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Downton Abbey: The Movie (2019)

Athena

By Athena
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AZChristian
AZChristian

The trip was four years ago.  We were in London for a week before cruising around the British Isles for 12 days.  We're not rich, but our kids are grown and we live in a double-wide so we have money f

GrannySmith
GrannySmith

I just got home from the movie and felt like I spent two hours with old friends. I’ll probably go see it again. 

Quilt Fairy
Quilt Fairy

That would require Mary to think about someone other than herself...….

Crs97

Crs97

I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the kings arrival:

 I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the King’s arrival:

1.   Should Cora have spoken before they did? She curtsied and welcomed to them to Downton Abbey, but they hadn’t spoken first.  I thought that was a thing.

2.  Should the family have been lined up so that the King and Queen met Bertie and Edith before Mary?

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AZChristian

AZChristian

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the kings arrival:

 I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the King’s arrival:

1.   Should Cora have spoken before they did? She curtsied and welcomed to them to Downton Abbey, but they hadn’t spoken first.  I thought that was a thing.

2.  Should the family have been lined up so that the King and Queen met Bertie and Edith before Mary?

1.  I think you're right about Cora greeting them first, but maybe because she was their hostess, it was okay.

2.  Bertie and Edith "outrank" Mary, so it would be appropriate for them to be introduced first.  

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AZChristian

AZChristian

1 hour ago, Atlanta said:

Wouldn't Edith have her own lady's maid from Brancaster? I was confused why Anna attended to her. It was nice seeing the sisters finally be friends. Laura Carmichael has quite the bod, BTW.

I think Robert commented about the fact that there was no maid and no nanny when Bertie and Edith first pulled up to Downton Abbey. Bertie said, "These are modern times; we don't do all of that."

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Possum

Possum

The movie was a lovely reunion.  Catching up with most of the characters was a real treat.  Not that it really matters, but I can't say there were any surprises.  I thought everything was laid out so that you could guess what was going to happen next.

My favorite things had to be the Violet/Isobel moments, Molesley playing the lovable fool, and seeing love in the air for our two Toms.  After all of the nasty behavior of the past, I still can't believe I'm actually rooting for Thomas to find happiness.  Tom had the best storyline of the bunch.

I know I'm probably in a very small minority here, but I admit to liking the filming style of the TV series better than the movie.  I'm still trying to figure out the differences but have come up with a couple of things.  The TV series seemed brighter and I thought showed the surroundings to greater advantage.  The lighting in the movie seemed dark at times.  It also appeared as if the movie had many more close-ups than the TV series, and at times it seemed a little too "in your face."  

The movie was a very pleasant visit with "old friends."  Fitting in so many characters in one movie had to be quite the challenge.  Some I wanted to see more and some less.  Overall, I think any fan of Downton will be thrilled to bits to be back in that world for a couple of hours.

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filmfan2480

filmfan2480

On 9/23/2019 at 11:32 PM, Spunkygal said:

I just can’t stop laughing when I think of Moseley curtsying for His Highness. The look on the actor’s face really sold the embarrassment and confusion of the situation.

I was LOL-ing, for real.  Bent over in my seat.  Loved that moment.

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zillabreeze

zillabreeze

On 9/20/2019 at 1:15 AM, Hiyo said:

Avoid car crashes, avoid getting arrested for crimes you may or may not have committed, avoid squandering the family fortune...

And please, oh please, don't have any yellow labs dying of cancer in the fancy bed!!!!

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Wallacd

Wallacd

On 9/25/2019 at 2:03 PM, Possum said:

 After all of the nasty behavior of the past, I still can't believe I'm actually rooting for Thomas to find happiness.  Tom had the best storyline of the bunch.

* * *

I know I'm probably in a very small minority here, but I admit to liking the filming style of the TV series better than the movie.  I'm still trying to figure out the differences but have come up with a couple of things.  The TV series seemed brighter and I thought showed the surroundings to greater advantage.  The lighting in the movie seemed dark at times.  It also appeared as if the movie had many more close-ups than the TV series, and at times it seemed a little too "in your face."  

I also am hoping for Thomas to find happiness.  When you think about it, probably a lot of his horrible behavior can be attributed to always feeling (and being treated like) an outsider because he's gay.  Toss in the horrible O'Brien being the only person to offer him friendship and a lot of his behavior becomes understandable if not excusable.  

