In the 1800s, courtships and relationships played out very differently than they do today. There was a strong emphasis on marriage, so people didn’t just date for the fun of it, except in rare cases where there were illicit affairs. In many countries, dates were also supervised by chaperones (friends or family members), and they rarely took place in public venues. Two lovebirds would meet out in the open, and if that was impossible, they would communicate with each other through letters of intermediaries.
These kinds of dynamics brought about several challenges as well as unique moments of joy that could never be replicated today. To get a picture of what courtships and marriages were like in the era, romantics can watch the following movies. Packed with strong characters and driven by unique arcs, these films transport audiences into the minds and hearts of those who believed in love and did everything in their power to ensure they ended up with those they desired.
10Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Far from the Madding Crowd
Based on the David Nichols novel of the same name,Far from the Madding Crowdfollows Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) who catches the eye of a local farmer while living on her aunt’s farm in Dorset. He proposes and she declines. After a while, he falls into debt and moves elsewhere. Eventually, he gets a job offer as a farmhand and when he is introduced to his new employer, it turns out to be Bathsheba, who has just inherited her aunt’s farm.
Far from the Madding Crowdmainly impresses because it’s a feast for the eyes. The rural England setting enables the cinematographer to showcase the lush landscapes in the regular, creating the impression of a paradise, yet everything appears to be in turmoil.
There is also a female empowerment message in the movie. Though Bathsehba is being courted by three men, she focuses on creating wealth for herself first instead of getting married immediately. This way, she puts herself in a better position to choose the man that deserves her.
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9Bright Star (2005)
Bright Star
Jane Campton’sBright Startakes audiences back to 1818, where a young woman named Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) falls deeply for the standoffish Hampstead poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw). She becomes more attracted to him after reading one of his poetry books and even though he agrees to teach her how to write, he refuses to court her because he believes he has no money to support a wife.
Bright Starsheds light on yet another harsh reality of the 1800s. Men were expected to provide everything, so being poor meant staying unmarried. Fanny’s mother even makes this clear to her when she confesses how deeply in love she is with the poet. This is also the kind of movie where there is no happy ending. When one of Keats’ books finally sells well, tragedy strikes, preventing the two from marrying.
The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design thanks to its period-accurate attire. Most importantly, it’s a biographical movie that doesn’t deviate from actual history, making it one of the more recommendablemovies about real writers.
8Gone with the Wind (1939)
Gone with the Wind
Based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel of the same name,Gone with the Windtells the story of the Southern belle, Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh). In 1861, she falls in love with a man named Ashley Wilkins (Leslie Howard) and even after learning that he is married, she keeps trying to get his attention. Events soon take a wild turn, and she finds herself getting married to a different man.
Gone with the Windis regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, and when its box office figures are adjusted for inflation, it still ranks as the highest-grossing film ever made. It’s also credited with opening the doors for Black actors to be cast in major motion pictures. Thanks to her incredible performance, Hattie McDaniel became the first ever Black person to be nominated for an Oscar.
From a romance perspective, the movie brilliantly analyzes impractical love and loveless practicality. Scarlett loves one man, but she knows she cannot have him, so she married men who she doesn’t like but are guaranteed to offer her the stability she craves.
Romance Movies With Inappropriate Relationships
Some romances were never meant to be. Here are movie romance movies that cross over the line into inappropriate territory.
7Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Joe Wright’s feature directorial debut is based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same. The story centers around Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) who lives with her parents and sisters in rural Longbourn, England. Because she is the eldest child, she faces pressure to marry, and she considers taking that route when she is introduced to the aristocrat, Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen). However, Darcy’s personality flaws end up being an obstacle to the smooth progression of their relationship.
Pride and Prejudicegoes into detail to explain why marriage was somehow seen as life’s greatest achievement in the 1800s. Even more than a job, matrimony earned someone respect. The desperation for matrimony results in awkward and hilarious moments throughout the film. “Everyone behave naturally!" the girls’ mother, Mrs. Bennet, yells at them at one point when a suitor knocks at the door.
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6Sense and Sensibility (1995)
InSense and Sensibility,all is well for the Dashwood sisters until their parents die. Left with no finances, the elder sisters are forced to seek marriage in order to be able to take care of the younger ones. However, the journey to marriage isn’t an easy one.
Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) doesn’t know who to pick between the good-looking John Willoughby (Greg Wise) and the tough Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman). For her part, Elinor Dashwood has to deal with the fact that her suitor, Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) is already engaged.
