There is a truly massive list of movies set in Victorian times. Lasting from 1837-1901, the Victorian period was an incredible time where the sciences, the arts, philosophy and industry moved forward in great leaps unseen previously. The era provided a fascinating tapestry on/in which writers wove their stories. The best of them get made into movies set in Victorian times and present us with insight into life from so many angles and aspects.
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An Ideal Husband
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
If anyone was able to capture and exaggerate the absurdities of society of his time, it was Oscar Wilde. He may have been vilified by many for his personal life but his observational comedy was spot on. There have been a number of successful adaptations of his plays as well as a biopic (when he was brilliantly played by Stephen Fry), but I have to pick An Ideal Husband as one of my favorite movies set in Victorian times. Rupert Everett, Jeremy Northam, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Minnie Driver are the excellent cast in a tale of connivance, attempted blackmail and untruths.
An Ideal Husband excels at showcasing Wilde's wit and the intricate social mores of the period. The plot revolves around Sir Robert Chiltern, a respected politician whose past mistake is leveraged against him, threatening to ruin his career and marriage. The layers of humor, coupled with a commentary on the superficiality and moral hypocrisy of the upper class, make this film not only a delightful period piece but also a timeless reflection on the nature of integrity and love. The stellar performances breathe life into Wilde's clever dialogue, ensuring the film's place as a standout adaptation.
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Oliver!
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
From the upper echelons to the dregs of Victorian society now. Oliver! is the musical version of the much loved Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. It’s a wonderful musical which won a slew of Oscars and is full of memorable songs, including "Food, Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," "I’d Do Anything" and "Who Will Buy?" As much as I love this film, I think the fact it is a musical does hide the deep, dark and desperate side of Victorian life Dickens was portraying.
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Dracula (US: Horror of Dracula)
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
The Victorian era saw the birth of the Gothic novel, so it’s no surprise that some of the best movies set in Victorian times are based on the best of the Gothics. Among the best is, of course, Dracula. There has been an incredible number of Dracula movies in cinematic history, so it really comes down to picking my favorite one. I like the Gary Oldman version, but I’m a Brit and grew up watching Hammer Horrors, so I have to plump for the icon pairing of Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what this movie is about.
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Gangs of New York
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
It took me a long time to see this movie. I have never really been a fan of Martin Scorcese films (nor Quentin Tarantino) until my tastes took a turn in the last few years. I have gone from enjoying chick flicks, fluffy romances and bodice rippers to finding more fascinations in movies that portray the darker side of life. Gangs of New York definitely lives up to its violent billing and the stellar cast of Day-Lewis, DiCaprio, Diaz, Neeson et al, keep the action and drama going at some pace.
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Mrs Brown
On Amazon at: amazon.com
You couldn’t really have a list of movies set in the Victorian era without including something about Her Majesty herself! Surprisingly, although Queen Victoria appears in many films, there are so few biopics about the Queen herself. You might enjoy the story of The Young Victoria but I think a much more enjoyable experience is to be had with watching Mrs Brown. For a monarch known to take a very dim view of anything she saw as inappropriate behavior, the whiff of scandal about her relationship with her Scottish Gillie (gamekeeper) is fascinating. With tour de force performances from Dame Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, this is an interesting look into life at court.
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Meaning is not what you start with but what you end up with.
Madame Bovary
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
I really enjoyed Gustave Flaubert’s story of a country doctor’s wife that scandalized the world when it was published in 1856. Bored and trapped by the smallness of provincial life, Emma Bovary embarks on a series of affairs and seeks the trappings of wealth. The ending is pure Victorian melodrama and if you haven’t read/seen it, I won’t spoil it for you. The 1949 version is a good movie but I am looking forward to the new version to be released later this year.
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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
On iTunes at: itunes.apple.com
It would be so wrong to not include a Sherlock Holmes movie. Arthur Conan Doyle’s great detective typified the way Victorians were embracing the power of the mind and deductive reasoning, harnessing the amazing scientific discoveries of the age. Where would forensic sciences be today without the Victorians? And there are so many movies based on the Holmes stories – I found 13 different versions of The Hound of the Baskervilles alone. I love the BBC series, Sherlock, and the recent movies with Robert Downey Jr are fun, and I have recently just watched Rupert Everett as the great detective, in The Case of the Silk Stocking. I, however, have to go with a classic for this list and that classic stars British actor Robert Stephens, directed in this one by the outstanding Billy Wilder.
There are so many amazing Victorian novels that have been made into movies. I’d love to hear which are your favorites! Please share.