I also agree about the lighting and the close ups.  Although I did appreciate the sweeping views inside the house.  It seems we saw more of each room and that was really fun.  Plus you could really examine the details of the gorgeous dresses and the jewelry.  My mother and I kept leaning over to each other to whisper about them (those tiaras were to die for).

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Sew Sumi

Sew Sumi

(edited)

We didn't get the recap. 😢

I think I was the youngest person in the theater, and I'm solidly into middle age. I do have to qualify that by noting that my neighborhood theater is directly across the street from a senior living community. 😁

Edited by Sew Sumi
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Mrsjumbo

Mrsjumbo

We had the Mr Carson/Mrs Hughes recap.

I enjoyed the movie more than I thought I would. I saw the previews (the King & Queen are visiting!) & thought how can they make a 90 min movie out of that? The staff rebellion was my favorite part.

i thought it was very out of character for Mary to seem to give up on Downton. I’m rewatching their series & season 1 & 2 she’s fighting with all she’s got to keep Downton going.

It also seemed unlikely that Daisy, coming from nothing, would not be impressed with the king’s visit. 

Other than that, thoroughly enjoyable & I’ll be buying the DVD for sure.

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AheadofStraight

AheadofStraight

 just finished watching season 6 so it felt odd to me that there was no mention or visual of why Carson had to retire due to illness (Parkinson's?). I also thought it was gross that Daisy was turned on by Andy's violent jealousy. Other than that, I enjoyed it and appreciated not having to watch Lady Grantham die.

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zillabreeze

zillabreeze

(edited)

It's 90 bajillion degrees outside and I spent the afternoon in a cold dark , mostly empty, recliner theater with The Crowleys, a glass of Chardonnay and THE CASTLE.  I'm calling it a Very Big WIN day in my boring little world!

How delicious was that???? Awesome storylines upstairs and downstairs!  I had happy tears, sad tears, LOL'd a bunch with Dowager and Isobel snarking and that darling Mosely scene.  Then gasped in horror at "you know when".

Those beautiful horses at the parade!  Oh swoon!  The shots of Highclere from every angle, in daylight, moonlight and everything in between!  Stunning!!! That's why the big screen was invented!!!  The other castles weren't too shabby either!   The silver room? Oh oh oh!  We've never seen it before, have we?

And my favorite! Mrs. Patmore, I was so invested in her dinner thing, I just wanted to jump up and shake pom-poms for that to work out!  

You can stick Mark Addy in any damn UK thing and I just wanna smoosh his little chubby cheeks.

I could blather for days about how wonderful the flick was!!!  But I picked up a check-out magazine on the way home... apparently, I can drop 50 pounds in the next month.  I'll be very busy buying Mary's ballgown and dating Hugh Bonneville, so if I'm off the radar, I'm sure y'all will understand!

ETA.  I can't STFU about everything I loved.

Edited by zillabreeze
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sark1624

sark1624

On 9/24/2019 at 12:36 PM, Crs97 said:

I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the kings arrival:

 I have a couple of nitpicky questions about the King’s arrival:

1.   Should Cora have spoken before they did? She curtsied and welcomed to them to Downton Abbey, but they hadn’t spoken first.  I thought that was a thing.

2.  Should the family have been lined up so that the King and Queen met Bertie and Edith before Mary?

I dont know the rules, ovbiously Bertie and Edith outrank everybody there, but they are no the hosts, for that reason i think that, first is the family host, then the rest. Because in the parade, Edith and Bertie are in a sort of podium with Cora, Robert, the queen and the rest it is a level ground. 

The movie was ok, i think that downstairs plot was silly, i think that again, Fellowes is afraid of showing the real opinion of downstairs people, for working class people the big strike was a very very big thing. 

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Megara

Megara

I liked it for what it was. I wasn’t expecting much plot and didn’t get it but they won me over with the nostalgia factor since Downton was six years of my life, having watched it live.

I didn’t notice the bit about Edith and Bertie but I think that’s true and they probably just didn’t want to overshadow Mary in her own house.

I thought Mary wanting to give up on Downton was extremely out of character as well—it’s her Tara or Green Gables, and she’s always been adamant on defending it. I just can’t see herself folding and giving her son’s inheritance away. So that part really peeved me.

