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While there’s no strict rule on how far back a film must be set to be considered a period piece—even early 2000s stories could qualify—the term often conjures images of lavish gowns and grand estates, thanks to countless Jane Austen adaptations and tales of historical royalty. Typically, these films transport viewers to eras long before their time. Below are 10 exceptional picks for when you crave a historical drama, complete with or without extravagant headwear.
1. A Room With a View (1985)
Merchant Ivory Productions’ adaptation of E.M. Forster’s 1908 novel, A Room With a View, launched the careers of Helena Bonham Carter and Daniel Day-Lewis. The film cleverly nods to Forster’s other works, as the gossip exchanged by Eleanor Lavish (Dame Judi Dench) and Charlotte Bartlett (Dame Maggie Smith) during their picnic subtly mirrors the storyline of Forster’s novel Where Angels Fear to Tread. Bonham Carter later starred in the 1991 adaptation of that novel as well.
2. The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese’s take on Edith Wharton’s 1920 novel vividly captures 1870s New York City during the Gilded Age. However, a promotional photo in Us magazine had a modern twist: Michelle Pfeiffer, passionately holding Daniel Day-Lewis, was accidentally seen gripping a roll of Certs mints. “Oops!” remarked Sidney Ganis, then a Columbia Pictures executive.
3. Elizabeth (1998)
Elizabeth, Shekhar Kapur’s debut English-language film, delves into the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Cate Blanchett earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her portrayal, though she lost to Gwyneth Paltrow for Shakespeare in Love. Interestingly, Dame Judi Dench secured the Best Supporting Actress Oscar that same year for her role as an older Elizabeth I in … Shakespeare in Love.
4. Gosford Park (2001)
Robert Altman was contemplating directing a mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie when Bob Balaban proposed Julian Fellowes as the screenwriter. Fellowes, a British lord who would later create Downton Abbey, accepted the offer. Balaban co-produced and starred in what became a standout depiction of 1930s British aristocracy. Despite the large cast, Altman required all actors to commit to the full 10-week shoot, ensuring continuity and depth.
5. Atonement (2007)
Director Joe Wright took an unconventional approach to adapt Ian McEwan’s World War II romance Atonement. He cast Saoirse Ronan as the young Briony Tallis first, then selected Romola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave to portray the character at older stages. During rehearsals, Garai and Redgrave adjusted their performances to align with Ronan’s portrayal, ensuring a seamless transition across ages.
6. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Sir Steve McQueen was exploring a film about a free Black man enslaved when his wife suggested Solomon Northup’s 1850s memoir, 12 Years a Slave. Despite the film’s brutal honesty about the era—McQueen refused to “sugarcoat” history—Lupita Nyong’o, who played Patsey, described the set as a “safe and sacred space.”
7. Belle (2013)
Belle tells the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the daughter of a British naval officer and an enslaved African woman, who grew up as an aristocrat in 18th-century Britain. The film recreates a real-life portrait of Dido (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and her white half-sister, Elizabeth Murray (Sarah Gadon), which inspired screenwriter Misan Sagay and director Amma Asante to join the project.
8. Neruda (2016)
Director Pablo Larraín, who views Chilean poet Pablo Neruda as “impossible to define,” crafted an “anti-biopic” that dramatizes Neruda’s (Luis Gnecco) 1948 escape from Chile. The film introduces a fictional inspector (Gael García Bernal) chasing Neruda. To achieve a vintage aesthetic, Larraín—known for Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021)—used a unique purple filter created by blending red and blue tones.
9. The Favourite (2018)
The Favourite dramatizes (with creative freedom) the real-life feud between Queen Anne’s (Olivia Colman) closest confidantes during her reign over Great Britain from 1702 to 1714. Director Yorgos Lanthimos infused rehearsals with quirky exercises, such as walking backwards without colliding and forming what Rachel Weisz dubbed “a human pretzel,” to help the cast embrace the film’s dark humor.
10. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Céline Sciamma’s poignant romance explores the forbidden bond between an 18th-century French artist (Noémie Merlant) and the aristocratic woman (Adèle Haenel) she is hired to paint. Oil painter Hélène Delmaire spent approximately three months working 16-hour days to produce nearly all the artwork featured in the film.
