Why do period romances carry such a special appeal? There's always a part of our present self that's dissatisfied with or stressed by our current circumstances. Sometimes, this can make the self look to the future and plan and chart a course for things to get better. Other times, it looks to nostalgia. What if it was curative to immerse ourselves for a couple of hours in the picturesque magic (or sadness) of past times, simpler and vastly different to our own, and of past people, with their vastly different struggles and emotions compared to those of our everyday life?

Maybe these movies can satisfy our yearning for the past and for what's different - a feeling that keeps revisiting us every now and then. Maybe they can reinvigorate us and fill us with the feeling that we can then take into our technology-filled and often cold-seeming present to live it more aligned with our emotions. Romances, of course, are by nature full of feeling. It's not always happiness. Indeed, most of the entries on this list aren't exactly happy stories. But if, at times, we're stressed in the present, any immersive emotions can be a welcome antidote and can be cathartic. As a result, here are period romance movies that we can't live without.

Update February 12, 2024: In honor of Valentine's Day, this article has been updated with even more great period romances we can't live without and where each title is currently streaming.

10 The English Patient (1996)

In The English Patient, a bedridden patient slowly opens up to the nurse who cares for him about a past he had chosen to forget and a promise he had made to his lover back in the 1930s. The English Patient also features a phenomenal cast, that includes Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Kristin Scott Thomas, Willem Dafoe, and a staple of British rom-coms: Colin Firth. The film won 9 Oscars in 1997, including Best Picture.

Beautiful Lines

The English Patient is a deliberately paced movie, one that some might see as being a little long and slow (which famously was mocked in an episode of Seinfeld). The film contains passages of such beauty that they largely justify the entire movie. "We die rich with lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we've entered and swum up like rivers, fears we've hidden in," says Kristin Scott Thomas's character. "We are the real countries. Not boundaries drawn on maps with the names of powerful men." This is indeed the kind of onscreen poetry we can't live without. Stream on Showtime

Related: 15 Romance Movies with Extremely Dark Endings

9 The Princess of Montpensier (2010)

The Princess of Montpensier deals with the classical French literature theme of passion versus virtue. It's set in 16th-century France against the backdrop of the Wars of Religion. The princess discovers passionate love at a young age, but it's soon taken away from her for a premature wedding. She's too much of a proud soul, too attached to her youthful ideals to submit to a lesser option, even if it's not as bad as it could have been, as her husband genuinely loves her. She's deceived in more than one way as she tries to find her way. The film ends on an unforgettable letter from the one person who truly understood her, the older and wiser Count of Chabannes.

An Underappreciated Gem

The Princess of Montpensier deserves far more recognition and a much wider audience than it has currently ascertained. This French language period romance was nominated for the Palm d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and features an impressive cast filled with French talent that includes Mélanie Thierry (Da 5 Bloods) and Lambert Wilson (The Matrix Reloaded). For anyone looking for something different, this is worth checking out. Rent on AppleTV+, Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu.

8 Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)

One of the best of the British countryside period romances, Far From the Madding Crowd features a young woman (Carey Mulligan) with a free-spirited, strong character who, throughout the film, is figuring out what she truly wants. Three men fall for her almost as soon as they first set eyes on her. One is her equal in ego and charm, but is all power games. One is so taken over by her that he's too self-effacing, and his feelings consume him. The third is somebody she can always rely on for help, good but not weak. However, far from imposing himself, he doesn't try to seduce her, and is pained by her early rejection of a cut-and-dry proposal, he won't ask again.

As Much About Growth as It Is Romance

While the romantic set-up in Far From the Madding Crowd is genius, the most memorable and inspiring part of the film is its focus on personal growth. The beauty of Far From the Madding Crowd is that as the dance between these characters plays out, they each develop individually, with each character leaving the film better than they started. It is certainly an underrated romance, but one that has gained a passionate fanbase from those who have watched it. Stream on Max.

7 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Not all period romances are tight corsets and 50s wallpaper; they can blend seamlessly with all eras and locations. In the case of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the film's central romance is interwoven with stunning wirework inspired by Eastern martial arts films. When master warrior Li Mu Bai (Chow-Yun Fat) gives his sword to his lover, Yu She (Michelle Yeoh), to retire as a fighter, the sword is stolen by a mysterious thief, leading Li to track down the thief and recover the sword. Caught in the middle is Jen (Zhang Zai), the daughter of a nobleman who is caught in an arranged marriage, with a desperate desire to become a free warrior and choose her own love.

A Romance for Anti-Romance Snobs

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the perfect film for self-loathing romance fans who pretend to hate the genre. The film's romance features every aspect you'd want from a love story, masked behind layers of stunning action set-pieces. It is a different type of romance and period piece movie, but one that has delighted audiences for generations and to this day still stands as the highest-grossing live-action international film at the domestic United States box office. Stream on Tubi

6 Shakespeare in Love (1998)

A seamless mix of quotable comedy, romantic drama, and melancholic depth, Shakespeare in Love is also about the power of words. It's the imagined tale of how William Shakespeare wrote about the star-crossed lovers of Verona in Romeo and Juliet. What experiences could have provided enough inspiration to produce such a work? It all culminates in the scene of the play's rendition, which is both hilariously self-aware and, at the same time, conveys the enthralling power of great theater. It's followed by a bitter farewell, but one that refuses to submit to defeatism. Shakespeare will keep writing, and Viola, "whose soul is greater than the ocean," will be his "heroine for all time."

