Last Updated on March 31, 2019
We’ve gathered up the new-in-March period dramas that are included with your US Amazon Prime Video membership.
Then, we share the period dramas that are newly available to rent, and some historical / costume / period movies that are being released to DVD in March. Finally, we list some newly added non-period movies and series that you may also like, that are included with your Prime Video membership.
Check this list throughout the month; we’ll update all the sections (alphabetically) as more titles become available.
To help keep this site running: Willow and Thatch may receive a commission when you click on any of the links on our site and make a purchase after doing so.
It’s easy to watch the trailers for the films on this list, or add the movies and TV series to your watchlist: just click.
There’s a lot here, so to help you keep track: the blue TV’s next to the title mean the film is included with your membership, the orange TV’s mean it is available to rent.
Period Dramas New on Prime Video in March
This section contains newly added historical, costume and period dramas (movies and TV series) that are included with your Prime Video membership.
Christmas Story (2007)
This touching period fantasy tale reimagines the origins of Santa Claus, who hundreds of years ago, as a young orphan named Nikolas, decides to show his gratitude to the villagers who raised him by starting the Christmas tradition of gift-giving.
Starring Katherine Borowitz, Kari Väänänen, John Turturro, Noah Emmerich, Minna Haapkyla.
Rated PG
Available March 1
Cold War (2018)
In the 1950s, a music director falls in love with a singer and tries to persuade her to flee communist Poland for France.One of the best-reviewed films of 2018, “Cold War” tells the story of a tempestuous romance set against the perilous political landscape of Eastern Europe. This beautiful love story earned three Oscar nominations for direction, cinematography and foreign-language film. A Prime Original movie.
Starring Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza.
Rated R for some sexual content, nudity and language.
In Polish with English subtitles.
Available March 22
Colette (2018)
Keira Knightley stars as the early 20th century novelist and women’s rights icon, Gabrielle Colette. Forced to write under her husband’s name, Colette fought for recognition of her work and the royalties that came with it.
Starring Keira Knightley, Fiona Shaw, Dominic West, Robert Pugh.
Rated R for some sexuality/nudity
Available March 14
Comes a Horseman (1978)
A romantic drama set in the 1940s, near the end of World War II, in the American West. Determined single woman Ella Connors struggles to maintain her ranch despite constant attempts by Jacob “J.W.” Ewing, the aging owner of the neighboring ranch, to coerce her into selling. When oil companies begin pressuring both ranchers to allow drilling, Ella’s position becomes even more perilous. Though Ella thinks she’s scrappy enough to fight them on her own, her chances get better with the arrival of an attractive war veteran Frank “Buck” Athearn.
Starring James Caan, Jane Fonda, Jason Robards Jr.
Rated PG
Available March 2
The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981)
Anna and Mike portray two characters in a film set in 19th century England who fall in love despite the fact that Mike’s character is engaged. From the John Fowles novel.
Starring Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Hilton McRae, Peter Vaughan.
Rated R
Available March 3
Heaven’s Gate (1980)
A frontier epic that is flawed but also contains one of the most lovely period dance scenes, has a stellar cast and is beautifully filmed. A visionary critique of American expansionism, “Heaven’s Gate,” directed by Oscar winner Michael Cimino, is among Hollywood’s most ambitious and unorthodox epics. A Harvard graduate who has relocated all the way to Wyoming as a federal marshal; there, he learns of a government-sanctioned plot by rich cattle barons to kill the area’s European settlers for their land. The resulting skirmish is based on the real-life bloody Johnson County War of 1892. Both savage and ravishingly shot, it’s a demystification of western movie lore with it’s share of romance.
Starring Kris Kristofferson, Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Sam Waterston.
Rated R
Available March 1
In the Time of the Butterflies (2001)
Based on the book by Julia Alvarez, this fact-based drama tells the story of a woman who, along with her family, found the courage to defy a corrupt dictator — and paid a fearful price for their actions. Set largely in the 1950s.
Starring Selma Hayek, Marc Anthony, Demian Bichir, Lumi Cavazos, Mia Maestro, Pilar Padilla.
