Favorite Costume Dramas.

I love British period films. Give me good old BBC any day of the week. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites here (keep in mind, this is really only a few). I tried to include some (maybe) less heard of ones, and not bother to include all the more well known ones. Namely, all/most of Jane Austen's stuff.

He Knew He was Right. I love, love, love this mini series. The book is good, the movie better. It's intense, and funny, and sweet. And the acting is excellent. Oh, but the end is sad. So, keep tissues handy.

Room With A View. A total classic. I've easily seen this a hundred times, and it never gets old. There is a newer version, but I prefer Daniel Day Lewis.

Remains of the Day. It has Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins, so everything about this is good. And very thought provoking.

Jane Eyre. I've seen every version, and this is my favorite (2006). Plus, Toby Stephens is Maggie Smith's son, so it's kinda awesome.

Little Women. Love that movie, and the version with Susan Sarandon and Winona Ryder is my favorite. I love watching it every year around Christmas time, but really, it's great to watch any time ;)

Bleak House (Charles Dickens). Dark and mysterious. It's good, but very dark and kinda heavy. Has a good ending though! This is also a mini-series, and it has Gillian Anderson (who's acting I love).

Little Dorrit (more Dickens). Very, very good. I just re-watched this, and I had forgotten how much I love the acting, and the story line. A mini-series as well, so prepare to do a lot of watching, if you start this.

Lorna Doone. One of my favorite movies. Everything wild, rugged, and Scottish. Does not follow the book at all (which is good, because I hated the book). Really, really good. 

Pride and Prejudice. I know, I know, everyone has their favorite version. Mine just happens to be the one with Colin Firth ;)

Howards End. Has pretty much all my favorite British actors. And is just a really good story. With beautiful, beautiful costumes. I've seen this movie so. many. times. And the best part is, it never gets old.

Middlemarch. It's the story of a small town (it's kinda like Cranford) and follows the stories of a few different couples. Another favorite.

North and South. Margaret Hale comes from the South, and had trouble adjusting to the ways of the North. It's wayyy less boring then it sounds ;) And it is not a civil war story, as the title might lead you to believe! It's a girl that lives in the laid back south (in England) and moves with her parents to the the industrialized North.

Bright Star. The story of John Keats. This movie is just plain beautiful. The whole thing. Absolutely lovely. A must watch, if you haven't before.

Wives and Daughters. Love, love, love. It's on my list of five top favorite movies. It's about exactly what the title says. And it's everything you want in a period film. Plot, acting, costumes, scenery, and more.

So, I didn't add any of the longer mini series, but if you're up for a bit of bingeing, Larkrise to Candleford, Cranford, Downton Abbey, Death Comes To Pemberly, Call the Midwife, Berkeley Square, The Paradise, Bramwell, and Foyle's War, are all good ones, for starters.

Also, a few more good movies that didn't make onto the list:  The Young Victoria, The Winslow Boy, A Passage To India, House Of Mirth, and any or all of Catherine Cookson.

related: Favorite Food Films and What We've Been Watching.

*all pictures are promotional/still shots from around the web.