Sense and Sensibilitytweaks various source material details for the better. In the novel of the same name, the male characters only appear occasionally, but in the movie, they are a main part of the proceedings, hence the romance arcs don’t feel one-sided. The chauvinistic mannerisms that they possess in the book are also eliminated. Here, they are depicted as modern males who are happy to spend time with children and discuss issues instead of enforcing their will.
5The Age of Innocence (1993)
The Age of Innocenceis undoubtedly one ofMartin Scorsese’s most underrated films. Events revolve around the wealthy attorney Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he looks forward to marrying the socialite May Welland (Winona Ryder) in 1800s New York. Their relationship initially seems perfect, but when May’s cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), arrives after separating from her husband, Newland falls for her.
Whenever Daniel Day-Lewis is in the cast, fans can always be guaranteed powerful performances and the same is the case here, though Winona Ryder impressed a lot more in her role as the scorned May Welland. Additionally, the film analyzes adult independence through Countess Ellen Olenskaa. She is frowned upon by the New York elite because she chooses happiness instead of sticking to a family unit, yet she is shown to be the happiest character. The film thus emphasizes the importance of following one’s own desires.
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4Jane Eyre (2011)
Cary Fukunaga’sJane Eyretraces the journey of the titular character (Mia Wasikowska) from childhood to adulthood. As a child, she suffers abuse both in school and at home. In adulthood, her life becomes slightly better, and she is appointed the governess at an estate belonging to a wealthy man named Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Jane soon begins dating her employer, but his unpredictability troubles her. Unfortunately, she discovers a dark secret he has been hiding.
Mia Wasikowskamight have left Hollywood, but she will always be remembered for her performance here. She radiates a sense of optimism at all times, making her character very likable. Even after finding out the truth about her new lover, Jane keeps her head high and figures out the next step without any franticness and anger.
Judi Dench also deserves praise for her performance as Rochester’s housekeeper. Her character is the only nice person in the movie, and the warmth and love she channels help counterbalance the overall melancholic mood.
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3The Young Victoria (2009)
The Young Victoria
The Young Victoriablends love and political machinations through the story of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt). Because she is the legitimate heir of King William, her uncle plots for her to marry Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Though the union is for political reasons, the two find themselves falling deeply in love and go on to build a happy life together. Martin Scorsese serves as one of the film’s producers.
The film was nominated for numerous awards, including four Oscars. The lengthy buildup to the relationship is mainly what makes it stand out. Despite the marriage being arranged early on, it takes a while for the two to be proper husband and wife. The correspondence between them develops slowly, first through letters and then through frequent meetings. Even intimacy takes forever to happen, so there is the impression that their love is truly something meaningful.
Stream it on MGM+
The 15 Best Slow-Burn Romance Movies of All Time
From While You Were Sleeping to Pride and Prejudice, let’s look at the fifteen best slow-burn romance movies of all time.
2Anna Karenina (2012)
One of thebest movies set in Imperial Russiais also one of the greatest romance stories of the 1800s. The central character is Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley), the wife of a powerful Russian imperial minister (Jude Law). Unhappy in her marriage, she starts sleeping with St. Petersburg cavalry officer, Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), creating a major scandal. Her husband then offers her two choices: go into exile with her lover or stay and be under his full control.
From the plot to the production design,Anna Karenina, is a practically flawless film, and at the 85th Academy Awards, it received four nominations, winning one for Best Costume Design.
When it comes to love in the era being discussed, the movie points out and condemns the problematic issue of a lack of choice when it came to dating in the 1800s. In today’s world, any woman married to a high-ranking government official can simply file for divorce if she wishes, but in Imperial Russia, it wasn’t that easy. Viewers will, therefore, find themselves appreciating how much society has changed for the better.
1Mansfield Park (1999)
Mansfield Parkfollows Fanny (Frances O’Connor), who gets sent to live with her rich uncle so that she can become cultured. She is generally treated unfairly, and her life becomes even harder when her uncle gives her an ultimatum to either marry a man who recently proposed to her or go back to her poor family. The film is based on the novel by Jane Austen.
The Patricia Rozema film hugely deviates from the book when it comes to characterization and themes, something that boosts its quality rather than deducting from it. For example, Fanny is frail and timid in the novel, whereas she is headstrong in the film, enabling her to easily deal with the challenges that come her way. Additionally, Rozema doesn’t shy away from depicting the sexual activities of the characters as a way to explain their moral positions, whereas the book mainly avoids any erotic descriptions.
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