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Entertainment June 28, 2017
Those handkerchiefs though.
Austen fans are coming out of the woodwork to geek out about the newest Civil War-era thriller, “The Beguiled.”
As period dramas retake their claim on the romance genre, we must ask ourselves the same, resounding question: Why does everyone swoon over these costume dramas? They don’t have the overt nudity of “Game of Thrones,” nor the prostitute-based plots of “West World.”
Nevertheless, people lose their minds over them. So if they basically have no sex at all, what makes period dramas so darn sexy?
The British accent, specifically, has seduced men and women alike for centuries — and there’s research to prove it. In a poll of 11,000 individuals in 24 different cities, British took the prize for most attractive accent.
There was no conclusive reason why this opinion resulted, but linguists have their speculations: “There’s a perception that British English is smarter and maybe that has to do with our idea of British people being smarter regardless of language,” linguist Emily Nguyen told Glamour magazine. Even linguists are still in the speculation stage — no one knows why those Brits sound so darn pretty.
Technically Colin Farrell has an Irish accent — but we’re willing to bet the effects are just as swoon-worthy in “The Beguiled.”
Although there is some conflict involved in the best period dramas (or else they would be insufferably boring), viewers tend to see a frilly, sugar-coated version of the era depicted. You know, like focusing on a dreamy, injured Northerner enchanting some sexually frustrated school girls… instead of on the endless horror of slavery or the ruthlessness of the Civil War pitting brother against brother. This helps the audience romanticize the time period, and it helps the box office make bank.
Carey Hagan, a writer for the Smithsonian, said much of “Gone with the Wind’s” success came from “the epic’s record-setting production costs, which brought elaborate wardrobes and new uses of Technicolor and sound to screen.” Not to mention most of the servants in the “Downton” estate had it a lot better than their historical counterparts.
So viewers get to watch gorgeous people prance around in British dreamland, splashed with a few psychological breakdowns. Quite idyllic!
In the post-Edwardian era, flirting wasn’t exactly the crap fest it is today (no unwanted photographs, thank goodness). Flirting was done much more discreetly — through handkerchief gestures, hat placement and even postage stamps. These subtleties forced romantic relationships to progress more slowly, which is the format most romance novelists urge writers to follow.
“The beauty of writing romance is the promise of what will be,” romance author Rhenna Morgan told Reader’s Digest. “Not just the happily-ever-after ending, but the beautiful tug that keeps a reader moving from page to page.” The best period dramas do this all too well. Before you know it, you have half the nation weeping over a dropped hanky.
Also, let’s be honest, ladies. Chivalry and respect — both timelessly sexy.
There’s a reason “The Real Housewives of Orange County” had eight different spin-off series after its premiere in 2006. There’s a reason Beverly Hills attracts tourists worldwide, despite the fact that its a bunch of tall hedges. The allure of wealth has always been intoxicating in film, and that attraction can often translate to relationships — even if the wealthy person isn’t that alluring.
Take Mr. Darcy, for example — he’s the most awkward human being on the planet, but he probably has more fanfiction written about him than all of the Avengers combined. Why? Because he’s British and loaded.
This one is ironic, since most good screenwriters will actually use period dramas to make a social commentary on modern society. However, viewers experience a comfortable distance from the social issues on screen — which allow us to be enthralled in the romantic subplots that much more.
“We love ‘Downton’ in part because we like to pretend that the United States is not classist,” S.E. Smith told Bitch Media magazine. “The rigid class division in the show seems lavish and quaint.” In this view, the class divisions only exist to increase the “forbidden love” aspect between characters. After all, you’re nothing like those hoity-toity British people. You don’t even own a horse!
Period dramas will always have a special place in our hearts. Whether the allure is the quaint accents or the abundance of crown molding, ladies in funny hats will keep PBS funded for years to come.
