WILES FILMS: RETRO EDITION

WILES’ 10 Favorite Period Pieces

There’s no better example of Girl Power through the ages than in period chick flicks.  Fans of period pieces know that there’s no better way to experience the sights, society and fashion of the past than through movies.  From Civil Rights era to antiquity, celebrate Women’s History Month with us and go retro through our list of our top 10 favorite period chick flicks!

 #10 – THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES – Made in 2002 and Set in 1964, this adaptation brought together 5 of the brightest stars of this generation into a heartwarming tale of friendship, love and acceptance.


 

#9 – DREAMGIRLS – The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about a singing trio set in 1960’s Detroit was adaapted into an even bigger hit as a film in 2006 – garnering multiple Academy Award nominations and a win for singer/actress Jennifer Hudson in the Best Supporting Actress category.

 

#8 – THE HELP – In this compelling adaptation about racial and social tensions in Mississippi in the 1960’s, the scandalous tell-all book – the collaboration of several Black maids and one White author – quickly becomes the talk of the town. The 2011 film adaptation also went  on to become the talk of the town – particularly the riveting performances turned in by actresses Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard.

#7 – MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – 1940’s World War II era Japan comes alive in this breathtaking 2005 film about the mysterious world of Geisha and the men who adore them.  The tenderness of the love story at the heart of the film is as compelling as the glamour and artistry of the women behind the Geisha mask.

 

#6 – FRIED GREEN TOMATOES – Made in 1991 and featuring flashbacks to the Depression-era South, this film explores the various layers of friendship, racial hostility, secrets and resilience.

#5 – AUNTIE MAME – Since its premiere in 1958, this hilarious film about a socialite suddenly turned surrogate Mom in 1928 has inspired audiences and fashionistas, alike.

 

#4 – CHICAGO – This  2002 Academy Award-winning adaptation of the smash Broadway musical follows femme fatales awaiting trial in the Windy City during the roaring 1920’s.  Both Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellwegger received critical acclaim and multiple award nominations for their portrayals of Velma Kelly and Roxy Hart, respectively…and the Oscar went to Zellwegger.

#3 – MY FAIR LADY – The delightful extreme makeover tale of Eliza Doolittle  in Edwardian London at the turn of the 20th Century was adapted into an equally delightful fim in 1964 starring the incomparable Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.

 

#2 – LITTLE WOMEN–  Set in the 1770’s during the American Civil War, this timeless tale about a band of sisters who struggle to keep their family together as the world around them is, seemingly, falling apart was made into a heartwarming film starring then star Winona Ryder and star-in-the-making Christian Bale in 1994.

 

#1 – CLEOPATRA – Only a larger-than-life star could have pulled off portraying the fabled Queen of the Nile, and in 1963, 20th Century Fox cast the most famous woman in the world – Elizabeth Taylor – to breathe new life into the woman who ruled Egypt around the year 48 B.C.

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