Films set at grand country estates, please, Jeeves?
October 31, 2010 9:05 PM Subscribe
I'm in the mood for films set in days-gone-by at grand country estates, particularly those that center around (or at least include scenes of) large groups of guests. Examples that immediately spring to mind (and which I loved) include Gosford Park, The Remains of the Day, La Règle du Jeu, etc. I ring the bell for the butler and ask for more!
Depends on what you count as "films," but the Laurie/Fry Jeeves and Wooster shows have that setting. Except for the ones in New York.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:10 PM on October 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:10 PM on October 31, 2010 [3 favorites]
The Age of Innocence (based on the Edith Wharton novel)
Also anything based on a Henry James novel.
The most recent (and probably earlier) adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:16 PM on October 31, 2010
Also anything based on a Henry James novel.
The most recent (and probably earlier) adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:16 PM on October 31, 2010
The Importance of Being Earnest contains country estate hijinks (plus the 2002 movie has Colin Firth).
posted by purlgurly at 9:33 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by purlgurly at 9:33 PM on October 31, 2010
Also, any of the Jane Eyre adaptations? I think there's actually a new movie version coming soon.
posted by purlgurly at 9:35 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by purlgurly at 9:35 PM on October 31, 2010
Jeeves and Wooster witht Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry. You won't regret it.
posted by pseudonick at 9:51 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by pseudonick at 9:51 PM on October 31, 2010
Best answer: The writer of Gosford Park has a TV series on ITV over in the UK called Downton Abbey, starring Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern and various others. It should be on DVD at some point. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downton_Abbey
posted by teedee2000 at 9:53 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by teedee2000 at 9:53 PM on October 31, 2010
I just came here to recommend Downton Abbey too. We caught the first episode when we were in the UK, and have been hooked ever since. It's quite heavily focused on the respective lives of the upstairs and downstairs groups, and how they interact. Well written and very well acted.
posted by damonism at 10:08 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by damonism at 10:08 PM on October 31, 2010
Brideshead Revisited. I haven't seen the recent movie adaptation, but the original BBC series is superb.
posted by dersins at 10:28 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by dersins at 10:28 PM on October 31, 2010
This may be a little too days gone by, but it's pretty much every episode of the Tudors. Most of it is indoors, but occasionally large events outdoors, as well.
posted by SpacemanStix at 10:49 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by SpacemanStix at 10:49 PM on October 31, 2010
One of the major plot threads in Cranford involves Lady Ludlow (one of the main characters) and her estate, Hanbury Court. Admittedly, Cranford is another not-a-film-but-a-TV-series example, but I really enjoyed it and I think you may like it as well. If you're pressed for time and have to choose only one episode, I'd go with the one that features Lady Ludlow's big garden party, which I believe is in episode 2 (of the original series, not Return to Cranford). (Tangential note: One of the filming locations for Hanbury Court was Syon House, which was also a location for Gosford Park and many other films and series.)
You mentioned The Remains of the Day so you may have already seen this movie, but I would kick myself if I didn't mention that Howards End (one of my all-time favorite films) has scenes that fit your criteria. In particular, there's a wedding set at an estate in Shropshire (actually filmed near Shropshire, at Brampton Bryan in Herefordshire).
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:15 PM on October 31, 2010
You mentioned The Remains of the Day so you may have already seen this movie, but I would kick myself if I didn't mention that Howards End (one of my all-time favorite films) has scenes that fit your criteria. In particular, there's a wedding set at an estate in Shropshire (actually filmed near Shropshire, at Brampton Bryan in Herefordshire).
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:15 PM on October 31, 2010
BTW, Cranford has just five episodes, so it's more like a mini-series. If possible, I'd recommend watching the first couple of episodes at least. Return to Cranford is much shorter by comparison, since it's a two-episode special. (Each episode is an hour.)
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:48 PM on October 31, 2010
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:48 PM on October 31, 2010
Smiles of a Summer Night
The Shooting Party
Peter's Friends
L'invitation
I Capture the Castle
The Go-Between
Barry Lyndon
The Draughtsman's Contract
posted by Iridic at 12:11 AM on November 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Shooting Party
Peter's Friends
L'invitation
I Capture the Castle
The Go-Between
Barry Lyndon
The Draughtsman's Contract
posted by Iridic at 12:11 AM on November 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Enchanted April is good, though the estate is a villa in Italy.
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0101811/
The old Miss Marple series has some great estate scenes.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=_LqOS1cvIDM
posted by Ventre Mou at 5:51 AM on November 1, 2010
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0101811/
The old Miss Marple series has some great estate scenes.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=_LqOS1cvIDM
posted by Ventre Mou at 5:51 AM on November 1, 2010
Stephin Merrit of the Magnetic Fields just curated a film series on this theme.
posted by neroli at 7:09 AM on November 1, 2010
posted by neroli at 7:09 AM on November 1, 2010
Vatel is set in a grand French country estate. Lots of guests, including the King.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 7:32 AM on November 1, 2010
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 7:32 AM on November 1, 2010
Ones you might not have seen already:
The Duchess
The Pallisers
Mansfield Park
Aristocrats
Brideshead Revisited
The Crown Prince
Berkeley Square
Daniel Deronda
Marie Antoinette
Asian versions in a similar -witty conversation, sumptuously aristocratic environment, intelligently entertaining- direction:
The Last Emperor
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
The Chess Players
You probably saw already:
Dangerous Liasons
Vanity Fair
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Madness of King George
A Room With a View
posted by nickyskye at 11:52 AM on November 1, 2010
The Duchess
The Pallisers
Mansfield Park
Aristocrats
Brideshead Revisited
The Crown Prince
Berkeley Square
Daniel Deronda
Marie Antoinette
Asian versions in a similar -witty conversation, sumptuously aristocratic environment, intelligently entertaining- direction:
The Last Emperor
Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love
The Chess Players
You probably saw already:
Dangerous Liasons
Vanity Fair
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Madness of King George
A Room With a View
posted by nickyskye at 11:52 AM on November 1, 2010
Response by poster: Lots of great suggestions filling up the Netflix queue... thanks!
posted by scody at 12:02 PM on November 1, 2010
posted by scody at 12:02 PM on November 1, 2010
I was going to suggest Peter's Friends last night, and Iridic did so in a fine list: it's a contemporary comedy of manners (and manors) with an eye on the past. Luvvietastic, which sometimes turns people against it, but well worth a look.
posted by holgate at 12:46 PM on November 1, 2010
posted by holgate at 12:46 PM on November 1, 2010
It's not out on a grand country estate, the setting is a Manhattan apartment, but metropolitan does fit your bill.
posted by fizzix at 2:18 PM on November 1, 2010
posted by fizzix at 2:18 PM on November 1, 2010
The Last Station is set at Tolstoy's country estate.
posted by jayder at 11:49 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by jayder at 11:49 AM on November 2, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by 517 at 9:08 PM on October 31, 2010