Thursday Movie Picks: Period Dramas

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This week's theme from Wandering Through The Shelves is a reoccurring one - Period Dramas! The week where I have to force myself not to choose the same movies over and over because there are so many that I just adore. I decided to go with more recent watches this time around. Here's what I came up with.


1) The Wonder - This little Netflix gem starring Florence Pugh who basically says "fuck these religious extremists" was a great find last year. Highly recommend.


2) Lady Chatterly's Lover -  I really hope they paid the intimacy coordinator AT LEAST $500,000 because these sex scenes....wow. 


3) The Woman King - I'm still annoyed at this film getting zero Oscar nominations. How anyone watches this and does not immediately think it's deserving of several is beyond me. 

Comments

  1. joel65913May 11, 2023 at 3:08 PM

    For actual films that you picked I'm 0 for 3 but I have seen the 1981 film version of Lady Chatterley's Lover with Sylvia Kristal & Nicholas Clay which was also very steamy and frequently quite naked. The source book has been on my to read list for ages.

    Of the other two The Woman King is one I plan on watching just haven't gotten to it yet. I think I've heard of The Wonder but I don't have Netflix.

    I took a page from Birgit’s book of focusing on Bette Davis for her picks and chose Bette's good friend Olivia de Havilland for my three.

    Of course, I was mightily tempted to go with one of the biggest period pix of all, Gone With the Wind, where she is so memorable as the self-sacrificing Melanie but decided that was grabbing low hanging fruit so I went a little wider.

    First up her titanic turn in The Heiress (1949) which won her a most richly deserved second Oscar. She is brilliant but the whole film is loaded with splendid work, an essential watch.

    Next would be My Cousin Rachel (1952) based on the Daphne du Maurier novel (she also wrote Rebecca) which while a decent film and beautifully produced is missing some magic element to take it to the next level of being great. Interesting to see her playing against the young Richard Burton though.

    Last and a personal favorite is The Strawberry Blonde (1941) with Olivia, James Cagney, Jack Carson and Rita Hayworth on loan from Columbia. A very sweet film about two frenemies (Cagney and Carson) who both pursue dream girl Rita with many bumps along the way including one in the form of Rita’s best friend Amy (Olivia) until they find out that dreams might not be all they are cracked up to be. Ann Sheridan was cast originally in Rita's role but was feuding with Warners and went on suspension rather than do the film which opened the door for Rita. The film and she in it were big hits and helped move her career forward once she went back to her home studio. The film itself is just such a charmer. I try to watch it at least once a year.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamMay 12, 2023 at 3:23 PM

      I am not well versed with Olivia de Havilland and need to make up for that. I'll make sure when I do, I start with Strawberry Blonde! I think if you ever got Netflix, you'd probaby like The Wonder. Not very showy, but very good.

      Delete
  2. BirgitMay 11, 2023 at 3:17 PM

    I gave yet to see your last pick but I want to. I hear nothing but raves for it. I'm kind of bored by sex scenes...I'd rather see the original movie. God..I'm getting old...lol

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    1. Brittani BurnhamMay 12, 2023 at 3:22 PM

      IDK those sex scenes are kind of life changing. Like..they look so real lol

      Delete
  3. thevoid99May 11, 2023 at 3:56 PM

    3 films that I NEED to see. I haven't had the time due to my 2-year old hurricane of a niece and my 4-year old nephew.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamMay 12, 2023 at 3:21 PM

      Those are challenging ages! I stand by that 4 is harder than 2 and 3. My kid was a terror at 4 lol

      Delete
  4. Wandering Through The ShelvesMay 12, 2023 at 11:49 AM

    I really like The Wonder, such a surprise gem. Have you seen Outlander? What is faced by Lib reminds me a lot of Claire in Outlander, she is also a nurse and later doctor who faced extreme superstitious and religious beliefs and it was worse for her since in the 18th century people would kill those they think are witches. And look how little certain societies have evolved, as recent years have shown, with people being so anti-science and refusing to take the advice of medical professionals.

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamMay 12, 2023 at 3:21 PM

      I watched the first half of season 1 of Outlander when I had a free Starz preview once. It's was okay! I've never had much desire to subscribe to Starz, so I haven't kept up with it.

      Delete
  5. ThePunkTheoryJune 3, 2023 at 3:35 AM

    I haven't seen any of your picks yet, but I definitely want to see them. Well, except maybe for Lady Chatterley 😅

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    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJune 6, 2023 at 7:49 AM

      IDK Lady Chatterley's Lover is quite the experience.

      Delete

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