I also still can’t stand her husband and wish Charles Blake was there instead. I’m rewatching the series now and just finished Season 4—they were so well suited, intellectually and just in general. I think he’s a lot more like her than I gave him credit for the first time around (which I think is why they didn’t get together, both of them were too proud to tell the other how they really felt). If there is a sequel, I would be over the moon if he came back. I just want them to sing one song and Mary to realize she made a big mistake.

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Lonesome Rhodes

Lonesome Rhodes

My first reaction to Mary's doubts as to Downton being a going concern was like most of y'all:  Never in a million years.

Then, I thought about it and there is some justification.  First, the economics were becoming more obvious, and sad, with each passing year.  On a personal level - she's a new-ish bride.  It makes some sense that she would want her husband to pursue whatever he pleased as a professional.  Also, the burden of being the matriarch of the whole place, including the village, is quite a lot.  A part of her would gladly forego that cup, imo.

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Megara

Megara

(edited)

I think that’s true and it would make sense for anyone else but Mary—I was under the impression that her love for Downton is going to outweigh her love for any man (let alone this one) and the thing about Downton now is that it’s her and Matthew’s legacy, and she’s supposed to be leaving it to George. I agree that there’s probably a part of her that wonders but I don’t think that part of her should ever seriously have a chance of winning.

Edited by Megara
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sark1624

sark1624

The problem with Mary and running Downton it could have been more developed during the series, sadly the series were about her love life. The fact is that most of the aristocracy were facing big and reald problems, only the very rich were ok. The thing is that the series was not realistic about the true aristocratic life of those years, for example, it would have been imposible that the family would have forgave Edith for having a child out wedlock, or Sybil marrying a servant, or the family rejecting Strallan, or Robert not being called to fight in the war, for example Robert was a professional army officer with combat experience, remember that the british army was very small, so when the war started many men were called up again to the very least help to train the hordes of civilians who joined. 

In realistic therms, Mary could have been better if she stayed single and focusing her energies in running Downton, again, nothing weird on those times because there were a lot of war widows, the landed gentry who were officers during the war was wiped out, so many rich woman found themselves having lovers instead of marryign again, for the simple reason, that the rich and tittled men were very rare, so those men could easily pick up a more young, wealthy woman, same with Edith. Also i dont remember well, but the hustband back in the day has the legal faculty of managing the wife´s money, adding more problems, also if Mary or her new husband dies, the inheritance it would have to be splited. 

In the case of Edith, the thing about being a wealthy marchioness also has her burdens, every charity in her area would have requested her participation, from the school village, hospital, scout girls, etc. It is a bit unrealistic that Edith found themselve surprised for her new obligations, every aristocratic girl knew very well what kind of life was expected from them, same with the man, for example every aristocratic young man would have to participe in the army, for every privilege that the aristocracy had, there were also obligations. 

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Hiyo

Hiyo

Quote

In realistic therms, Mary could have been better if she stayed single and focusing her energies in running Downton, again, nothing weird on those times because there were a lot of war widows,

Technically, Mary wasn't a war widow...

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sark1624

sark1624

1 hour ago, Hiyo said:

Technically, Mary wasn't a war widow...

she wasnt, but there were many widows of her same age. For that reason an aristocratic man, for example bertie, could easily pick anyone. The very few rich and tittled men were very rare, so any aristocrat would be throwing her daughter to them. Even Rose with all her beauty couldnt be hard find a tittled and rich husband, because her family was poor. Remember those unions were pragmatic, men from the aristocracy needed rich, and young (to produce heirs) women. Even Henry without a tittle and money woudl have been a catch because of the shortage of men, no parent wanted a spinter daugher. 

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humbleopinion

humbleopinion

Correct.

Bertie was just his cousin's keeper and while he is an aristocrat, there was no reason to believe his cousin was going to die young like Matthew and the drowned Titanic heirs, James and his son Patrick(Mary's intended) that got the whole plot rolling down to (pun intended) the bank.

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Hiyo

Hiyo

His cousin's estate keeper...given what we know of Bernie's cousin and all of his trips to Tangier's boystown, I imagine being his cousin's keeper would have been a full time job 😉

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Megara

Megara

The fact that there were eligible men chasing Mary around for three seasons was unrealistic, sure—especially when you consider how Edith was having trouble in S3 finding a man her age. I would say Gillingham and Talbot at least might have been after the money to some extent. I’m rewatching the series now and I do actually think they spent ample time showing her working with Tom and her father on the estate, but I agree that it should have been the priority and not her love life. But out of the three, I think Charles Blake would have been the most suited to her.

