5 R-Rated Period Dramas to Watch on Netflix in January 2024

From King Arthur to Lawrence of Arabia, from Jane Austen to Alexandre Dumas, period settings have fascinated us since childhood: whether in books or movies, they are always fascinating and often make us want to immerse ourselves in the historical period in question, dressed in the appropriate costume.

However, many of these works are not intended for kids and teens at all: in describing some moments in history, they often touch on, in a dramatic way, very mature subjects. In such works, there is a greater emphasis on eroticism or harsh historical events, which makes them not family friendly, yet incredibly fascinating.

Let's take a look at some of the great R-rated historical dramas available on Netflix this month.

5. Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction

Release Date (Netflix): September 14, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

Genre: Romantic drama, comedy, adventure

Based on the novel of the same name by Danish author Isak Dinesen, Ehrengard is a wonderfully entertaining romantic tale that reads like both Molière and Austen. The story is told from the point of view of Cazotte, a love-struck artist who is invited by the Grand Duchess to help her son finally find a wife and produce an heir. But the prince accidentally conceives a child before the wedding, and Cazotte and the prince's maid of honor must hide him from his own parents and relatives.

Despite its poor critical reception, the film was much more warmly received by audiences, who appreciated its lighthearted tone and humor.

4. Against the Ice

Release Date (Netflix): March 2, 2022

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%

Genre: Drama, adventure

Against the Ice, starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, is an Icelandic-Danish co-production that tells the story of Captain Ejnar Mikkelsen's dangerous expedition to prove that Greenland is a single island. After being abandoned by his crew, Ejnar and inexperienced engineer Iver Iversen (Joe Cole) spent nearly three years in total isolation, surviving starvation and unforgiving natural conditions.

3. The Highwaymen

Release Date: March 15, 2019

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58%

Genre: Drama, crime thriller

This movie is set in a time when the days of the Wild West were long gone, but its spirit and morals remained as strong as ever, even though the horse had been overtaken by its steel rival, the automobile.

The Highwaymen is a crime road movie about the hunt for Bonnie and Clyde, told from the point of view of their mortal enemies, the lawmen. The plot centers on real-life Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault, who killed the infamous criminal couple. The Rangers are played by the incomparable Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson.

2. The Wonder

Release Date (Netflix): November 16, 2022

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

Genre: Psychological drama, thriller

Based on Emma Donoghue's novel of the same name, The Wonder is rooted in the Victorian 'fasting girl' phenomenon, when prepubescent girls could go months without eating and be recognized as saints. Except they were all examples of falsification, mass psychosis, or even anorexia.

At the center of this historical thriller is an English nurse, played by the incomparable Florence Pugh, who is sent to a small Irish village to investigate a similar case.

1. Lady Chatterley's Lover

Release Date (Netflix): December 2, 2022

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

Genre: Romantic drama

French actress and filmmaker Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre has directed arguably the best adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover, a 1928 romantic novel by D. H. Lawrence. The film explores bodily autonomy and classism through the love story between the wife of a wealthy, paralyzed baronet and a lower-class gamekeeper.

It stars Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell, who provide a wonderful chemistry full of vibrant emotions, intimacy and steamy passion.