Rated PG-13
Available March 3
Ivan & Abraham (1993)
In 1930s Poland, Christian boy Ivan goes to live with a Jewish family to learn a trade. He becomes friends with Abraham, the son of the family. However, anti-Semitism is rife in their environment, and they flee to escape an upcoming conflict. Journeying together, they demonstrate their inseparability.
Starring Roma Alexandrovitch, Aleksandr Yakovlev, Vladimir Mashkov.
Not rated.
In Polish with English subtitles.
Available March 12
Khartoum (1966)
In 1883, William Gladstone, Britain’s prime minister, enlists reputable Gen. Gordon to smooth over the situation in Sudan after a brutal battle has left several British men dead. Gordon, known to defy orders, is received well in the city of Khartoum — so instead of acting as an ambassador, he motivates the city to prepare its defenses. Despite massive efforts to divert enemy attack, Gordon’s new, small army is no match for what befalls it.
Starring Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier, Richard Johnson, Alexander Knox.
Not rated.
Available March 4
Little House on the Prairie (Seasons 1-9)
Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s series of “Little House” books, this family friendly period drama television series revolves around the 1870s adventures of the Ingalls family who own a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesotta.
Starring Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson.
Rated TV-PG
Available March 1
Mrs. Dalloway (1997)
In 1923 London, socialite Clarissa Dalloway’s well-planned party is overshadowed by the return of an old suitor she had known 33 years earlier. We are brought into the worlds of both the younger and older Clarissa as she reflects on the choices she has made and the direction her life has taken.
Starring Vanessa Redgrave, Natascha McElhone, Michael Kitchen, Lena Headey.
Rated PG-13
Available March 6
The Railway Children (2000)
From PBS Masterpiece Theatre: “The Railway Children” tells the story of three Edwardian children and their mother who move to a country house in Yorkshire after their father is mysteriously taken away by the police. Resettled precariously in an isolated village, the youngsters grow attached to the nearby rail line of the Great Northern and Southern Railway with its elegant steam trains rushing between Scotland and London, its precise timetables and rituals of order, and its proud but idiosyncratic employees at the local depot.
The Railway becomes a kind of lifeline for the trio, helping them to keep their father alive in their imaginations, connecting them with generous allies near and far, giving them a way to make a real contribution to their community, and ultimately providing them the means to improvise a rescue for their family as a whole.
A beautiful dramatization of E. Nesbit’s classic novel.
Starring Jenny Agutter, Richard Attenborough, Michael Kitchen, Sophie Thompson, Jemima Rooper.
Rated TV-G
Available March 2
Rob Roy (1995)
In 1713 Scotland, Rob Roy MacGregor is wronged by a nobleman and his nephew, becomes an outlaw in search of revenge while fleeing the Redcoats, and faces charges of being a Jacobite.
Starring Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Eric Stoltz.
Rated R
Available March 4
Savage Land (1994)
In this family adventure, two youngsters traveling from Kansas To Denver to rejoin with their father are caught up in a wild west adventure involving gunslingers, bandits & unlikely friendships.
Set against the spectacular Rocky Mountains, this adventure is reminiscent of the Disney live-action classics (such as “Old Yeller” and “Escape from Witch Mountain”). Two women and two kids are stranded in the Old West when bad guys (posing as Indians) try to snag the stagecoach’s cargo. Pitted against nature, time, and the pursuing baddies, this unlikely team must trek over the mountains to reach safety.
Starring Collin Bernsen, Corbin Bernsen, Vivian Schilling, Brion James.
Rated PG
Available March 31
Thousand Pieces of Gold (1991)
In 1880’s China, young Lalu is sold into marriage by her impoverished father. Rather than becoming a bride, Lalu ends up in a gold-mining town where she forges a path for her own freedom and ultimately true love.
“The film is based on the little-known fact that years after slavery was abolished in America, Asians were still held in involuntary servitude – sometimes by their own people. Inspired by true stories, the movie is angry and impassioned, but it is also, somewhat surprisingly, a romance.” – Roger Ebert
Starring Rosalind Chao, Chris Cooper, Michael Paul Chan.
