A List of the Best Period Dramas to Watch Right Now
Using this list of suggestions, you’ll relive the romantic era of the past and enjoy the attractive aesthetic of period pieces.
Due to the escapism and aesthetic period dramas offer movie lovers, it’s no wonder this is an incredible genre to explore. The most notable and well-known examples are the Jane Austen adaptations, Pride & Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility. Period dramas are captivating for a variety of reasons, for example, the sumptuous sets and breathtaking landscape shots as the female lead wanders the fields of her lover’s extensive manor are relaxing and indulging to the mind. Period drama fans, like myself, are left reeling, trying to find their own Mr. Darcy. These films feed off the imagination, bringing to life fantasies of romance and adventure. We adore period dramas because they explore the most profound human emotions, such as passion, joy, and tragedy, while also addressing societal themes like class and gender. Without further ado, let’s get into the list.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Director Joe Wright’s film adaptation of the deeply treasured Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen makes one believe in true love. Wright and Keira Knightley bring a sensitive approach to the beloved novel with heartfelt storytelling and a passion beyond words. The story revolves around independent, opinionated, and witty Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet (Knightley) and her sisters. To ensure the girls’ future, their mother (Brenda Blethyn) wants to marry them off into society. Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfayden), a glum but rich gentleman, is introduced to the Bennet family and finds himself most reluctantly in love with Lizzie, despite her social inferiority. Lizzie harbors her prejudices and assumptions about the man, and both must set aside their predispositions and accept their love.
Because of its intelligence and passion, Pride and Prejudice is still regarded as a classic today. The Mr. Darcy hand scene is, after all, the most romantic scene ever. Austen writes about womanhood from the perspective of late 1700s England when opportunities for women were scarce, marriage was viewed as an economic decision, and love was not given priority. According to Lizzie, “Only the deepest love will persuade me into matrimony, which is why I will end up an old maid.” Lizzie is a relatable character for women across generations because she refuses to follow arbitrary rules about matrimony and love. The tension between Knightley and McFayden is so sexually on edge that it’s hard to look away. Their attraction toward each other is irresistible. Their urge to resist the love they feel for one another is infuriating but stimulating. These two were like puzzle pieces waiting to find each other, making it an eternal love story.
Sense & Sensibility (1995)
The perfect example of a period piece is Sense & Sensibility, which features Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, and the great Alan Rickman. Sense & Sensibility has lush scenery, magnificent manors, and a charming cottage, and is historically accurate. It’s a charming film with romance, heartbreak, and observations of the social structures of the late 1700s. The brilliant Emma Thompson turned Jane Austen’s book into a script for which she was nominated and won an Oscar in 1996 for best-adapted screenplay. Thompson and director Ang Lee brought the beloved tale to life with sensitivity and an enchanting quality. The movie shows the relationship between the Dashwood sisters and their potential marriage prospects. The Dashwood women must move to a cottage and lead a life of lower status after their father, Mr. Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson), passes away. They relocate to Barton Cottage, where they acclimate and make a host of new friends, including Mr. Willoughby (Greg Wise), the awkward Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant), and the lovely Colonel Brandon (Rickman). Despite getting caught up in their own love lives, the sisters learn from each other and their sisterly love grows ever-stronger.
The contrasting personalities of the sisters are expertly captured by Thompson and Winslet. Marianne is romantic and idealistic, whereas Elinor is restrained and sensible. Both the sisters’ individual love stories and their relationships are highlighted. The most heartbreaking exchange between the two is when Elinor, who is usually emotionally repressed, confides in Marianne, stating, “What do you know of my heart?” What do you know of anything but your own suffering? For weeks, Marianne, I’ve had this pressing on me without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature. Believe me, Marianne had I not been bound to silence, I could have provided proof enough of a broken heart, even for you.” It is a tale based on friendship, love, and ties to family. It will have you completely enthralled if you love Jane Austen or period dramas in general. It’s the ideal movie for a rainy fall day and one you’ll keep falling in love with.
