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Born in London, Tilda Swinton began her career starring in experimental arthouse movies like The Last of England and The Garden. She quickly managed to make a name for herself in the rapidly changing industry by excelling in movies such as The Deep End and Young Adam. Of course, what truly gave her global recognition among the cinema audiences everywhere was her performance in We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and as the Ancient One in the MCU (despite her casting controversy).
Perhaps best known for her ethereal presence and chameleonic ability to transform into any character, Swinton boasts an enviable career of films and characters one could only dream about. Indeed, the bread and butter of her filmography are roles that transport us to different times and spaces. Swinton is currently doing that right now in A24’s latest film, The Eternal Daughter, from director Joanna Hogg. As such, let’s have a look at her best period drama movies, ranked.
8/8 The French Dispatch (2021)
Written, directed, and produced by Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch is an anthology comedy-drama set in a fictional French city in the 20th Century. The film features an ensemble cast and the plot follows three different storylines: “The Concrete Masterpiece,” “Revisions to a Manifesto,” and “The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner.” Swinton plays the character of J.K.L. Berensen in “The Concrete Masterpiece,” who is based on writer Rosamond Bernier, known for founding the Paris-based magazine L’oeil. In the film, Swinton’s character gives an art lecture on an incarcerated and unstable painter. The anthology is essentially a story of art, how its made, why we make it, and whom we make it for.
7/8 Caravaggio (1986)
The fact that Swinton’s debut film has made our list tells you how easily she was able to capture everyone’s attention. Caravaggio is a British historical drama that serves as a fictional retelling of the 17th Century life of Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The story is told in a segmented fashion, and starts with Michelangelo’s death by lead poisoning. The painter was known for leading a very turbulent and a controversial life by using sex workers and unhoused people as his models. The film showcases his two lovers: Sena (Swinton) and Ranuccio (Sean Bean). Every shot is pretty much a timeless painting, and we constantly find ourselves lost in the time periods.
6/8 Orlando (1992)
Loosely based on Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando: A Biography, Orlando is a period drama fantasy starring Tilda Swinton as Orlando. Set in 1600, Orlando follows the titular nobleman, who inherits his parents’ house thanks to Queen Elizabeth I on the promise that he will always stay young. Once he gets appointed as ambassador for Constantinopole in 1700, Orlando wakes up as a woman and struggles to retain his property. Directed by Sally Potter, the film was applauded for its visual treatment and Swinton’s performance in particular. Many say that the film was way ahead of its time, hence why it got re-released in select U.S. cinemas in August 2010.
5/8 Hail, Caesar! (2016)
Written, produced, edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Hail, Caesar! is a period mystery musical black comedy film. The plot follows real-life fixer Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), who was known for making bad problems go away. Based on the Hollywood industry of the 1950s, the story follows him as he tries to find out what happened to a star actor during the filming of a biblical epic. Swinton stars as both Thora Thacker and Thessaly Thacker, feuding identical twin sister gossip columnists. The film essentially makes fun of the established rules of film production of that period, when the actors were simply puppets of large studios.
4/8 The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019)
Based on the 1850 novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield is a comedy-drama starring Dev Patel as the title character. It follows David’s hectic and adventurous life from birth to infancy and from adolescence to adulthood. The brilliant director Armando Iannucci offers a completely new version of the classic story, filled with humor and inclusivity. Swinton is just as excellent as the character of Betsey Trotwood, David’s great-aunt on his father’s side. The main thrust of the characters and story felt right and true, mostly thanks to the sparkling ensemble cast.
3/8 Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Written and directed by Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a comedy-drama set in a 20th-Century mountainside resort in the fictional Eastern European country of Zubrowka. The ensemble cast is led by Ralph Fiennes, who plays the character of famed concierge Monsieur Gustave H., who gets framed for the murder of a wealthy dowager (Swinton) at the hotel. Along with his friend Zero, Gustave embarks on a quest for fortune against the backdrop of a fascist regime. The film explores the themes of nostalgia, fascism, friendship, and more. As for Swinton, she yet again proves herself as the most versatile actress working today.
2/8 Edward II (1991)
Directed by Derek Jarman, Edward II is a romantic historical drama starring Steven Waddington, Andrew Tiernan, and Swinton in the leading roles. It is based on a play by Christopher Marlowe, but is told as a gay re-telling of the story. It revolves around Edward’s infatuation with Piers Gaveston, which leads to the men’s downfall. Swinton plays the character of Isabella, who was often described as the She-Wolf of France and who was also Edward’s wife. The spectacle is portrayed in a post-modern style, so it’s quite tricky to guess whether it’s contemporary or set in medieval times. It spurred quite the discussion when it chose to depict a gay sex scene and Edward’s soldiers as gay rights activists. Edward II is effectively a transgressive, furious film that beautifully draws parallel lines to our world today.
1/8 War Requiem (1988)
It’s a perhaps a surprise that we’re ranking a movie with no spoken dialogue in the first place, but War Requiem‘s experimental nature deserves it. It’s a film adaptation of Benjamin Britten’s musical piece of the same name and features Nathaniel Parker as Wilfred Owen, and Laurence Olivier. It is structured as the memories of Olivier’s character, the Old Soldier, in a wheelchair. Swinton plays a nurse that takes care of him. It’s probably very different from anything you’ve ever seen as the 1963 recording can be heard on its own, with no overlaid soundtrack or other sound effects.
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