Unfair Criticism

Shakespeare in Love receives a lot of unfair criticism from devout cinephiles for no other reason than beating out Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars. While that will always be a point of controversy among film fans, Shakespeare in Love still earned itself five other awards, stemming from a whopping 13 nominations, and on its own is a gorgeously lavish period romance that excelled in the 1990s that sadly seems to have gone away in the 2010s. Stream on Max

Related: 15 Actors Who Should Appear in More Romance Movies

5 Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Famously losing the Best Picture Oscar to Crash while being more widely recognized as the better film, Brokeback Mountain features exceptional acting by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as two ranch hands. They find the opportunity to suddenly act on buried queer desires when they have long hours and weeks to spend in each other's company, herding sheep n the mountains. What follows is a meditation, spanning years, on the hurt they each deal with in their own way, which results from the need for secrecy about their continuing on-off romance.

An Iconic Queer Story

While it might not be a traditional "period piece" that many people associate, the film's 1960s setting shows how difficult as recently as sixty years ago it was for same-sex romance. Brokeback Mountain, alongside being an excellent period romance, is one of the most influential queer movies of the 21st century, inspiring generations of filmmakers. The film also features many quotable lines that have wriggled their way into pop culture, like Jack saying, "I wish I knew how to quit you!" The scene in which Ennis asks Jack if he's been to Mexico, and the ensuing eruption of words and emotions, also has to be one of the best in modern cinema. Stream on Prime Video

4 Carol (2015)

Carol is another story of forbidden romance, this one set in New York in the early 1950s. The score by Carter Burwell plays a major role in this one, as it swells to describe the inner voice of its two protagonists, played by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, two women who begin to fall for one another and develop a deep romantic connection at a time when society was not welcoming to the idea. There's something truly captivating about forbidden romances that always captures audiences' attention and hearts, and the beauty of Carol is how subtle its storytelling is.

A Multi-Oscar Nominee

This lush period film was named one of the greatest films of the 21st Century by the BBC. The Todd Haynes-directed romance was nominated for six Academy Awards in 2016 but shockingly won nothing. Carol features some gorgeous production design and costume work, one that shows a very different side to the American 1950s than most people associate with the decade. It is cold and restrictive, which contrasts with the warm, glowing love the two stars bring to the film. Carol might be the film from director Todd Haynes. Stream on Netflix

3 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Directed by French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, is a classic story of forbidden love, set against a backdrop of 18th Century France. It tells the story of Marianna, who has been commissioned to paint the wedding portrait for Héloïse, a noble person reluctant to marry a man she has never seen. As the two meet to work on the painting, a forbidden passion begins to form between the pair. The film is as beautiful as it is poignant, with the bright, vibrant shots of the French coast beautifully contrasted with the warm hues of candlelight during its more intimate and mysterious moments.

An Affair Born from Art

As well as rave reviews, Portrait of a Lady on Fire was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language upon its release in 2019. At its core, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is about freedom, best captured when Héloïse says "In solitude, I felt the liberty you spoke of. But I also felt your absence." While the movie is still relatively new compared to many other films on this list, it has captured audiences hearts and is certainly a modern classic. Stream on Netflix

2 Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Director Baz Lurhman is renowned for his flashy, eccentric showcase movies (with the director having previously transformed Romeo & Juliet into a 90's spectacle, fit with guns, drag shows, and Leonardo DiCaprio), and his foray into the Period Romance genre did not disappoint. Moulin Rouge! features an all-star cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, David Wenham, and Richard Roxburgh. Adapted from the French opera 'La Traviata', Moulin Rouge! follows Christian, an Englishman traveling through Paris, who finds himself falling in love with the star performer of Paris's biggest nightclub, the Moulin Rouge.

Fast & Flashy

Moulin Rouge! is the perfect period romance for audiences who prefer a flashy, exciting take on the often slow-burning genre. In line with the rest of his filmography, Lurhman fills Moulin Rouge with all the deserved glitz and glamour, featuring beautiful sets, wardrobes, and musical performances. Moulin Rouge! was a cultural phenomenon when it hit theaters, grossing $179.2 million on a $50 million budget and receiving eight Academy Award nominations. It continues to dazzle audiences to this day thanks to its impressive soundtrack and wonderful performances. Rent on AppleTV+, Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu.

1 Titanic (1997)

Don't let the online hate and endless memes prevent you from seeing Titanic for what it is, a bittersweet love story built around one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century. Directed by James Cameron, Titanic stars a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett, whose on-screen chemistry is palpable. Many aspects of the film have grown a life of their own in pop culture, like Rose's infamous "Jack I'm flying!" line, and "Jack, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls," but Titanic stands strong as one of the best period romance movies in modern history.

When Worlds Collide

At the heart of Titanic is a story of two young lovers from different walks of life who meet under extraordinary circumstances. As well as a passionately tragic romance, Titanic also explores topics of class divide and elitism that resulted in the unfair deaths of hundreds. The movie has become a classic, winning 11 Academy Awards and becoming the highest grossing movie for twelve years until it was overtaken by another James Cameron film, Avatar. Stream on Paramount+.