DOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand Finale

 

Jeri Jacquin

Currently in theatres from director Simon Curtis and Focus Features based on the story created by Julian Fellowes is the ending of an era with DOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand Finale.

It is the 1930’s and the Crawley family is learning to literally change with the times. Beginning with the visiting the London stage show with Guy Dexter (Dominic West) and assistant Barrow (Robert James Collier). Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), Countess Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) and husband Bertie (Harry Hadden-Paton) go backstage and meet the ever-popular Noel Coward (Arty Froushan). It is the height of the season and the next evening Lady Petersfield (Joely Richardson) has a ball and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) is dressed to the nines. That is when Mary’s world comes once again crashing as news of her marriage changes her social status.

Coming back to England is brother Harold (Paul Giamatti) who is visiting to update Cora on their late mother’s estate bringing advisor Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola). The family happily returns to Downton welcomed by butler Carson (Jim Carter) who is turning over the reins to Andy (Michael Fox) under the watchful eye of Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan). He is not the only one retiring as Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) is also preparing to depart Downton and leaving it in the hands of Daisy (Sophie McShera). Anna (Joanne Froggatt) is still by Mary’s side as is husband Bates (Brendan Coyle) caring for his Lordship. Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) and Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) are still part of the downstairs staff as well. They all know what is happening with Lady Mary and, as always, keep their knowing to themselves.

Arriving at Downton as well is Tom Branson (Allen Leech) bringing daughter Sybbie (Fifi Hart) to visit and be a support to the family and Lady Mary. Isobel (Penelope Wilton) also comes to the family to talk about the upcoming family-community event asking Daisy and Mr. Carson to be part of committee much to the dismay of Sir Moreland (Simon Beale). If all of this wasn’t enough on the Crawley calendar, decisions on changes that have Lord Grantham must now make in order to keep their legacy growing.

Each come to terms with where they have been in their time at Downton Abbey and know that change is not always something to fear.

Other cast include Paul Copley as Albert Mason, Douglas Reith as Lord Merton, Lisa Dillon as Princess Arthur, Sarah Crowden as Lady Manville, Oliver Barker as George, Eva Samms as Marigold, and Rose Galbraith as Lady Gwendoline.

Focus Features’ mission is to make a lasting impact on global audiences by creating the home for artists to share diverse, distinctive stories that inspire human connection. Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies that brings entertainment and news to a global audience. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.focusfeatures.com.

Now, let me get my Downton Abbey teapot of Earl Grey, teacup/saucer and my delicate plate of madeleines and box of tissues before I start this. Okay, here we go –

I accidentally discovered DOWNTON ABBEY in 2011 while watching another success story with The Great British Baking Show. For year, those shows were my Sunday night back-to-back fun that I could not get enough of. The cast of DOWNTON ABBEY drew me in immediately (as I am a huge fan of period pieces in television and film) and the storyline was riveting, powerful and thought provoking. The Crawley family, being led by Lord Grantham, are important to the community providing positions in the household as well as farming. From the beginning, the family dynamics were so interesting with Cora being the American wife and three daughters who were clearly so very different. Navigating their world from two different perspectives and finding themselves lost occasionally, Robert and Cora were the stabilizing force of Downton. All of it played beautifully by Bonneville and McGovern with an ending that they deserved that was graceful and loving.

Mary, Edith and Sybil were headstrong, insecure, lovely and met the challenges that the world brought them. Mary found Matthew, Edith found Bertie and Sybil found her prince charming in Tom Branson. Dockery as Mary saw more than her fair share of difficulties but the fact is, when the time came, she knew how to stand tall no matter who tries to knock her down in a time where women scratched harder than we, today, could have imagined. Carmichael as Edith began as a shrinking violet in life, love and an older sister who, at times, was not very nice. Yet, the more she experienced, the more she literally grew and deserved a loving and happily ever after. Findlay played Sybil for years and has never been forgotten season after season up until the last.

Stevenson played Matthew and he, as well, was not forgotten for Mary and I adored that about her. Patton as Bertie gave us a man who was content in his life and when it turned around, he became secure in who he was to become with Edith at his side. Now let’s talk Branson, Leech gave us a bit of Irish rebellion while wearing a chauffer’s uniform. He loved Sybil, lost himself in trying to mix working class with Downtown Abbey and it was a story within itself. I loved watching Leech grow and it was so well done.