Rated PG-13
Available March 1
The Triumph of Love (2001)
Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino stars as a princess driven by honest and noble goals who uses a series of dishonest, but raucously funny deceptions and disguises to achieve them. Employing a variety of alter egos, and all of her considerable charms, the princess quickly turns the heads and hearts of a stuffy philosopher, and his spinster sister, before restoring an unsuspecting prince to his rightful throne.
Starring Mira Sorvino, Fiona Shaw, Jay Rodan, Ben Kingsley, Ignazio Oliva, Rachael Stirling.
Rated PG-13
Available March 24
Valerie (1957)
After the American Civil War, former Union Major John Garth marries pretty settler Valerie but tragedy strikes and the two spouses end up in court where they give two different conflicting accounts of their marriage.
Starring Sterling Hayden, Anita Ekberg, Anthony Steel.
Not rated.
Available March 1
The Vanishing of Pato (2012)
Based on the historical novel by Andrea Camilleri, “The Vanishing of Patò” is set in Vigàta, the town that Detective Montalbano fans know and love… but it’s 1890, Easter weekend. Two rival investigators look into the disappearance of Antonio Patò, a quiet accountant who vanishes after his performance as Judas in the town’s annual Passion Play.
Starring Nino Frassica, Maurizio Casagrande, Alessandra Mortelliti.
Rated 13+
In Italian with English subtitles.
Available March 21
War Flowers (2012)
In an inspired story of tragedy and love during the Civil War, a mother and daughter desperately struggle to survive … until an unlikely connection saves their family.
Starring Christina Ricci, Tom Berenger, Jason Gedrick.
Rated PG-13
Available March 27
The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death (2014)
40 years after the first haunting at Eel Marsh House, a group of children evacuated from WWII London arrive, awakening the house’s darkest inhabitant.
Starring Helen McCory, Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox, Amelia Crouch.
Rated PG-13
Available March 11
Period Dramas Newly Available to Rent
This section contains historical, costume and period dramas (movies and TV series) that are newly available to rent on Amazon this month. The Nativity Story (2006), Gone with the Wind (1939), The Phantom of the Opera (2004), The Notebook (2004), The Great Gatsby (2013), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), and Dunkirk (2017) are now available to rent, as are the following titles:
Becoming Astrid (2018)
The poignant true story of a character-defining period in the life of Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren, Becoming Astrid follows a teenaged Astrid as she breaks away from her conservative upbringing in rural Sweden and struggles with the new responsibilities of being a young, unwed mother.
Starring Alba August, Henrik Rafaelsen, Trine Dyrholm.
Rated 13+
Available March 19
Call the Midwife (Season 8)
It is now 1964 and it’s evident how the times are changing: from the beacon of the contraceptive pill and the shadow of the 1967 Abortion Act, to the introduction of a new cancer-screening program. The nuns and nurses continue to face a variety of challenging issues including interracial adoption, cleft palate, sickle cell and cot death. And for one of the team, romance could be on the horizon.
Starring Bryony Hannah, Charlotte Ritchie, Emerald Fennell.
Rated TV-14
Available March 25
Colette (2018)
Keira Knightley stars as the early 20th century novelist and women’s rights icon, Gabrielle Colette. Forced to write under her husband’s name, Colette fought for recognition of her work and the royalties that came with it.
Starring Keira Knightley, Fiona Shaw, Dominic West, Robert Pugh.
Rated R for some sexuality/nudity
Available March 12
Crooked House (2017)
A private investigator helps a former flame solve the murder of her wealthy grandfather, who lived in a sprawling estate surrounded by his idiosyncratic family.
Starring Glenn Close, Christina Hendricks, Gillian Anderson, Terence Stamp, Julian Sands.
Rated PG-13
Available March 1
The Duelist (2016)
Returning to Saint Petersburg after a long exile, the dashing Yakovlev, a retired army officer, makes a comfortable living by winning other people’s duels. An enigmatic, focused, and extremely skilled professional, he leaves a trail of dead bodies behind him as he swirls through polite society, frequently called upon to wield a pistol as a surrogate in duels at dawn. But when Yakovlev meets the naïve young Prince Tuchov and his beautiful sister, Princess Martha, the normally cold-hearted mercenary is surprised by hitherto undetected emotions. What transpires uncovers a series of revelations about his past and his present self.
