lord Edward FitzGerald

Clive Swift as George II of Great Britain

Richard Dempsey as Lord Beaufield

Eoin O'Driscoll as Little Eddie