A Gentleman in Moscow (2024)

Today we take a bit of a dip into the world of A Gentleman in Moscow (2024), the new Paramount+ drama starring Ewan McGregor and (real-life wife) Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and based on the novel of the same name by Amor Towles. Only five episodes are out as of this writing, with three more set to drop in the coming weeks, but I wanted to drum up some interest here for the frock flick content, seeing has the last two shows I’ve reviewed (Capote vs. The Swans and The New Look) have been total duds when it comes to costumes.

The brief synopsis of this show is that Ewan plays Count Rostov, a Russian nobleman who has found himself on the wrong side of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1921. About to be sentenced to a swift execution, his life is spared by some higher-ups who think he wrote an anonymous poem supporting the revolution. That said, he is sentenced to life imprisonment in the Hotel Metropol in Moscow. He’s allowed to roam the hotel and interact with staff and guests, but he can never leave the confines of the building. It’s an interesting set up that immediately had me wondering how on earth they’re going to build an entire plot around the concept, and so far, I’m pretty gripped by how much drama a single setting can generate for a character.

Similarly, you wouldn’t think there would be a lot of opportunity for costume content with such a restrictive setting, but the fact that the hotel caters to the Russian elite means there’s plenty of good eye candy to enjoy, as the show covers about three decades of Rostov’s life in the hotel.

Rostov (center), flanked by the two characters who have the most impact on him: Anna (left), the beautiful actress; and Nina (right), a precocious child who befriends him almost immediately and later becomes an important fixture in Rostov’s life.

The costumes were designed by Sam Perry, whose work is probably best known to our readers from Sanditon (2019), season 1. The budget for A Gentleman in Moscow was apparently pretty good, because the costumes and sets are gorgeous. Sadly, there haven’t been any sweepingly effusive articles singing Perry’s praises in the press, so I’m not able to drop in any quotes about her process and inspiration, so we will just have to appreciate the images here and take my word for it: The costumes are excellent.