Well-known for the critically acclaimedDownton Abbey, Julian Fellowes has captivated audiences once again with his sprawling historical dramaThe Gilded Age. The HBO Max show immerses audiences in 1880s New York, showcasing the many rapid changes facing American society during a period of rapid industrialization and a rise in progressivism. Characters like Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy) and Agnes vin Rhijn (Christine Baranski) depict the old money that was still trying to cling to tradition and custom. The robber baron George Russell (Morgan Spector) and his willful wife Bertha,played by the great Carrie Coon, represent the nouveau riche encroaching on high society.
The Gilded Age
The lavish, sprawling series has captivated many viewers with its opulence, soapy storylines, and societal scheming. If you can’t get enough of luxuriating in the glittering world of the sumptuous show, the 10 period dramas on this list will take you back in time to similar tales. Each entry echoesThe Gilded Age’s luscious production, themes, and elegance.
10’Ragtime' (1981)
Set at the turn of the 20th century,Ragtimeis an adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s multi-faceted novel of the same name. The film follows multiple intersecting storylines involving a wealthy white family from New Rochelle,immigrant struggles in New York City, and Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Howard Rollins), a Black pianist whom the saga revolves around. Refusing to swallow his pride in the face of blatant racism, he embarks on his own form of vigilante justice.
A Richly Painted Portrait of a Nation
LikeThe Gilded Age, the movie incorporates real-life historical figures into its narrative, intertwining them with the plot to paint a panoramic view of the era. The murder case involving architect Stanford White, former chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit, and her industrialist husband Harry Kendall Thaw is featured, as are Booker T. Washington, Harry Houdini, President Roosevelt, and others. This rich tapestry of class, race, and the clash of tradition and modernity makes a good companion to Julian Fellowes' hit series.
9’The Bostonians' (1984)
The Bostonians
Olive Chancellor (Vanessa Redgrave),an outspoken feminist, drags her male chauvinist cousin, Basil Ransom (Christopher Reeve), to an event for the women’s suffragist movement, where they meet a brilliant young orator, Verena Tarrant (Madeleine Potter), both becoming fascinated with her. Olive adopts Verena as her protégé, forming a deep friendship with her. Meanwhile, the conservative Basil pursues the radical girl, wishing to marry her and relegate her to a life of domestic servitude. And so begins a battle of wits for Verena’s future.
A Realistic Period Drama With a Rich Setting
Directed by James Ivory (A Room With a ViewandMaurice),The Bostoniansis based on the 1886 novel by Henry James, incorporating some notable alterations. The strong, defiant, willful female characters of the movie are reminiscent of the women inThe Gilded Agefighting to carve out a place for themselves in a male-dominated world. The movie also explores similar themes of power, ideological clashes, social stakes, and the evolving role of women in society.
8’Howards End' (1992)
Howards End
Howards Endis also directed by James Ivory and adapted from a literary classic, E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel of the same name. Set in Edwardian Britain, it tells the story of three families: the politically minded, intellectual Schlegel sisters, the imperialistic and wealthy Wilcoxes, and the working-class Basts. Their stories are intertwined, and they are all linked by the Wilcox family country home, Howards End.Emma Thompson won her first Oscarfor her role as Margaret Schlegel, starring opposite Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, and Vanessa Redgrave.
One of the Best Period Dramas of the 1990s
Fans ofThe Gilded Agewill enjoy this superb tale of class, which explores the chasm between economic statuses in turn-of-the-century England.Howards Endwill resonate deeply with fans of the show who enjoy the portrayal of societal power struggles. Similar romances, conflicts, and financial burdens are also depicted. The impeccable set design and lush visuals are as immersive as the HBO series.
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7’The Age of Innocence’ (1993)
The Age of Innocence
Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed and award-winning adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is among his best works. Set in 1870s New York City, it tells the story of wealthy attorney Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), who is engaged to be married to the young and respectable socialite May Welland (Winona Ryder). When May’s cousin, the disgraced Countess Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), returns to New York after a scandal, having left her husband,Archer falls in love with her.
An Emotional Tale of Forbidden Romance
Those who love the glittering depiction of New York high society inThe Gilded Agewill become fascinated by the decadent world of this film.The Age of Innocencealso captures the pressures, rigid social codes, emotional repression, and cruelties that accompany immense wealth and status. As seen with certain players on the show, the characters in Scorsese’s historical drama have a desperate desire to challenge convention and restraint. You won’t regret watching this highly charged story where passion and social obedience collide.
6’The Portrait of a Lady' (1996)
Jane Campion directs this lush adaptation of Henry James' novel of the same name. It centers around a naïve American heiress Isabel Archer,played by the talented Nicole Kidman, who travels to Europe to find herself. There, she meets a compatriot, Madame Serena Merle (Barbara Hershey), who she takes a liking to. Preyed upon and manipulated by her supposed friend, Isabel marries Gilbert Osmond (John Malkovich), a devious and callous art collector who drops his romantic facade after she becomes his wife. Madame Serena and Gilbert have set a trap to steal her fortune.
