WCW: Charlotte Rampling

14

Charlotte Rampling is a British actress who was an icon of the 1960s and known for her long career in many arthouse movies. She’s acted in a number of period films, these days often as the bitchy or complicated older woman. Let’s run down her frock flick-ography!

 

The Long Duel (1967)

Set in 1920s British India, when the arrest of an Indian tribal leader leads to an insurrection. Rampling plays “Jane.”

1967 The Long Duel

Ok I’m seeing a dropped waist…

1967 The Long Duel

But that is some commitment to AquaNet!

The Damned (1969)

Directed by famed Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti (The Leopard), focused on a wealthy German industrialist family who have begun doing business with the Nazi Party. Rampling plays Elizabeth Thalmann, who must be the wife or daughter of the family firm’s anti-Nazi vice president.

The Damned (1969)

Okay, this is decently 1930s?

The Damned (1969)

You can’t go wrong with a face veil!

The Damned (1969)

The 1930s: is it a nightgown? Is it an evening gown?

‘Tis a Pity She’s a Whore (1971)

Based on the early 17th century play, a long-separated brother and sister are reunited with tragic consequences. Rampling plays said sister, Annabella.

'Tis a Pity She's a Whore (1971)

Aaaaand the Great Hairpin Shortage strikes again. Also, is that a turtleneck?

'Tis a Pity She's a Whore (1971)

HIS PANTS | Photo by Mondadori Portfolio by Getty Images

 

Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972)

The big budget feature film. Rampling plays Anne Boleyn, and quite well too, although all the wives could use more screen time.

1972 Henry VIII and his Six Wives

Ok so her ensemble has some issues, but Henry’s is great!

1972 Henry VIII and his Six Wives

Lots of amazing sleeves.

 

Zinotchka (1972)

A British TV adaptation of a Chekhov story, about a man who torments his governess. Rampling plays the title character, who must be the governess?

Zinotchka (1972)

Sounds bleak, but this dress is pretty!

 

Giordano Bruno (1973)

A biopic about the Italian philosopher of the same name (1548-1600); Rampling plays “Fosca.”

1973 Giordano Bruno

She has a dress?

1973 Giordano Bruno

This was the best I could do, sorry!

 

Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

A 1940s-set noir film about private detective Philip Marlowe (Robert Mitchum). Rampling plays the seductive married woman Marlowe gets a thing for.

Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

Lovely!

 

Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976)

An American TV movie with Roger Moore as Sherlock; Rampling plays Irene Adler.

Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976)

Aaaand we’re back to getting our bouffant on.

Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976)

 

The Far Side of Paradise aka Foxtrot (1976)

Peter O’Toole and Rampling are a Romanian count/countess who escape Europe in 1939 for a private island paradise. According to Wikipedia, “The set is a full Art Deco interior under a tent on a deserted island, and the clothes (overseen by Jorge Ramirez) feature a seemingly endless supply of pristine white couture and custom tailoring.”

1976 The Far Side of Paradise

1940s. Not 1970s. Suuuure.

 

Hammers Over the Anvil (1993)

Set in 1900s small town Australia, a young boy crippled by polio grows up. Russell Crowe plays a horsebreak, and Rampling the Englishwoman who connects with him.

1993 Hammers Over the Anvil (1993)

THE LAURA ASHLEY IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE

 

Radetzkymarsch (1994)

An Austro-German-French TV miniseries, with an overly-long synopsis on IMDB. Military, late 19th/early 20th century, blah blah, go read it yourself if you care. Rampling plays “Valerie von Taussig.”

Radetzkymarsch (1994)

I’m getting a 1900s vibe?

Radetzkymarsch (1994)

 

La dernière fête (1996)

Rampling plays the real-life Marquise de Prie, who was a major player at the French court of Louis XV in the 1720s.

La dernière fête (1996)

Ok so this is terrifying.

La dernière fête (1996)

But this looks okay?

La dernière fête (1996)

A bit more of her dress.

 

The Wings of the Dove (1997)

The fabulous 1910s-set adaptation of the Henry James novel. Rampling plays the bitchy aunt who expects her niece to marry well.

The Wings of the Dove (1997)

Rampling actually gets the most avant-garde wardrobe in the film!

The Wings of the Dove (1997)

I mean, THIS IS AMAZEBALLS.

 

The Cherry Orchard (1999)

Chekhov, 1904, why do I know nothing about this play?

1999 The Cherry Orchard

Sorry, I don’t get excited about Chekhov.

 

Great Expectations (1999)

As the famous Miss Havisham in this BBC TV miniseries adaptation of the Dickens novel.

Great Expectations (1999)

Sticking very much to the period, Rampling is in a Regency-style wedding dress… which seems to have held up well over the years!

