Overview
A passionate affair unfolds against the backdrop of Victorian England, challenging societal norms.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet evening
- literary film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's beautiful period craftsmanship and strong performances, especially Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, while finding its interwoven narratives occasionally confusing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sarah and Charles's Victorian story is interwoven with Anna and Mike's modern relationship during filming.
Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons play both the historical lovers and actors whose off-screen relationship parallels them.
Sarah's outsider status and Charles's engagement make their passionate relationship socially dangerous in nineteenth-century England.
The Dorset settings, costumes, and production design evoke Victorian England while avoiding a cozy or idealized period atmosphere.
Films like The French Lieutenant's Woman, and why
Cloud Atlas
interwoven historical and contemporary narratives, literary romance, and formal experimentation
The Hours
parallel timelines, theatrical self-reflexivity, and emotionally complicated romantic relationships
Tess
lush historical romance, social constraints, and psychologically complex women
Atonement
adaptation of literary fiction with layered storytelling and restrained romantic intensity
Movie Details
- Director
- Karel Reisz
- Release Date
- 1981-08-28
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (248)
Cast
- Meryl Streep
- Jeremy Irons
- Hilton McRae
- Lynsey Baxter
- Emily Morgan
- Penelope Wilton
- Jean Faulds
- Charlotte Mitchell
- Peter Vaughan
- Colin Jeavons
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The French Lieutenant's Woman about?
- A forbidden Victorian romance and the actors reenacting it become entwined in a haunting meditation on desire, performance, and freedom.
- What is The French Lieutenant's Woman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The French Lieutenant's Woman as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The French Lieutenant's Woman violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The French Lieutenant's Woman.
- What did critics think of The French Lieutenant's Woman?
- Critics broadly praised the film's beautiful period craftsmanship and strong performances, especially Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, while finding its interwoven narratives occasionally confusing.
- Which films are like The French Lieutenant's Woman?
- Films with a similar feel include Cloud Atlas, The Hours, Tess, and Atonement.
- How long is The French Lieutenant's Woman?
- The French Lieutenant's Woman runs 124 minutes.
- Where can I watch The French Lieutenant's Woman?
- In United States, The French Lieutenant's Woman streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
