Top Ten Renaissance Films

Poll Results: Here are the most popular period dramas set during the Renaissance after tallying up everyone's votes.
Thanks to all who took part! (3000 votes cast in all)

Six of the top 10 dramas are based on Shakespeare - 5 of them based on his works while one is a fictional account of a doomed love affair which inspired one of his plays. Three of the dramas are based on the Tudors - 2 of King Henry VIII and the other of his daughter Elizabeth I. And the final film, sitting on top as the most-watched film from this era is a retelling of Cinderella that has a special place in our hearts ♥

#1 Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)
Drew Barrymore and Dougray Scott
(viewed by 92% of voters)


#2 Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes
(viewed by 90% of voters)


#3 Elizabeth (1998)
Cate Blanchett, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush
(viewed by 75% of voters)(tie)


#3 Romeo and Juliet (1996)
Leo DiCaprio & Claire Danes
(viewed by 75% of voters)(tie)


#5 The Other Boleyn Girl (2007)
Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannson, Eric Bana
(viewed by 63% of voters)


#6 Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
Kenneth Branagh, Robert Sean Leonard, Emma Thompson,
Keanu Reeves, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Kate Beckinsale
(viewed by 60% of voters)


#7 The Tudors (2007-10)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Natalie Dormer,
Sam Neill, James Frain, Henry Cavill, Jeremy Northam...
(viewed by 58% of voters)


#8 Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Leonard Whiting & Olivia Hussey
(viewed by 53% of voters)


#9 A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999)
Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett,
Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Dominic West
(viewed by 51% of voters)


#10 Hamlet (1996)
Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie,
Kate Winslet, Nicholas Farrell, Richard Briers
(viewed by 47% of voters)

See original post on Renaissance Dramas
See dramas from other eras

Top Ten Georgian Films

Here are the poll results of the most watched period dramas set during the Georgian era. Note: this poll did not include dramas set during the Regency years as a previous poll already covered those films specifically and was posted here: Top Ten Regency Films. Here are the top dramas set during the years 1714-1830 (11 are listed since two films were tied for 10th place).

Thanks to all who voted! (4300+ votes cast)

#1 Wuthering Heights
(viewed by 91%)

#2 The Duchess
(viewed by 85%)

#3 Marie Antoinette
(viewed by 85%)

#4 Amadeus
(viewed by 75%)

#5 The Patriot
(viewed by 72%)

#6 The Last of the Mohicans
(viewed by 67%)

#7 Amazing Grace
(viewed by 64%)

#8 Dangerous Liasons
(viewed by 59%)

#9 The Scarlet Pimpernel
(viewed by 53%)

#10 Horatio Hornblower
(viewed by 49%)

#10 Swiss Family Robinson
(viewed by 49%)

Poll is still open, you can vote here.

See more films from Georgian and other eras

POLL: Which of these Medieval films have you seen?

Here is the next poll in the series of period dramas sorted by era. This time, we go further back in history to the Medieval Ages (500-1500). Is this an era that suits your fancy? I invite you to vote for each of the various dramas below that you've watched from the days of chivalry, battles and romance.

If you want to refresh your memory
and see DVD covers from the movies listed in the poll,
the images can be found here.

Top Ten Regency Films

Here are the poll results of the most-watched Regency-era period dramas. As expected, the adaptations based on Jane Austen's work topped the list. Thanks to all who took the time to vote! (5600 films tallied)

~ Here are the Top Ten ~
(percentage shown refers to voters who have viewed that drama, any version)

#1 Pride and Prejudice 95%
Greer Garson & Laurence Olivier (1940)
Elizabeth Garvie & David Rintoul (1980)
Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth (1995)
Keira Knightley & Matthew Macfadyen (2005)

#2 Emma 93%
Doran Godwin & John Carson (1972)
Gwyneth Paltrow & Jeremy Northam (1996)
Kate Beckinsale & Mark Strong (1996)
Romola Garai & Jonny Lee Miller (2009)

