10 Must-Watch Films Set in Stately Estates

Description: This classic horror film is set in Hill House, an estate with a dark history. It's perfect for this list as it explores the psychological effects of living in an isolated, possibly haunted estate.

Fact: The film was based on Shirley Jackson's novel "The Haunting of Hill House," and it was remade in 1999 with a different approach to the story.

Description: This Merchant Ivory production explores the life of a butler in a grand English estate, focusing on duty, love, and the passage of time.

Fact: Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson both received Academy Award nominations for their performances.

Description: This adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel features Misselthwaite Manor, an estate with a hidden garden that becomes a place of healing and transformation.

Fact: The film was shot in Yorkshire, England, and the garden scenes were filmed in a real garden that was restored for the movie.

Description: Set in a secluded estate on the British Channel Islands, this film blends gothic horror with a haunting atmosphere, making it a standout in estate-themed movies.

Fact: The film was shot in Spain, despite its setting, and it was a major box office success in Europe.

Description: This Robert Altman film is a murder mystery set in the grand English country estate of Sir William McCordle, offering a detailed look at the upstairs-downstairs dynamics of the 1930s.

Fact: The film boasts an ensemble cast including Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, and Michael Gambon, and was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Description: While not exclusively set in an estate, the film's opening scenes at the Tallis family's grand home set the stage for a tragic love story and a tale of atonement.

Fact: The film features a famous five-minute continuous shot on Dunkirk beach, showcasing the scale of the evacuation.

Description: This gothic horror film is set in the eerie Eel Marsh House, an isolated estate with a tragic past, making it a chilling addition to our list.

Fact: The film is based on Susan Hill's novel and was Daniel Radcliffe's first major film role post-Harry Potter.

Description: Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel is set in the imposing Manderley estate, where the new Mrs. de Winter grapples with the legacy of her predecessor.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director.

Description: This film adaptation of Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw" is set in a grand English estate where a governess begins to suspect her charges are under supernatural influence.

Fact: The film was nominated for two BAFTA Awards, including Best British Film.

Description: Set in the opulent world of New York's high society, this film captures the essence of estate life through the eyes of Lily Bart, who navigates the social scene with grace and desperation.

Fact: Gillian Anderson's performance as Lily Bart was critically acclaimed, though the film did not receive widespread commercial success.