Based on the scandalous novel of the same name by D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover was an original movie on Netflix. If sexy period drama movies about women ahead of their time are your cup of tea, you might want to stream some (or all!) of the below titles that are just like it
Directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre and starring Emma Corrin, Jack O’Connell, and Matthew Duckett, the film centers on a married aristocratic woman engaged in an illicit affair with her husband’s gamekeeper. Viewers and critics alike have taken a shine to this sordid tale of forbidden lust.
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
As one of the most acclaimed adaptations of the infamous 18th Century French novel of the same name, Dangerous Liaisons stars Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer. This steamy period drama follows two ruthless former lovers determined to tarnish the purity of those around them.
Elisa & Marcela (2019)
Written and directed by Isabel Coixet, this Spanish romance is based on a real-life story of two women who fell in love. Set in the early 20th century, Elisa & Marcela follows the two leads as one of them takes on the identity of a male relative so they can get married in their church.
Madame Bovary (2014)
Just like Lady Chatterley’s Lover, this film is also centered on a young married woman who seeks pleasure outside the confines of her social status. Mia Wasikowska stars as Emma Bovary, a young ambitious woman who weds a small-town doctor in an attempt to escape her boring childhood farm. She soon discovers that marital bliss isn’t all that blissful and engages herself in several illicit affairs, each more dangerous than the last.
Rebecca (2020)
Based on a famous novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca follows an unnamed protagonist haunted by the memory of her husband’s late wife. After a short whirlwind romance, the young woman moves into her husband’s English countryside estate, where she has to deal with an unpleasant housekeeper and her strong devotion to the former lady of the manor. The film stars Lily James, Armie Hammer, and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Wuthering Heights (2011)
Just like Lady Chatterley’s Lover, this film is also based on a novel that caused quite a scandal when it was first published for challenging the time’s morals. Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, the award-winning romantic drama stars Kaya Scodelario, James Howson, and Paul Hilton.
The Deep Blue Sea (2011)
Starring Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea also features the story of a woman caught in a love affair outside the confines of her marriage. In this film, the young cheating woman is married to a British Judge and her lover is a Royal Air Force pilot.
The Duchess (2008)
In this 2008 period drama, Keira Knightley portrays Duchess Georgiana Cavendish. Just like the protagonist in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, the lead in this film also takes a lover when she finds herself disillusioned by the husband her family chose for her.
The Scandalous Lady W (2015)
Unlike in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, the wayward protagonist in this steamy period drama scandalizes her community by actually leaving her husband and marrying his best friend. This made-for-television feature stars Natalie Dormer and Aneurin Barnard.
Belle de Jour (1976)
While most of the protagonists featured on this list are unhappy with their marriage and end up taking one or even two lovers, the bored housewife in this 70s French classic takes it up a notch by getting a job at a high-class Parisien brothel.
Anna Karenina (2012)
Like most other movies that made this list, Anna Karenina is also based on a famous book. This time, the action is set in 19th century St. Petersburg’s aristocracy, where the lead pursues an affair with a handsome Count, who happens to be a lot more exciting as a lover than her poor husband.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Lady Chatterley’s Lover? Let us know in the comments.
