Although critics have praised the performances in Savage House, the film itself has received a frosty reception. Tim Robey in the Telegraph described its “putrid stylings” as making it “impossible to enjoy”, dismissing it as a “rancid” and “rotten” period drama. Yet this allegedly “lowbrow” film captures the spirit of 18th-century culture more effectively than many glossy period dramas. Savage House seems outrageous because we have forgotten how outrageous the 18th century could be. Set during