The Viewing Files: English Guys Acting All Swoony

I'm just going to call this the swoony feels post.  There's romance and betrayals and secrets and hidden looks and dewey eyed close-ups and most importantly heroic men acting all sexy and manly.

Excuse me while I just fall into a puddle on the floor.

 

The Lady and the Highwayman

Starring: Hugh Grant

Original release: 1988

Synopsis: A damsel in distress and a ton of lace.

All dewy eyed soft focus closeups and Hugh Grant with a truly awful haircut. 

A Hazard of Hearts

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter

Original release: 1987

Synopsis: This never happened to Jane Austen

 

Romantic heroes, damsels in distress, dastardly devils and chaste romance galore... well it is Barbara Cartland after all.

 

On a side note: Marcus Gilbert made a rather good romantic hero. 

A Ghost in Monte Carlo

Starring: Marcus Gilbert... again

Original release: 1990

Synopsis: Something about romance

Revenge, betrayal and dastardly going ons, yep it's Barbara Cartland... again with more weak willed damsels, manly hero's and soft dewy eyed closeups.

Guilty pleasure viewing.

Impromptu

Starring: Hugh Grant, Julian Sands, Mandy Patinkin and Judy Davis

Original release: 1991

Synopsis: George Sand falls in love with Chopin whose horrified at the idea.

 

Artistic types being all bitchy and it's all just glorious fun.

A Room With a View

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands

Original release: 1985

Synopsis: A visit to Italy changes the course of a young woman's life.

 

Italian scenery, a lovely English manor house... and yet sadly the story itself doesn't quite work for me.

 

It's almost like it's trying too hard to be romantic and as a result you really don't get into the whole thing despite the efforts of the cast. Beautiful to look at but no real feeling behind it.

Maurice

Starring: Guys with floppy hair

Original release: 1987

Synopsis: A young man struggles with his sexuality and love

 

More than just a love story but also a beautiful, heartbreaking and hopeful tale of oppression and fear and how it can shape who we are and the decisions we make.

 

Just beautiful.

Dangerous Beauty

Starring: Rufus Sewell

Original release: 1998

Synopsis: A courtesan's tale.

 

I'm just a swoony puddle after watching this.

 

Rufus Sewell can do no wrong AND it features a strong, confident woman who plays the game by her rules.

 

Love.

Howard's End

Starring: Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anthony Hopkins.

Original release: 1992

Synopsis: When a woman inherits a house from a friend and problems ensue

 

 

I'm here for the house and nothing else.  Which is probably just as well as the movie is actually kind of boring.

The Winslow Boy

Starring: Nigel Hawthorne and Jeremy Northam.

Original release: 1999

Synopsis: A father fights for justice.

 

All stiff upper lip and hidden glances it's basically a romance story set in the world of a legal battle for family honor and justice.

 

Loved it. 

 

Jeremy Northam in particular is superb especially in his scenes with Catherine which are filled with a sexy undercurrent with every line he delivers to her.  

 

I seriously needed a sequel to this.

Lady Jane

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes and Patrick Stewart.

Original release: 1986

Synopsis: The rise and fall of Lady Jane Grey.

 

Like so many of these films it's not entirely accurate but do we really mind when it looks this good and features Helena BC amazing eyebrows, Cary being all dreamy and swoony and Patrick Stewart as the boorish father.