OLD NEW YORK in Movies and Television

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Following the premiere of Julian Fellowes' new series, "THE GILDED AGE", I had decided to list some movies and television shows (in chronological order) that were also set in New York State and New York City during the 19th century - before, during and after the U.S. Civil War:

OLD NEW YORK IN MOVIES AND TELEVISION



1. "The Age of Innocence" (1934) - Irene Dunne and John Boles starred in this second film adaptation of Edith Wharton’s 1920 Pulitzer Prize winning novel about New York City society during the 1870s. Philip Moeller directed.



2. "Dragonwyck" (1946) - Gene Tierney, Vincent Price and Walter Huston starred in this adaptation of Anya Seton’s 1944 novel about the relationship between the daughter of a Connecticut farmer and her distant cousin, a Hudson River Valley estate owner (a patroon). Joseph L. Mankiewicz wrote and directed the film.



3. "Life With Father" (1947) - William Powell and Irene Dunne starred in this comedic adaptation of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s 1939 Broadway play about a Wall Street Broker and his family in the early 1880s. Michael Curtiz directed.



4. "The Heiress" (1949) - Oscar winner Olivia De Havilland starred with Montgomery Clift and Ralph Richardson in this adaptation of "Washington Square", Henry James’ 1880 short novel about a young woman in mid 19th century New York City who is torn between her father, a wealthy doctor, and a handsome young man who may or may not be a social climber. William Wyler directed.



5. "Hello Dolly!" (1969) - Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau starred in this colorful adaptation of Jerry Herman’s 1964 Broadway musical about a matchmaker in late 19th century New York City. Gene Kelly directed.



6. "The Age of Innocence" (1993) - Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfieffer and Winona Ryder starred in this third film adaptation of Edith Wharton’s 1920 Pulitzer Prize winning novel about New York City society during the 1870s. Martin Scorsese directed.



7. "Washington Square" (1997) - Jennifer Jason-Leigh starred with Albert Finney and Ben Chaplin in this adaptation of Henry James’ 1880 short novel about a young woman in mid 19th century New York City who is torn between her father, a wealthy doctor, and a handsome young man who may or may not be a social climber. Agnieszka Holland directed.



8. "Gangs of New York" (2002) - Martin Scorsese directed this historical drama, a loose adaptation of Herbert Asbury’s 1927 book, “The Gangs of New York”, about a young man who returns to the Five Points neighborhood in early 1860s New York City to avenge his father’s death. Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz starred.



9. "Copper” (BBC-America; 2012-2013) - Tom Fontana created this series about an Irish-immigrant police detective and the people in his life during the last year of the U.S. Civil War in New York City. Tom Weston-Jones, Ato Essandoh and Kyle Schmid starred.



10. "The Alienist" (TNT; 2018-2020) - Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans and Dakota Fanning starred in this television series and adaptation of the first two novels in Caleb Carr’s “Kreizler“ novel series about late 19th century psychiatrist (or "alienist") who investigates crimes committed by serial killers with an ad hoc team that includes a newspaper illustrator and a society woman who joins the New York City Police as a secretary.