My Favorite Historical Fiction Shows and Movies

Sometimes you just want to curl up on the couch and watch a good movie. Historical Fiction has always been my favorite genre for both reading and television/movies. When in doubt, I turn to a good period piece. As the evenings get long and chilly, I thought it would be fun to share my list of favorites in case you’re looking for something to watch.

Pride & Prejudice

2005 Movie

Keira Knightley captures the character of Elizabeth Bennett so well in this Pride & Prejudice adaptation. She is playful and lively but also intelligent and bold. Matthew MacFadyen is perfection as Mr. Darcy, a bit shy, gentlemanly and proud, and sooo endearing! Together, they bring these characters, and the story to life really well, and the rest of the sisters and Mr. Bingley add to the overall effect. This movie is endlessly re-watchable, in my opinion.

North & South

2004 TV Mini-series

I don’t even remember how I came across North & South, but I’m so glad I did. It has become my second favorite! It can’t quite surpass Pride & Prejudice, but it comes close. Margaret Hale and John Thornton are both endearing characters, and you can’t help but love them each in their own way. It’s totally worth a watch!

Little Women

2017 TV Mini Series

I love this version of Little Women so very much! Each of the sisters is so well cast! It is beautifully filmed and captures the overall spirit of the book and the characters pretty accurately, in my opinion. I haven’t seen the newest version of Little Women, but it will be hard to top Maya Hawke as Jo, as far as I am concerned! I would highly recommend it if you enjoy the Little Women story.

Emma

2009 TV Mini Series

Romola Garai captures the character of Emma so perfectly! She is a bit ethereal and spoiled but so lovable, and the mishaps that ensue because of her matchmaking attempts are comical. I really like how the story unfolds between Emma and Mr. Knightley, and Mr. Woodhouse adds an additional layer of absurdity/hilarity. Mr. Knightley has my heart. 🙂

This is my favorite Emma adaptation, but the 1996 movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow is also worth mentioning. I have seen the newest version with Anya Taylor-Joy. I loved the scenery and overall it was a good representation of the book. I just personally think Romola Garai embodies the spirit of Emma a little better.

The Dressmaker

2015 movie

I have seen this movie a few times now, and I just love it. The description on IMDB puts it perfectly, “A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.” Kate Winslet is amazing in this movie. It’s fun that it is set in Australia, and I always forget that Liam Hemsworth is in it. He does such a great job. It is well worth a watch!

The Help

When I read the book, I laughed; I cried; I loved; I hated. The Help movie adaptation is no different. It does a great job of capturing the character’s personalities within the overarching story. It is very well cast, but Bryce Dallas Howard just nails it as Hilly Holbrook, and you can’t help but love Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote.

Sense & Sensibility

2008 TV Mini Series

I watched this adaptation of Sense & Sensibility on a whim and thoroughly enjoyed it! I have watched it several times since then, and I always enjoy it. The sister’s are both well portrayed.

Sense & Sensibility

1995 Movie

I’m not sure how I have never seen this Sense & Sensibility movie before, but I recently watched it, and it is so good! It has an amazing cast—Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant. It is really well done and worth a watch!

The Durrells in Corfu

Keeley Hawes is a gem amidst an amazing cast of oddballs in The Durrells in Corfu. The setting is beautiful, the story line is silly and sometimes heartfelt but not overly sweet. It’s full of good laughs and offers a good escape from reality. You can’t help but want to go visit them. The description on PBS captures it so well. (I also loved Keeley Hawes in Upstairs Downstairs!)

And here are a few honorable mentions:

Jane Eyre

2011 movie

I think Jane Eyre can be a bit misunderstood. Having seen the movie without reading the book, I was kind of meh on it. I knew it was a classic, though, and so I embarked on reading the book. While slow in parts, I think it is a really lovely story of conviction and steadfastness. It is so stark compared to our modern age of emotionalism. Jane is a great heroine from another time, and we would do well to understand what drove her and to emulate her self-control. I think this movie version captures her loneliness and her struggles and her conviction. It’s beautifully done.

Call the Midwife

I love the show Call the Midwife, and yet I have to offer a fair warning that it can be so sad! It is beautifully done and so heartfelt and touching, but some of the issues they deal with are challenging and vulnerable and many an episode had me sobbing. So maybe only watch if you have no one to see after or don’t mind having red eyes when they do see you.

Mansfield Park

1999 Movie

I recently re-watched the 1999 movie version of Mansfield Park, and I was really struck by how well the main character captures Fanny Price as she asserts her heart and her wit in this endearing tale of love. I think having read the book helped me like Fanny more than I would have otherwise. 🙂

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Do you have any favorites from this list, or any you think I should check out?