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sark1624

sark1624

Even before being a marquess Bertie Pelham would have been a catch, being the agent of an estate of the size of Brancaster (Alnwick Castle) was a very big deal, those posts were so important that were given to close relatives, before inheriting the dukedom, the current duke of northumberland was the estate agent when his brother was the duke. Also, Bertie Pelham gave info that before was a soldier, ovbiously a officer, again, tipically a profession related to the landed gentry. So, it was stupid from Robert complaining about Bertie even when he was an agent that he was not suitable for Edith, Robert as an aristocrat should have known that for them it was not good to have unmarried daughters because it also reflected bad in the partens, specially Cora,, and with the shortage of upper class men after the war, the humble estate manager Bertie Pelham would have been a real catch for girls from the aristocracy.

If the surviving men were the lucky ones in that sense, people like Mary and Edith faced a new reality, women started to work, we see Edith with her magazine, Mary starting to manage the estate and so on. Women like Mary who were widows, stayed widows because men of her age simply went to more richer and younger women, now in the case of Mary, any child that she had with Henry Talbot it would be less money to George, and we know that the whole point is thay they are trying to keep Downton alive. 

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Megara

Megara

Not just paper—in the flesh. Their chemistry was outstanding. I feel like it’s nonexistent with Talbot. It also really helped that they were united towards a common goal, and I think he had a way more interesting backstory. His being from Northern Ireland could have caused some interesting tension with Tom, and I’m curious about how long he knew he was supposed to be the heir to a baronet. I wouldn’t be surprised if he lived a perfectly normal life until the line of succsssion died out during the war.

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bannana

bannana

The movie was great.  A couple of ladies wore fascinators to the theatre. 😊

Loved the war between the DA downstairs staff and the Royal downstairs staff.  Brilliant.

I found Edith's story to be annoying, and I am a feminist.  Maybe she just annoys me now.  I loved her when she was running the paper.  I don't like her "woe is me" routine.

While I liked the side storyline re Barrows, it felt forced.  And, here's a question, did the guy from the Royal Household call the cops on them?  That is what it seemed like.  And then he got him out with his credentials.  

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Hiyo

Hiyo

Quote

Even before being a marquess Bertie Pelham would have been a catch, being the agent of an estate of the size of Brancaster (Alnwick Castle) was a very big deal, those posts were so important that were given to close relatives, before inheriting the dukedom, the current duke of northumberland was the estate agent when his brother was the duke.

Were these posts really regarded as that much of a catch? In the case you referred, they were brothers, whereas in Bertie's case, it was his cousin who held the title and not much reference to where Bertie was in the line of succession until the Marquess died.

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Women like Mary who were widows, stayed widows because men of her age simply went to more richer and younger women

I guess it depends on the men of her age. For someone like Henry, who wasn't super rich and had no title, who there be that many richer and younger women competing for him?

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any child that she had with Henry Talbot it would be less money to George,

How so?

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Not just paper—in the flesh. Their chemistry was outstanding. I feel like it’s nonexistent with Talbot.

I'm the opposite...I liked the chemistry between Mary and Henry. She and Blake had nice hate chemistry, but it fizzled out once they tried to make it work.

Quote

I’m curious about how long he knew he was supposed to be the heir to a baronet. I wouldn’t be surprised if he lived a perfectly normal life until the line of succsssion died out during the war.

I'm guessing he knew for a while, he just played it down quite a lot and didn't want it to influence people he met, knowing that he would be "joining the club" one day eventually anyway.

Quote

I found Edith's story to be annoying, and I am a feminist.  Maybe she just annoys me now.  I loved her when she was running the paper.  I don't like her "woe is me" routine.

Eeyore has to Eeyore...eventually lol

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Megara

Megara

I didn’t think it fizzled out at all—I was watching the beginning of Season 5 over the weekend and the confrontation over her deciding on Gillingham was some of the best back and forth dialogue she’s had with a love interest in the last half of the series:

”Plantagenets are just as susceptible as housemaids when it comes to sex.”

“Are we talking about sex or love?”