Starring Pyotr Fyodorov, Vladimir Mashkov, Yuliya Khlynina.
Rated R
In Russian, German, Ukrainian with English subtitles.
Available March 1
Green Book (2018)
Inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class, and the 1962 Mason-Dixon line. When Tony Lip, a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini.
Rated PG-13
Available March 12
Holmes And Watson (2018)
Period set comedy. The Step Brothers are reunited – this time playing the world’s greatest detective and his loyal sidekick & biographer.
Rated PG-13
Available March 26
Jane and Emma (2018)
In 1844, after traveling hundreds of miles on foot, a black woman finds enduring friendship with the wife of the founder to the Mormon Church.
Starring Danielle Deadwyler, Emily Goss, Brad Schmidt, K. Danor Gerald.
Rated PG
Available March 12
Knightfall (Season 2)
Go deep into the secret world of the Knights Templar, the most powerful, wealthy and mysterious military order of the Middle Ages who were entrusted with protecting Christianity’s most precious relics. From their battles in the Holy Land to their complex relationship with the King of France, the story of the Knights Templar has never been fully told…until now.
Starring Tom Cullen, Ed Stoppard, Pádraic Delaney, Simon Merrells, Julian Ovenden, Jim Carter, Mark Hamill.
Rated TV-14
Available March 26
Land of Mine (2015)
A moving story of human connection. In post-World War II Denmark, a group of young German POWs are forced to clear a beach of thousands of land mines under the watch of a Danish Sergeant who slowly learns to appreciate their plight.
Starring Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman.
Rated R
In German, Danish with English subtitles.
Available March 1
Marquise (1997)
Sophie Marceau stars as Marquise, the beautiful street dancer who found fame and notoriety among the seventeenth century elite under the stage name Mademoiselle Du Parc. Raising herself out of poverty, Marquise joins Molière’s theater company. But it is not until Marquise becomes the mistress of rival playwright Racine that she finally realizes her ambition to become a great actress.
Starring Sophie Marceau, Bernard Giraudeau, Lambert Wilson, Thierry Lhermitte.
Rated 18+
Available March 29
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
The magic returns in Disney’s reimagined classic as Mary Poppins helps the Banks family remember the joy of what it’s like to be a child. Together with her friend Jack the lamplighter, fun is brought back to the streets of London in celebration that everything is possible…even the impossible!
Starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw.
Rated PG
Available March 12
The Musketeers – 3 Seasons (BBC)
Packed with exciting heroes, adventure and romance, The Musketeers is a contemporary take on the classic characters created by Alexandre Dumas. Set on the streets of 17th-century Paris, the series follows honorable Musketeers Athos, Aramis and Porthos. With the streets of Paris ruled by an iron fist, the future of the Musketeers is in serious peril as they fight for justice in a tough world.
Starring Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles.
Rated TV-14
Available March 21
On the Basis of Sex (2018)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a struggling attorney and new mother who faces adversity and numerous obstacles in her fight for equal rights. When Ruth takes on a groundbreaking tax case with her husband, attorney Martin Ginsburg, she knows it could change the direction of her career and the way the courts view gender discrimination.
Rated PG-13
Available March 26
Sharpe – Season 5
British TV adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling novels set during the Napoleonic wars of 19th century Spain. Starring acclaimed actor Sean Bean.
Starring Daragh O’Malley, Sean Bean, John Tams, Jason Salkey.
Rated TV-14
Available March 19
Stan & Ollie (2018)
In the 1950s, Laurel and Hardy go on a whirlwind tour to try and reconnect with their fans, but face an uncertain future with their golden era behind them.
Rated PG
Available March 26
When Calls The Heart – Season 6
A Hallmark Channel original series. Single mother Elizabeth leans on her friends for support as she balances motherhood with work.
Get current episodes NOW and future ones when available.
1898: Our Last Men in the Philippines (2016)
The Philippines, 1898. Fifty Spanish soldiers arrive in the small village of Baler to rebuild an outpost. Although the war against the Filipinos and their American allies is almost lost, as is the Spanish Empire, the garrison will endure a cruel siege for eleven months. They will be the last to surrender.
Starring Luis Tosar, Javier Gutiérrez, Álvaro Cervantes.