Downton could not have been without the staff who kept the household together beginning with Mr. Carson. His story began as a young man working in the Crawley household working his way up to butler and always keeping an eye on Lady Mary. He was tough, secretly gentle but always, always put Downton first! That caused a few eyerolls from Mrs. Hughes, played by Logan, who was a woman of straight talk, a shoulder to cry on and believed that every person in service could be more than they could ever have imagined. Sharing the downstairs was the woman behind the dinners as Mrs. Patmore, played by Nicole, who made the kitchen her place of creation with pride in those she cooked for. Keeping her company was McShera as Daisy, a wide eyed, questioning and sometimes moody “sous chef” who often wondered if she’d ever be as good as her mentor. She does finally find a life with Andy, played by Fox, who shares his story of climbing the ladder of service but with a subdued character that made him instantly likeable.

Taking care of Mary’s needs was Froggat’s Anna, a woman with heart, soul and a person that trouble seems to follow on the regular. I just adored the character of Anna as such a stable force among the downstairs and even when her life was just in shambles, she found her way back. Mr. Bates might have had something to do with that strength; Coyle is a man wounded by war but finds a safe space and a kinship with Lord Grantham while also being the man who takes care of the head of house. When his life becomes a roadmap of chaos, it is Anna that helps him consistently so watching their ending in this film was everything anyone could have hoped for. Mr. Moseley, played by Doyle, is the insecure bumbler of a footman who always seems to find himself on the ins and then the outs of Downton until he accidentally stumbles into a line of work that he enjoys and provides. It also gives him a chance at love with Miss Baxter; Cassidy portrays her as a woman who is used for his back history until the day she stood tall and made a new life for herself. Who was using that back history? Well, that would be Mr. Barrow played brilliantly by James Collier. This actor spent years perfecting the man who we all loved to hate and then love again. A mixture of complexities had everyone guessing every episode whether we all wanted to shake him or hug him. In the finale, Barrow finds the missing piece of his life in silent film actor Guy Dexter played by West.

Wilton as Isobel takes the center controls with the absence of Maggie Smith as the Dowager Violet Crawley. Taking the lead in representing the family for the township, I adore her ability to remain steadfast and even cutting when she needed to be and what a relationship between Isobel and Violet that can never be matched or repeated ever again. In the final film, West returns as Dexter to say his final farewells to the Crawley’s and brings along Noel Coward in the form of Froushan and I loved every moment he was on screen. Giamatti returns as Cora’s brother Harold and is taught a lesson in sisterly tough love but knows he can always come ‘home’.

The film is stunningly beautiful with the costuming, the score is everything we have come to know and memorable and, of course, Downton Abbey itself in the form of Highclere Castle. Every time a vintage car pulled in it was the light sound of pebbles below the tires, the front door castes and the sound of the click of the latch, the library that held so many teas, the staircase that is surrounded by stunning artwork, the gallery that overlooked so many events, the lush green vast lawn that anyone would be happy to stroll along – all of it, breathtaking. There are many castles in Europe but to Downton Abbey fans, there is only one that stole our hearts. Not stolen really, more like held onto it until the saga came to its conclusion, then returned it to us with a bow and a ‘thank you’ for the years of dedication we also had to the show.

Finally, to creator Julian Fellowes, how can this woman ever thank you for your thoughtfulness, your ability to tell an amazing story that has kept the world captivated and talking, the time it took for your imagination to find its way onto paper then screen and for taking us all year after year on a journey as the world changed in so many ways for Downton and its inhabitants. These characters grew, changed, felt their worlds collapse only to be rebuilt into something stronger, found amazing joy, unexpected friendships, death of beloved characters and birth of new additions to the family. Thank you for giving me Violate Crawley in the body of Maggie Smith, the woman who had my heart and spoke the words I always wanted to on so many occasions. You kept her front and center even after we all had to say goodbye. It was all you sir, and the words ‘thank you’ feel not enough to express what you have brought to us all.

As I sit here and sit the last drop of my tea, I am comforted in the knowledge that right behind me is a Blu-ray of every season of DOWNTON ABBEY as well as the films that followed. Anytime I wish, I can return to the characters that I have loved so much. DOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand Finale was a hard watch, yes. Kleenex worthy? Absolutely. There are moments that just wrecked me and when the lights came up in the theatre, I was so surprised to see that there wasn’t a dry eye in the seats. We all looked at one another and sort of giggled, passing tissue and felt that we had just experienced one of the best endings of a series ever. Strangers had become talking friends walking out of the theatre with tears turning into laughter and hugs. It was an extraordinary experience and, I will remember it. Or, in the words of the Dowager, “My dear, a lack of compassion can be as vulgar as an excess of tears”.

In the end – the time has come to say goodbye!