A Visually Lush, Introspective Historical Drama
Among the phenomenal cast are also Christian Bale, Mary-Louise Parker, Viggo Mortensen, Shelley Winters, Richard E. Grant, John Gielgud, and Shelley Duvall. If you like seeing the experiences and struggles of the women inThe Gilded Age, you’ll appreciate the feminist undercurrents of this film. Isabel’s journey mirrors the conflicts Marian, Gladys, Peggy, and others face. The exploration of personal freedom, low morals, and the tragedy of innocence inThe Portrait of a Ladymake it a rich watch for fans of the show.
5’Washington Square' (1997)
Washington Square
Washington Squareis another period drama adapted from a Henry James novel. Set in mid-19th-century New York, the story revolves around Catherine Sloper (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the only daughter of a fashionable and respected physician (Albert Finney). The young woman is shy and lacks the social graces expected of someone of her class, making her only redeemable quality in the eyes of society the wealth she is set to inherit. It comes as a surprise when the handsome Morris Townsend (Ben Chaplin) takes an interest in her. Catherine becomes torn between a life alone or marrying a manher overbearing fatherpresumes is only after her money.
A Heartbreaking Tale of Love, Money, and Deception
Similar to many of the female characters inThe Gilded Age, Catherine is confined by societal expectations and controlled by her family. Both the movie and the series depict how isolating and horrifying the world could be for women then. Fans of the show will be captivated by this tale of a young woman learning the price of independence, picking up on many parallels to Marian and Gladys' emotional awakening. Like the Russells' daughter, Catherine has to navigate family pride and betrayal.
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4’The House of Mirth' (2000)
The House of Mirth
Based on another novel by Edith Wharton,The House of Mirthis set in New York in the late 1800s.The incredible Gillian Anderson(The X-Files) stars as socialite Lily Bart, who, despite being of high birth, is penniless. In order to maintain her status and the comfortable life she’s accustomed to, as well as to settle some debts, she must marry rich, but her affections lie with the poor lawyer Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz). Several missteps lead her into a slow and devastating downward spiral.
A Visually Splendid and Devastating Tale
The House of Mirthexamines the price of status for women during the Gilded Age, but differs from the HBO show. Whereas Bertha Russell conquers high society through wealth, ruthlessness, and sheer will, Lily becomes a victim of its oppressive rules. LikeThe Gilded Age, the film captures the subtle cruelties, confinement, and brutal elegance of the upper class with breathtaking precision.
3’Vanity Fair' (2004)
Julian Fellowes adapted this screenplay based on William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1848 novel of the same name.Reese Witherspoon leads the castas the orphaned Becky Sharp, a determined and cunning young woman eager to ascend the social ladder in 19th-century England. She uses wit, manipulation, and her allure to achieve her aims. Among the cast are Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Gabriel Byrne, James Purefoy, and Romola Garai.
A Look Into the Upper Crust of 19th-Century England
Like Bertha and other characters inThe Gilded Age, Becky’s pursuit of wealth and status comes at a moral cost. Becky shares an outsider status with the new-money Russell matriarch. Both do whatever it takes to succeed in their quest to conquer high society and make a name for themselves, fearless when it comes to disrupting the social order and making questionable choices. If you’re dazzled by the show’s beautiful costumes, you’ll like the costume design inVanity Fair, which won a Satellite Award.
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2’Belle' (2013)
Loosely inspired by a remarkable true story and set in late 18th-century England,Bellebrings to life Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the biracial daughter of Royal Navy Captain Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode). Raised as a free noblewoman by her aristocratic great-uncle Lord William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson), Dido becomes an heiress and plays a part inthe abolitionist movement, falling in love with an idealistic lawyer named John Davinier (Sam Reid) along the way.
A Strong Central Female Protagonist
Belleis a standout against period dramas for its willingness to confront race head-on. The film shares many themes withThe Gilded Age, like racial inequality, social justice, class, resilience, and social expectations. Fans of Peggy Scott will find Dido’s story deeply resonating, as it echoes the way she finds herself caught between privilege and prejudice.
1’The Great Gatsby' (2013)
The Great Gatsby
With this highly stylized film, Baz Luhrmann brings to the screen F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classicThe Great Gatsby, the representative literature ofthe Roaring Twentiesand its decadence. Tobey Maguire is Nick Carraway, a writer and bond salesman who narrates the story of how he met and became friends with the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) on Long Island, New York. Nick’s cousin, the beautiful but shallow Daisy Buchanan (Carrey Mulligan), is central to the story. Having spent years pining for her, Gatsby flaunts his wealth and throws opulent parties to attract the attention of his lost love. Observing as an outsider, Nick takes note of the moral shortcomings, hypocrisies, and carelessness of the upper class.
A Heartbreaking Character Study
The Great Gatsbystunningly captures the excitement and opulence of the Jazz Age. The movie explores the same old money and new money clashes depicted inThe Gilded Age, with Gatsby mirroring the Russells' desire for acceptance. In this story, behind the glitzy veneer of the American dream, there’s only emptiness and illusion.
