Today is one of those cold, crisp, and rainy autumn days where I just want to curl up and read a cheesy romance novel. My favourites have always been historical romance novels set in the Regency or Georgian era. Ever since I watched Pride and Prejudice (the 1995 BBC version with Colin Firth), my tween heart was hooked on everything British. I remember staying up until 1am to record the series on tv by vhs (mh-hmm I'm from that era, lol). I started reading Jane Austen novels and got my hands on any BBC mini series I could find.
North and South (2004, BBC)
Margaret moves from the south to the north of England to a factory town with her parents and life is very different than the cushy country life she has known. She runs into this smouldering guy named John (very sturdy British name) who she deems to be cruel at their first meeting, but in the end they actually learn and grow from each other. Best slow kiss at the end! Lol.
Persuasion (2007, BBC)
Anne Elliott rejects a marriage proposal from the man she loves, Captain Frederick Wentworth, convinced by her family and a close friend that he has no money and is not good enough. 8 years later, her family find themselves in a difficult situation, due to her father's excessive lifestyle and she once again crosses paths with Captain Wentworth, who has now made a name and fortune for himself. Yaaaasssss!!! Awkward, lovely, and sigh worthy.
Northanger Abbey (2007)
Catherine Morland, our heroine, is a great lover of gothic novels. She meets Henry Tilney, and is invited by his family to stay at their family estate. Due to her obsession with Gothic novels, she has an over active imagination (basically) and gets herself into a embarrassing situation. Lovely and funny all at once!
Honorable MODERN MOVIE Mentions:
Austenland (2013)
A modern day heroine close to my heart, Jane Hayes has always had an obsession with Mr. Darcy from, you guessed it...Pride and Prejudice, the BBC version mentioned above. She decides to go to an Austen-themed resort, and hilarity and romance ensues. I don't think I've laughed and cheered so much while watching a movie. I totally got the character, lol. And the men are something else!
So that's it for my list of British Period Pieces that I absolutely love to watch! Enjoy and let me know if there's anything missing or one's I must absolutely see.
Since becoming a mom, trying to find the time to read a book has become quite the challenge. But of course, there is such a thing as multi-tasking, and with the internet (thank you!) I can still get my British Period Piece fixes from movies and do other task such as cooking, folding clothes, etc.
What I love about these movies (besides the men with their lovely British accents, ha, ha!) are that you just fall in love with the characters and want the relationship to work out. Everything is so slowly paced (like ridiculously slow), their relationships take the time to develop and really simmer. There are no straight into the bedroom scenes or make-out sessions, but lots of adoring eyes, shy glances, saucy retorts, fine clothes, and horseback riding scenes. I love it!! These movies always make me sigh at the end!
So if you're ever in the mood for some lovely romantic period pieces, take a look at my favourite list (with my quick synopsis's):
MINISERIES:
Pride and Prejudice (1995, BBC)
MY ABSOLUTE favourite love story. Smart but poor girl. Snobby but actually really nice guy. They learn from each other and realize they both have pride and prejudice (bayum!) But seriously, there's a a really nice water scene with Colin Firth that made him a household name for all the ladies, lol.
MY ABSOLUTE favourite love story. Smart but poor girl. Snobby but actually really nice guy. They learn from each other and realize they both have pride and prejudice (bayum!) But seriously, there's a a really nice water scene with Colin Firth that made him a household name for all the ladies, lol.
North and South (2004, BBC)
Margaret moves from the south to the north of England to a factory town with her parents and life is very different than the cushy country life she has known. She runs into this smouldering guy named John (very sturdy British name) who she deems to be cruel at their first meeting, but in the end they actually learn and grow from each other. Best slow kiss at the end! Lol.
Persuasion (2007, BBC)
Anne Elliott rejects a marriage proposal from the man she loves, Captain Frederick Wentworth, convinced by her family and a close friend that he has no money and is not good enough. 8 years later, her family find themselves in a difficult situation, due to her father's excessive lifestyle and she once again crosses paths with Captain Wentworth, who has now made a name and fortune for himself. Yaaaasssss!!! Awkward, lovely, and sigh worthy.