”That is the question mankind has been wrestling with since the dawn of time.” And her face when he gets up and leaves!  I don’t know—I think I appreciated that he was more on her level than Henry ever was or will be 😂. I mean how often does Mary not get the last word?

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Crs97

Crs97

Blake didn’t do anything for me.  Neither did Tony for that matter.  In that group, I was rooting for Evelyn.  Then Henry showed up and I was good with Henry.  I know many don’t think they had chemistry, but I saw it between them.  Still did in the movie as well.

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Megara

Megara

Evelyn was great. Henry Talbot still reminds me of a less intelligent and less interesting version of Richard Carlisle with his whole “i want to make things as hard and as horrible as I can” and I just can’t sweep that under the rug.

Charles Blake made Mary laugh and I loved that.

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sark1624

sark1624

19 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Were these posts really regarded as that much of a catch? In the case you referred, they were brothers, whereas in Bertie's case, it was his cousin who held the title and not much reference to where Bertie was in the line of succession until the Marquess died.

I guess it depends on the men of her age. For someone like Henry, who wasn't super rich and had no title, who there be that many richer and younger women competing for him?

How so?

I'm the opposite...I liked the chemistry between Mary and Henry. She and Blake had nice hate chemistry, but it fizzled out once they tried to make it work.

I'm guessing he knew for a while, he just played it down quite a lot and didn't want it to influence people he met, knowing that he would be "joining the club" one day eventually anyway.

Eeyore has to Eeyore...eventually lol

 It was not treated in the series, but any aristocratic family would have pull out their debret copy and search for Bertie Pelham or Blake and they would have realized that they were heirs or were the next in line; again the shortage of men in the aristrocracy was very serious, for that reason any young man with certain credentials would have been a catch even a poorer one, Blake, Gillingham, Bertie, Henry Talbot...many rich parents would have been ok with their daughters marrying them. The problem is that Downton after season 2 forgot completely all the reppercursions of the war in the aristocracy, it was not weird, some distant cousin inheriting because the other men died in the trenches, or a lot of young war widows from the aristocracy that had the same age of Mary and Edith. 

About George and her sibling, any inheritance would have to be split (in a fair world), most probable is that George keep the estate, most of the money and a little is given to his sister. Again the whole purpose of having a son is that man inherits everything, in a ideal case it would be 2 boy to have a replacement if the other dies, and probably another girl to marry her into another aristocratic family. In the case of Mary it would have been wiser stay single, enjoy lovers, work the estate, and trying to give to George with some money. 

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Hiyo

Hiyo

Quote

 It was not treated in the series, but any aristocratic family would have pull out their debret copy and search for Bertie Pelham or Blake and they would have realized that they were heirs or were the next in line

But why would they? Mary was already married and had an heir. When they met Bertie, they were only staying at the castle on a visit. And even if they had done their research, there was no way any of them would have guessed that Bertie would inherit the title, since his cousin was still young. Now, they might have tried to arrange a match between the Marquess and Edith, but Bertie probably wouldn't have been on their radar much...

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About George and her sibling, any inheritance would have to be split (in a fair world), most probable is that George keep the estate, most of the money and a little is given to his sister.

Why would any of George's siblings inherit anything from Downton? They're be Henry's kids, and thus not much (if any) claim to Downton. Henry's kids might eventually end up getting some of Mary's inheritance, but I imagine the bulk of Downton goes to George.

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In the case of Mary it would have been wiser stay single, enjoy lovers, work the estate, and trying to give to George with some money. 

Why can't she do all of that and still get remarried?

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Then Henry showed up and I was good with Henry.  I know many don’t think they had chemistry, but I saw it between them.  Still did in the movie as well.

Pull up a chair with me at our lonely table for two lol

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Brookside

Brookside

On 9/25/2019 at 12:03 PM, Possum said:

I know I'm probably in a very small minority here, but I admit to liking the filming style of the TV series better than the movie.  I'm still trying to figure out the differences but have come up with a couple of things.  The TV series seemed brighter and I thought showed the surroundings to greater advantage.  The lighting in the movie seemed dark at times.  It also appeared as if the movie had many more close-ups than the TV series, and at times it seemed a little too "in your face."  

It took me a while to get into the movie because I found the scale so jarring.  And there's an early close-up of Cora that does the actress absolutely zero favours.

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