Queer period dramas where the homophobia is quiet, pervasive, and insidious
Queer period dramas tend to set their stories in a world in which the oppressive force of homophobia is big and loud. And that makes sense...homophobia can be big and loud. But that often means that the story seemed to be as much about the cultural force of homophobia as it was about the queer characters in it. And though I love those stories, it's not always what I'm looking for. In contrast to that, for the films on this list, homophobic oppression is quiet - ever-present as the background noise of people's lives. But also not the only form of oppression these characters face.
Fingersmith (2005) - This miniseries is both a psychological mystery and a romance. Set in Victorian England, Sue (Sally Hawkins) travels to an upper-class mansion to pose as a ladies maid for Maud (Elaine Cassidy). I say "pose as" because really Sue's there to participate in an elaborate scheme to rob Maud of her inheritance. But of course Sue falls for Maud, and a romance ensues. Homophobia certainly exists in the background of the film, but like the others on this list - gender and class play a larger role. And the central criminal plot - and all the twists and turns within it - is the main obstacle to their relationship. (It's been a long time since I've seen it so I don't know if there should be any content warnings).
(Also check out The Handmaiden a 2016 adaptation of the novel Fingersmith by Park Chan-wook which takes place in Korea in the 1930s. I didn't include a full entry for it since it's more of a thriller rather than a drama. It's good though. CW for blood and gore; possibly also sexual violence but it's been awhile since I've seen it and I'm not sure).
Ammonite (2020) - Kate Winslet inhabits the role of Mary Anning, a real paleontologist from the 1800s. In the film Mary cares for her mother while working out of a tiny seaside shack in Dorset, England - all but forgotten by the male-dominated academics who've taken over paleontology in the universities. Her life is bleak and lonely and she is bitter and cold because of it. Then Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan) enters her life and slowly, slowly, Mary starts to make room for warmth and companionship. Charlotte has her own struggles with an uncaring husband and a perceived fragility (that may have more to do with the misogyny of people around her). Here homophobia is implied and understood - but issues of sexism and classism are more at the forefront.
On Swift Horses (2024) - Set in the 1950s in the western United States, the film follows two characters: Murial (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Julius (Jacob Elordi). Murial is set to marry Julius's brother, Lee (Will Poulter). Meanwhile, Julius just returned home from the Korean War. Initially it looks like this will be a pretty standard love triangle, but then we see that something else is going on. Eventually, Murial and Lee move to California and Julius ends up in Las Vegas. And from here the queer stories really take off - and as they do it becomes clear that gender norms, racism, childhood trauma, and capitalism play as much a role in these characters lives as homophobia. And it's all very understated - Lee, in particular embodies a sort of normalized, benevolent sexism that is so common and so unintentionally oppressive. All in all, the film is simply about these people all trying to figure shit out and survive in a hostile world. (CW: blood, and sexual assault)
The History of Sound (2025) - This film takes place in the 1910s and 1920s in the United States (mostly). Lionel (Paul Mescal) a 'rural farm boy' from Kentucky with synesthesia and a beautiful singing voice, meets David (Josh O'Connor) a man from the northern U.S. with a photographic memory and perfect pitch - while they're both attending a music conservatory in Maine. What unites them is a shared love of folks songs - and eventually a trip around Maine collecting those folk songs. At the heart of the film is a romance interrupted by geography, economic class, World War I, and, to a lesser extent, homophobia. The film is slow, and muted and melancholy - don't expect any big emotional outbursts or declarations. (CW: suicide)