Northanger Abbey (2007)
Catherine Morland, our heroine, is a great lover of gothic novels. She meets Henry Tilney, and is invited by his family to stay at their family estate. Due to her obsession with Gothic novels, she has an over active imagination (basically) and gets herself into a embarrassing situation. Lovely and funny all at once!
MOVIES:
A Hazard of Hearts (1987)
Dame Barbara Cartland y'all!!! The queen of cheesy romance novels and a movie made in the 80's. What can get better than that? This is my guilty pleasure, short movie to watch. Not only does it have a young Helena Bonham Carter (which really made the movie better than it probably was!) but it has a great leading man (with a unibrow might I add...which I never thought could be sexy, but hey, the character proved me wrong, lol). Serena Staverley's father gambles her off in a game of Hazards and looses to a disgusting man. Lord Justin Vulcan decides to play for her because he feels sorry about the poor girl and wants to best his adversary, Lord Wrotham. He wins the game and also with it, Serena...duh, duh, dunnnnnn....
A Room With a View (1985)
Lucy Honeychurch goes on vacation to Italy, with her aunt. They're supposed to get a room with a view overlooking Florence, but end up getting a courtyard one instead. Another guest, Mr. Emerson and his son, George, offers his room to exchange with them. Romantic scenery, passionate kisses, just lovely...
Jane Eyre (2006, BBC)
A poor orphan, Jane is treated terribly by her extended family. She ends up getting sent to a boarding school for orphans where she grows up into a proper young woman. She accepts a position as a governess for a little french girl and meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester...so good. Mystery, intrigue, witty banter...yes, and yes!
Dame Barbara Cartland y'all!!! The queen of cheesy romance novels and a movie made in the 80's. What can get better than that? This is my guilty pleasure, short movie to watch. Not only does it have a young Helena Bonham Carter (which really made the movie better than it probably was!) but it has a great leading man (with a unibrow might I add...which I never thought could be sexy, but hey, the character proved me wrong, lol). Serena Staverley's father gambles her off in a game of Hazards and looses to a disgusting man. Lord Justin Vulcan decides to play for her because he feels sorry about the poor girl and wants to best his adversary, Lord Wrotham. He wins the game and also with it, Serena...duh, duh, dunnnnnn....
A Room With a View (1985)
Lucy Honeychurch goes on vacation to Italy, with her aunt. They're supposed to get a room with a view overlooking Florence, but end up getting a courtyard one instead. Another guest, Mr. Emerson and his son, George, offers his room to exchange with them. Romantic scenery, passionate kisses, just lovely...
Jane Eyre (2006, BBC)
A poor orphan, Jane is treated terribly by her extended family. She ends up getting sent to a boarding school for orphans where she grows up into a proper young woman. She accepts a position as a governess for a little french girl and meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester...so good. Mystery, intrigue, witty banter...yes, and yes!
Honorable MODERN MOVIE Mentions:
Austenland (2013)
A modern day heroine close to my heart, Jane Hayes has always had an obsession with Mr. Darcy from, you guessed it...Pride and Prejudice, the BBC version mentioned above. She decides to go to an Austen-themed resort, and hilarity and romance ensues. I don't think I've laughed and cheered so much while watching a movie. I totally got the character, lol. And the men are something else!
Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
Okay, okay, okay...I absolutely adore this movie. It's now a ritual of mine to watch it every December since it came out. Bridget Jones is my spirit sister. Awkward, clumsy, funny, a little flabby, and real. A play on Pride and Prejudice, our main man, Mark Darcy, also played by Colin Firth (say whaaaaat!!!), with Hugh Grant (as the devious, bad boy). This movie is hilarious!!!! Please, watch it!
Okay, okay, okay...I absolutely adore this movie. It's now a ritual of mine to watch it every December since it came out. Bridget Jones is my spirit sister. Awkward, clumsy, funny, a little flabby, and real. A play on Pride and Prejudice, our main man, Mark Darcy, also played by Colin Firth (say whaaaaat!!!), with Hugh Grant (as the devious, bad boy). This movie is hilarious!!!! Please, watch it!
So that's it for my list of British Period Pieces that I absolutely love to watch! Enjoy and let me know if there's anything missing or one's I must absolutely see.
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