Rated R
In Spanish with English subtitles.
Available March 1
New Period Drama DVD Releases in March 2019
This section contains historical, costume, and period dramas that are being released this month to DVD and Blu-ray.
The Favourite (2018): In early 18th-century England, the relationship between Queen Anne and her close friend, Lady Sarah, is threatened by a new servant who schemes to return to her aristocratic roots. Read our review. Available HERE on March 5, 2019.
Green Book (2018): Inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class, and the 1962 Mason-Dixon line. When Tony Lip, a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime. Available HERE on March 12, 2019.
Marquise (1997): Restored, first US release. The rise and fall of a beauteous actress. She rises from an impoverished background to become a favorite of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Available HERE on March 5, 2019.
Marrying Mr. Darcy (2018): Contemporary, period-inspired. Elizabeth, a down to earth school teacher and Donovan, a reserved NewYork businessman, are very different. Which means their engagement and wedding is nothing if unpredictable. Available HERE on March 5, 2019.
The Mercy (2018): The incredible story of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst (Colin Firth) and his solo attempt to circumnavigate the globe. The struggles he confronted on the journey while his family awaited his return is one of the most enduring mysteries of recent times. Available HERE on March 5, 2019.
Stan & Ollie (2018): Laurel and Hardy go on a whirlwind tour to try and reconnect with their fans, but face an uncertain future with their golden era behind them. Available HERE on March 26, 2019.
Victoria and Albert: The Wedding (PBS): Lucy Worsley re-stages the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, including the most important elements of the ceremony and the celebrations, scouring archival materials and Queen Victoria’s diaries for the details. Lucy also tells the story of Victoria and Albert’s courtship and engagement as she reveals how this one extraordinary event helped to invent modern marriage. Available HERE on March 26, 2019.
When Calls The Heart: The Greatest Blessing (2018): Christmas special – After a group of orphans are stranded for the holidays, Abigail and the other residents of Hope Valley band together to make this an unforgettable Christmas. Meanwhile, Elizabeth prepares for her new life while teaching her students the art of selfless giving. Available HERE on March 5, 2019.
Other Movies You May Also Like
This section contains a curated list of movies and TV series new and are included on Prime, that are NOT period dramas. We think fans of historical and costume dramas will enjoy them just the same.
Beauty and the Beast (1987)
Creator Ron Koslow updates a classic fairy tale and places it in a modern and urban environment. Assistant District Attorney Catherine Chandler learns she has a protector watching out for her as she sets out to clear the New York City streets of its dangerous criminals. Turns out her “guardian angel” is a kind-hearted beast named Vincent, who lives in labyrinthine tunnels beneath the city.
Starring Linda Hamilton, Ron Perlman, Roy Dotrice, Jay Acovone.
Rated TV-PG
3 seasons
Available March 2
Dead Man’s Gun (1997)
Set in the mythic old West, the anthology series explores the legend that a dead man’s gun grants whoever possesses it unforeseen powers, but with dangerous results. As the pistol packed with poison passes from person to person, the lives of those who possess it are forever transformed.
Starring Kris Kristofferson, Jim Shield, Chilton Crane.
Rated TV-14
2 seasons
Available March 1
The Royals (Season 4)
Set in modern-day England, The Royals follows the lives of a fictional British Royal family that inhabits a world of opulence and regal tradition catering to any and every desire – a world that also comes with a price tag of duty, destiny and intense public scrutiny. Prince Liam is thrust into the spotlight after his older brother’s death puts him next in line to the throne.
Starring Joan Collins, William Moseley, Alexandra Park, Elizabeth Hurley, Tom Austen.
Watch the TRAILER
Rated TV-14
Available March 11
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If you enjoyed this post, be sure to see The Period Films List,with the best British, historical and costume dramas sorted by era. Also see the list of BBC Period Dramas added to Prime in 2018.
Jasmine
March 6, 2019 at 2:31 pm (6 years ago)Awesome list! Can’t wait watch some of these movies ☺️
Jille
March 5, 2019 at 11:04 am (6 years ago)So disappointed to see so many R rated movies. One thing I have enjoyed from many of the period films is no R rated scenes or language.