Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton isn’t the only period drama where gossip is happening and hearts are being broken. Mr. Malcolm’s List is an unsung Regency romance classic, and deserves its flowers, much like many of its characters wish for from their crushes. An understated study on the stuffy hierarchy of courting during the Regency era, Mr. Malcolm’s List puts a spotlight on the unfair gender politics that went into finding a spouse at the time. Directed by Emma Holly Jones and written by Suzanne Allain, women not only rule the screen but behind the scenes too.
Freida Pinto stars in Mr. Malcolm’s List as a headstrong, single woman and societal outsider who’s called back to London by her best friend (Zawe Ashton) to help humiliate a coveted, single man, Mr. Jeremy Malcolm (Sope Dirisu), who has unrealistic expectations of women as he searches for a wife. Mr. Malcolm’s List is the spitting image of Bridgerton, with elaborate ballroom scenes, forbidden love affairs, and gossip that rules over society. For those who miss Bridgerton and need another Regency romance to tide them over until the newest season premieres, Mr. Malcolm’s List is a must-watch.
What is ‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’ About?
Selina (Pinto), a single woman living in the countryside, is summoned to London by her brash and bold best friend, Julia (Ashton), who has just gone on a failed date at the opera with the most eligible bachelor in town, Mr. Malcolm (Dirisu). After her suitor displays a lack of interest, Julia is made fun of in the gossip sheets posted all around town, and further humiliated when Mr. Malcolm never bothers to call on her after their outing. When Julia finds out through her cousin, Lord Cassidy (a hilarious Oliver Cohen-Jackson), that Mr. Malcolm keeps a long list of requirements that women must meet to even be considered marriage material, she devises her own plan of revenge.
Julia prepares Selina to be the perfect romantic candidate for Mr. Malcolm by meeting all his so-called requirements, though her end goal is to rip the rug out from under him and have Selina reject him when he hopefully falls in love with her. But when Selina and Mr. Malcolm start to become fond of each other, it strains Selina and Julia’s friendship, and Selina begins to question whether she might actually be in love with the mysterious Mr. Malcolm. A dashing Theo James co-stars as Captain Henry Ossery, who also vies for Selina’s heart but finds himself smitten with Julia instead, creating a dizzying love quadrangle worthy of any Bridgerton season.
If You Love ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’ Offers More of the Same Regency Trappings
Promenades of longing stares and heartbreak set to searing violin solos are part of what made Bridgerton a success when it premiered. As Phoebe Dynevor‘s Daphne and Regé-Jean Page‘s Simon fell in love during Season 1 in a love affair that started as pretend and quickly became real, their best moments came on the dance floor. Selina and Mr. Malcolm’s most intimate moments also happen when they dance. In a film that does not have the luxury of filming steamy, R-rated love scenes in the bedroom, Mr. Malcolm’s List gets creative, using the ballroom to its advantage to allow its characters to speak in ways their words could never allow.
Selina and Mr. Malcolm’s most climactic dance is shot in a stunning ballroom with gorgeous costumes, as Selina is dressed as the goddess of the moon. Both Pinto and Dirisu master the complex dance moves, weaving in and out of each other’s space while never touching the other, exemplifying the tension of unspoken feelings between them. Jones directs the scene with a sweeping style across the dance floor, and it could easily fit into another Bridgerton ball. For those who miss Daphne and Simon’s relationship, Selina and Mr. Malcolm harness that same energy, as what was supposed to be a facade and game of revenge becomes all too real when they dance with one another.
Theo James Plays a Scene-Stealing Bad Boy in ‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’
In Mr. Malcolm’s List, Ashton runs away with her comic relief role as a woman out for vengeance. As Ashton’s Julia develops an unspoken romance with scene-stealer James Captain Henry Ossery, they breathe a different life into the film. For those who enjoyed James’s mischievous qualities in The White Lotus, he still has the same playful energy in Mr. Malcolm’s List, but uses it for good rather than evil. Ossery’s composure as a former, somewhat rakish war hero matches the gutsy Julia to perfection, and James’ teasing flirtation with Ashton is a welcome change of pace from Selina and Mr. Malcolm’s more serious courtship.
Mr. Malcolm’s List is also based upon the critically acclaimed novel written by Allain, and Mr. Ossery gets his moment to shine with the best proclamation of love throughout the film, courtesy of Allain’s eloquent dialogue. His and Julia’s storyline of enemies-to-lovers adds a classic element that romance lovers will swoon over, with James delivering a witty proclamation of love worthy of any Bridgerton monologue. With his earnest eyes and delicate delivery, his vulnerable admission adds a welcome moment of honesty to a film that mostly revolves around deception.
‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’ Is a Refreshing, Feminist Regency Romance
Though it doesn’t have the same exact scenes that Bridgerton does, Mr. Malcolm’s List carries that same cadence of passion through subtlety, offering a steamy romance that still happens to be family-friendly in nature. During a more playful moment, Mr. Malcolm teaches Selina how to play cricket by placing his arms around her for an instant. You could cut the tension with a knife, and it’s a lesson that less can be more.