#3 Sense and Sensibility 92%
Irene Richards & Tracey Childs (1981)
Emma Thompson & Kate Winslet (1995)
Hattie Morahan & Charity Wakefield (2008)

#4 Persuasion 89%
Ann Firbank & Bryan Marshall (1971)
Amanda Root & Ciarán Hinds (1995)
Sally Hawkins & Rupert Penry-Jones (2007)

#5 Mansfield Park 84%
Sylvestra Le Touzel & Nicholas Farrell (1983)
Frances O'Connor & Jonny Lee Miller (1999)
Billie Piper & Blake Ritson (2007)

#6 Becoming Jane 81%
Anne Hathaway & James McAvoy (2007)

#7 Northanger Abbey 80%
Katharine Schlesinger & Peter Firth (1987)
Felicity Jones & JJ Feild (2007)

#8 Vanity Fair 58%
Natasha Little (1998)
Reese Witherspoon (2004)

#9 Count of Monte Cristo 56%
Richard Chamberlain (1975)
Gerard Depardieu (1999)
James Cavaziel (2002)

#10 Miss Austen Regrets 51%
Olivia Williams (2008)


And two more dramas which were right behind #10 with number of votes:
Lost in Austen and Bright Star
(viewed by 50% and 49% respectively)

POLL: Which of these Renaissance films have you seen?

Are you a fan of the Renaissance era?
How many of these dramas have you seen?

I've already done polls for several Edwardian, Georgian and Regency eras so thought I would put this one out to see how much everyone embraces this time in history! I'm trying to think of a way to conduct a poll of Victorian films but there are so many to include!

POLL: Which of these GEORGIAN-ERA films have you seen?

Here is a selection of period dramas set during the Georgian era (1714-1830).
(See also: films from other eras including the Regency era which I've listed separately)

Are you a fan of this era?
Which films have you seen?

Top Ten Edwardian Films

I realized that I never posted the results for the poll for Edwardian-era Films posted back in October. I've also added a few more films to that category since then (Iron Jawed Angels, Dean Spanley, Christy, The Last Station, Séraphine and Out of Africa) which are not included in the poll.

Thanks to all who voted! (3300 votes cast)

Here are the Top Ten
(Most Watched Films of the Edwardian era)

#1 Titanic
(no surprise there considering the box office that the film enjoyed!)

#2 Finding Neverland
#3 My Fair Lady
#4 The Importance of Being Earnest













#5 A Little Princess
#6 Anne of Green Gables
#7 Miss Potter













#8 A Room with a View
#9 Howard's End
#10 Doctor Zhivago














Downton Abbey came in at #11 which I anticipate would be higher up in the ranks if the poll better reflected recent viewings!

Top Ten British Monarchy Films

The reigns of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth I and II, George VI, King Arthur, Henry VIII and Lady Jane Grey (The Nine Days' Queen) are the topics of the Top Ten Watched in the Poll of British Monarchy Films. These films are a wonderful way to step back in time to the royal courts of Britain starring such familiar faces as: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannson, Eric Bana, Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyer, Helena Bonham Carter and Cary Elwes.

Thanks to all who voted! (5700 votes cast)
Here are the Top Watched British Monarchy Films

#1 The Young Victoria
(watched by 96% of those polled)
Starring Emily Blunt & Rupert Friend

#2 Elizabeth (76%)
#3 The King's Speech (75%)
#4 The Other Boleyn Girl (74%)













The Queen (64%)
King Arthur (61%)
Elizabeth: Golden Age (61%)













The Tudors (59%)
Mrs. Brown (50%)
Lady Jane (45%)














I'm not sure why I placed Shakespeare in Love in the poll since its primary focus isn't on Queen Elizabeth I although she is featured in the film. I've removed the film from the results even though it was watched by 85% of those polled, placing it technically at #2.