Though most people might not remember this unit in their history class, The Gilded Age’s culture and fashion have been all over the media recently. In January, HBO released the highly acclaimed and extremely popular show,The Gilded Age, starring legends of the stage and screen likeChristine Baranski,Cynthia Nixon, andCarrie Coon. And just this past May, the guests of the Met Gala showcased their best fashion looks for “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” with the theme focusing specifically on the looks and style of the Gilded Age in America.
Many stars likeBlake LivelyandRiz Ahmeddid their homework and brought outfits that were accurate and beautiful, but many other stars seemed confused as to when or what the Gilded Age was actually like. For those of you who watched at home with confused looks on your face, here’s a list of some of the most accurate, interesting, and stylistically intriguing depictions of one of the most important eras in American history.
Related:‘The Gilded Age’ Season 2 Adds Laura Benanti, Robert Sean Leonard & More
The Age of Innocence (1993)
MostMartin Scorseseflickstake place in the gritty underbelly of New York between the 1960s and the 1980s. For this film, Scorsese stayed in the same location but instead focused on the romantic dealings of the city’s Gilded Age upper classes.The Age of Innocencefollows Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), a successful lawyer who has just become engaged to May Welland (Winona Ryder) but soon falls in love with her scandalous divorced older cousin Countess Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer). Scorsese may have been out of his comfort zone, but it doesn’t show. As an audience, we get to see what the author of the novel,Edith Wharton, had intended for us to see such as the hypocrisy, the boredom, and the gossip that marks this decadent world. That coupled with a career-best performance from Pfeiffer, makes it a classic.
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Ragtime (1981)
Based on the all-encompassing and brilliantly written book byEL Doctorow,Ragtimenot only delves into the world of the upper classes but the racial tensions and class struggles that marked the era. Though the film has many different subplots, the main story revolves around a young black pianist, Coalhouse Walker Jr (Howard Rollins), who becomes involved in the lives of an upper-class white family and is later plagued by racial violence and turns to his own form of vigilante justice. What follows is an unflinching and sympathetic look at society’s forgotten and the inclination towards terrorism when pushed into a corner. Though directorMilos Formangrew up far from the United States, the film brings a deeper understanding of American race and class relations than most others. This is a great choice for any history nerds out there!
Stream on Starz
Hello Dolly (1969)
In thisGene Kelly-directed musical,Barbra Streisandshines as a vibrant woman with a penchant for matchmaking. InHello, Dolly!, the titular character, Dolly Levi, travels to Yonkers, New York in order to see to it that the miserly half-a-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau), gets married but brings more couples together along the way. While many of the other films on this list are sober examinations of a historical period, this film is just a fun, musical romp! Though Streisand was a bit too young for the role, she takes it on with playful confidence that is a joy to watch! With great songs like “It Only Takes a Moment” and “Put On Your Sunday Clothes”, this is a wonderfully delicious musical.
Stream on Disney+
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
Though most people think thatOrson Welles’best work isCitizen Kane,The Magnificent Ambersonshas stood the test of time as a thought-provoking family portrait. The film follows the spoiled young heir to the Amberson fortune as the rise of the modern automobile age leads to the family’s social and personal decay. Though Welles lost control of the edit and the production was plagued by the Studio’s overreaching arm, the final product is touching and accurate. Starring legends of the screen likeJoseph Cotten,Agnes Moorehead, andAnne Baxter, this classic should definitely not be forgotten!
Rent on Amazon Prime Video
Washington Square (1997)
Based on the novel of the same name byHenry James, this romantic drama shows how isolating and horrifying the Gilded Age upper-class world could be.Washington Squarefollows Catherine Sloper (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a spinster heiress, who is courted by a younger, handsome, and penniless man and must decide whether to live alone or risk marrying a man who is only interested in her because of her money. Many may be familiar with the other adaptation of the Henry James classic,The HeiressstarringOlivia De HavillandandMontgomery Clift, but this newer adaptation delves into greater depths and is able to contain much more nuance and gray areas.
The Portrait of a Lady (1996)
Jane Campionrecently won the Oscar for Best Directorat the Academy Awards for her filmThe Power of the Dog, but years before that she adapted a different book, the Henry James novel,The Portrait of a Lady. Her film of the same name centers around the story of Isabel Archer, an innocent young woman of independent means who is manipulated by her “friend” Madame Merle, and the devious Gilbert Osmond. Like many other Gilded Age stories, this is the tragedy of the innocent being torn apart by the low morals of upper-class acquaintances and fake friends and because of that it really strikes a chord. Featuring brilliant actors likeNicole Kidman,John Malkovich, andBarbara Hershey, this is certainly a highlight of Campion’s career.
The Portrait of a Ladyis currently not available on-demand or on streaming. However,the Blu-ray is available to buy on Amazon.
Related:‘The Gilded Age’ Review: It’s Old vs. New Money in Julian Fellowes' Darker, Glitzier ‘Downton’ Follow-Up
Hester Street (1975)
The Gilded Age is often viewed through the eyes of Americans, butHester Streettakes a different point of view. The film focuses on the lives of recent Jewish immigrants living in Manhattan tenement buildings at the turn of the century. Yankel, a handsome young Jewish man, arrives in the city and enjoys the privileges and pleasures America has to offer until his traditional wife and son finally come, and he is forced to take on far greater responsibility. Considering the fact that this movie was directed by a woman (Joan Micklin Silver), shot in black and white, and had much of the dialogue spoken in Yiddish, it is a miracle the film was even made, let alone appreciated. Joan Micklin Silver tells a uniquely Jewish-American story with such delicate refinement that we sometimes forget that it all takes place in the unclean and overcrowded tenements of New York!
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