Great Expectations (1999)

 

Imperium: Augustus (2003)

A TV movie about the rise of Emperor Augustus (Octavian). Rampling plays his wife, Empress Livia.

Imperium- Augustus (2003)

Feels like a Rome rip-off.

 

Angel (2007)

A super shlocky attempt to adapt a novel about a writer. DO NOT ATTEMPT. Rampling plays “Hermione.”

Angel (2007)

 

The Duchess (2008)

As Countess Spencer, loving but bitchy mother who is full of expectations that her daughter, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, be conventional.

The Duchess (2008)

SUCH stunningly accurate and gorgeous costumes!

The Duchess (2008)

We did a deep dive on this costume.

 

The Mill and the Cross (2011)

A film based on “The Procession to Calvary,” a 1564 painting by Bruegel, showing Christ carrying the cross surrounded by 500 figures.

2011 The Mill and the Cross 2011 The Mill and the Cross

 

The Little Stranger (2018)

An adaptation of a Sarah Waters (Tipping the Velvet, Fingersmith) novel, set in 1948. Set in 1948 about a doctor visiting a house full of secrets.

The Little Stranger (2018)

SO perfect for the period!

The Little Stranger (2018) The Little Stranger (2018)

 

Benedetta (coming soon)

About real-life 17th-century nun Benedetta Carlini, mystic and lesbian. Rampling plays the Abbess, natch.

2021 Benedetta

DO NOT PANIC. This is a behind-the-scenes shot!

 

What’s your favorite Charlotte Rampling frock flick role?

14 Responses

  1. Nzie

    Hm, I’m curious about that Great Expectations… can’t say I loved the novel, but that regency wedding dress + Ioan Gruffudd pique my interest.

    I need to revisit Chekhov. I read Three Sisters at probably 13, maybe the Cherry Orchard at one point? And I think I didn’t understand either. But I also read Lady with a Dog in a college lit class, and the entire thing was a send up of Anna Karenina, particularly its moralizing. So I would like to revisit on a suspicion of humor.

  2. Lee Jones

    Although I’m familiar with the actress, I’m not familiar with her movies.

  3. MJ

    I absolutely loved her in The Duchess, but looking through this list I realized I loved her in a lot more. Not my fave Mrs. Havisham but she is definitely gorgeous in that dress. Need to go look for The Little Stranger.

  4. mmcquown

    Haven’t seen most of these, so “The Damned” I also remember a film she did with Dirk Bogarde, “The Night Porter” about a sick relationship between a Holocaust survivor and a concentration camp officer. She is one of those women, like Helen Mirren, who oozes sex appeal, and knows how to make it work on camera.

  5. Susan Pola Staples

    Wings of the Dove and The Duchess are my favourite movies. Costumes in each were super amazeballs.

  6. Shashwat

    Loved her in The Duchess and Great Expectations.She was pretty charming in the little screen time she had as Anne.The aquanet in The Long Duel might have created an ozone hole above the equator itself,if that were possible.

  7. Frannie Germeshausen

    Cherry Orchard: “We will go to Moscow, and we will work.” Lather, rinse, repeat.

  8. Al Don

    I read the novel Radetzkymarsch and loved it; gripping and tragic. I haven’t bothered with either series adapting it and wasn’t sure I should.

    Also: what in the fresh hell is going on with the Photoshop job on the La dernière fête poster?

  9. MelMc

    Did they crochet their outfits in Tis a Pity She’s a Whore? Both those outfits look like they came out of one of those Bernat How To Crochet pamphlets my mom still has in her craft room.

  10. Damnitz

    That French film “La dernière fête” is looking like one of those low Budget TV-films from this period. Look at the beard and the wig of one of the guys!

    I ask for myself if not somebody managed to notice that the 62-years old Charlotte Rampling was just not looking like the 37-years old Lady Spencer?
    The costumes in “The Duchess” deserved a better film (but maybe that’s something which is true for many epic frock flicks (“Jefferson in Paris” too – same problem with too old actors).

  11. SarahV

    Charlotte Rampling has a long, impressive career and she is one of those actresses who can make period costumes sing! BUT!

    .. are we just not going to discuss young hot Russell Crowe?

  12. Jose

    Charlotte is great actress and she has that natural regalness for costume pictures yeah she’s really great not valued enough
    Zinotchka sounds awfully like garbo’s comedy doesn’t it? kkkkkk
    Her photos in Sherlock made me think it would be nice to have an Irene Adler WCW she’s a very interesting character even if she’s no Milady de Winter
    And one can’t blame no one for not knowing the cherry orchard it’s about a woman getting crazy while having to sell her state

  13. Jillian

    I looked up the plot for The Damned, and oof….. Do not go there. Depressing AF!