Jane Eyre (2011)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a classic Gothic story with romance and spooks. Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 2011 film adaptation adds to the extensive film and TV adaptations that have been made, but this one adds another layer of eerieness. Jane (Mia Wasikowska) and Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender) have magnetic chemistry. Mr. Rochester’s gaze seems to burn into Jane’s and the audience’s souls. You can’t take your eyes off of him because he is both intimidating and alluring. Fassbender captures his stoic facade and his feelings of desperation to be loved with ease. Their relationship is marked by passion and misunderstanding, but is also a subtle, steadily building slow burn. The film’s visuals are eerily alluring, with foggy English countryside landscapes and dimly lit castle halls. Furthermore, the moving musical score, composed by Dario Marianelli, enhances the film’s artistic sensibility.
Because social manners and roles were expected to be observed at the time Jane Eyre was published in 1847, Jane’s character was shocking. She is a strong, intelligent female character with tenacity and a propensity for speaking her mind. She meets Mr. Rochester while working as a governess at his place of residence, Thornfield Hall. But poor Jane has yet to discover the dark secrets that Thornfield Hall and its master are hiding. The aesthetic atmosphere of a spooky gothic tale with romance at its core is what makes Jane Eyre so captivating.
Atonement (2007)
Once again collaborating with Joe Wright, Keira Knightley stars in a masterful period drama that received multiple Academy Award nominations. With his heart-wrenching scores, Oscar-winning composer Dario Marianelli gives the film even more depth. The 2001 novel by Ian McEwan is what the film was based on. The story is about dishonesty, the truth, and suffering. When Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), then thirteen, accuses a family friend named Robbie (James McAvoy) of a crime he didn’t commit, it has a ripple effect. Briony’s older sister, Cecelia (Knightley), and Robbie were in love. Briony’s overactive imagination causes their lives to go out the window. When Robbie is sent to war, he encounters all the horrors that go along with it, including tragedy, death, and the ever-dwindling hope of returning home.
Briony matures and strives to make amends for her accident, which disrupted so many lives. Romola Garai, who portrays eighteen-year-old Briony, gives us a fresh perspective on the new Briony. She is a bright young woman who is learning to become a nurse. Guilt-ridden, she tries to undo the harm she has caused but is deeply aware that the hurt will never go away. It’s a tragic period drama that explores the truths about war, romance, and mistakes. Atonement illustrates the fragility of life and how easily people can become entangled in a web of tragedies. It’s about understanding the value of truth and the risks of being unable to tell the difference between imagination and reality.
A Room With a View (1985)
Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) and Charlottle Bartlett (Dame Maggie Smith) travel to Italy, where they are placed in a room without a view of the verdant Italian countryside. Immediately after meeting Lucy, the passionate and dashing George (Julian Sands) declares his love for her. However, back in England, Cecil (Daniel Day-Lewis), a charmless man, is waiting to marry Lucy. During her trip, she reconsiders her priorities in a new light, given the character of George and the romantic allure of the Italian way of life.
A Room With a View depicts a Victorian society in which attitudes toward the more important aspects of life, such as love, tend to be given a dry approach. George is eager and filled with desire, the exact opposite of being repressed. The fact that audiences adore George and want their romantic partner to resemble his intense passion and desire to show affection may be the reason the film was so well received. George tells Lucy he values her as she is and wants her to witness all the world has to offer. In contrast, Cecil only sees her as a decorative part of his life. Women don’t want to be seen as an addition to a man’s life or as something that enhances their ego or image; they want to be seen as complete and equal. The exquisite Florence aesthetic that permeates the screen enhances its allure as well. This movie truly is the stuff dreams are made of. I mean, who else discovers new love amidst Italy’s breathtaking beauty? Period dramas like this are for the hopeless romantics. This movie encourages the discovery of passion and is entertaining, and thought-provoking.
