Javert recognizes and denounces Valjean, but not before the mayor falls in love with the lovely Fantine, a penniless streetwalker who soon dies of consumption. Ten years later, Valjean has set himself up as the respected mayor of the community of Vigau, when his old nemesis Javert arrives in town as the new police chief. For those unfamiliar with Hugo's tale, Les Misérables begins outside of Paris in the early 19th century, when the recently paroled convict Valjean receives a new lease on life from an aging priest who parts with his silver in order to return his charge to the hands of God. August is a master of distinctive shots and glowering close-ups (Thurman's woebegone Madonna/whore Fantine is almost always seen in grimy, gritty detail) and production manager Ales Komarek makes the most out of the film's Czech, Polish, and French location work. That said, this version by director Bille August (Pelle the Conqueror) holds together extremely well it's full of rich, dark hues and excellent overall casting that's highlighted by a bulky Neeson as the convict-turned-mayor-turned-redemptive archetype Jean Valjean and Rush as the grimly determined, obsessive-compulsive Inspector Javert. Here are some of our favorite period dramas streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Starz, and beyond.I should confess up front that after a cursory high school reading of the classic novel and a late-Eighties viewing of the Broadway phenomenon, this is actually my first brush with a cinematic version of Victor Hugo's sprawling, melodramatic epic.
We've also included Spanish-language picks, since period dramas are hardly limited by geographic region. And, fear not, there are quite a few sweeping romances. Some stories come from real-life events, while others are adapted from classic novels or are completely fictional glimpses into life during that particular era. Many period dramas are based in this era, the time of Shakespeare and the Tudors, or the 18th century, but we've also included a few that take place in the 20th century, too, like a series that chronicles working in a hospital at the turn of the century to a 1950s drama about the dangers of racism. Regency fans have a movie that looks at what life was like for a young Black woman in a wealthy family during that era then, of course, there's Bridgerton. For Tudor buffs, there's a series that ventures into the early days of King Henry VIII's notorious rule-through the eyes of his first wife.
The only question is: Where do you want to time-travel first?Įach of these shows and films explores an era in history, through the lenses of both the upper class and everyday people. With the push of a button, these TV series and movies act as instant portals into other eras. From elaborate costumes to sumptuous storylines (and the strong desire to live in a time other than the present)-there is so much to love about period dramas.
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