3) A Room With A View
If you think all period dramas are dull tales of repressed English aristocrats, then check out A Room With a View for proof to the contrary.
Based on E.M. Forster’s novel, A Room with a View follows the fortunes of Lucy (Helena Bonham Carter) and her cousin Charlotte (Maggie Smith) as they travel through Italy. There they meet George (Julian Sands), a depressive young man traveling with his father (Denholm Elliot). George and Lucy fall in love, but are separated by the propriety of early 20th Century England. When they meet again back in England, the romance once again blossoms, but Lucy is already engaged to the demanding Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day-Lewis).
A Room with a View defies expectations: there’s a good bit of male nudity, an impassioned romance, and a young woman attempting to break free of the constraints of her society. It’s a well-made melodrama, faithful to its source material without sacrificing its cinematic structure. Even if you’re not a fan of period dramas, it’s worth a look.