Least Favorite Movie Period Dramas
Below is a list of ten of my least favorite movie period dramas:
LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE PERIOD DRAMAS
1. "Legends of the Fall" (1992) - Edward Zwick directed this dull and overrated adaptaion of Jim Harrison's 1979 novella about the lives of a Montana ranching family during the early 20th century. Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins starred.
2. "Barbary Coast" (1935) - Howard Hawks directed this turgid tale about an Eastern woman who arrives in San Francisco during the Gold Rush and comes between a corrupt gambler/saloon keeper and a miner. Miriam Hopkins, Edward G. Robinson and Joel McCrea starred.
3. "Mayerling" (1968) - Omar Sharif and Catherine Deneuve starred in this lavish, yet dull account of the tragic romance between Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and his mistress, Baroness Maria Vetsera. Terence Young directed.
4. "Idlewild" (2006) - André 3000 and Big Boi starred in this confusing and badly written musical set during Depression Era Georgia. Bryan Barber directed.
5. "Becky Sharp" (1935) - Miriam Hopkins earned a surprising Best Actress nomination (surprising to me) in this unsatisfying adaptation of William Makepeace Thackery's 1847-48 novel, "Vanity Fair". Directed by Rouben Mamoulian, the movie is known as being the first full-length production in Technicolor.
6. "Gods and Generals" (2003) - Stephen Lang, Jeff Daniels and Robert Duvall starred in this adaptation of Jeff Shaara's 1996 Civil War novel and prequel to the much superior 1993 movie, "Gettysburg". Ronald Maxwell directed.
7. "The Hindenburg" (1975) - Robert Wise directed this rather dull account of the Hindenburg air disaster. The movie starred George C. Scott and Anne Bancroft.
8. "Anna Karenna" (2012) - Joe Wright directed this stagey adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1877 novel. Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson starred.
9. "Glorious 39" (2009) - Stephen Poliakoff directed this slow and pretentious thriller about a young woman who discovers that her family are pro-appreasers who wish for Britain to seek peace with Nazi Germany on the eve of World War II. Romola Garai starred.
10. "Alice in Wonderland" (2010) - Tim Burton directed this dull and overrated adaptation of Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and 1871 novel, "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There". Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp starred.