When the smash hit British soap opera/TV series "Downton Abbey" came to the end of its run on Public Television in 2016, fans of the series agreed that it was perfect way to wrap up the series. Loose ends were tied up, happy endings abounded, and there was the promise of good things the future for all the characters involved. Everyone, including the producers and the actors, said "That's it. No more 'Downton Abbey'."
Of course, we know what happened, A "Downton Abbey" movie was released in 2019, and fans of the series flocked to it and loved it, including Mr. and Mrs. Grandstander. Surely, however, that would be it. Surely there would be no further need to make yet another Downton Abbey movie. Surely, the producers and actors will have moved on and want no further part in such an obvious money grab.
Well, nothing speaks louder in Hollywood than money, and a new movie, "Downton Abbey: A New Era" was released yesterday. And in a feat of utter disgust for this shameless and obvious greed, The Grandstander looked Julian Fellows right in the eye and proclaimed:
This one takes place at the dawn of the 1930's and after the joyful wedding of Tom Branson, the movie splits in to dual plot lines.
Plot #1: Lady Violet, played with the usual gusto by Maggie Smith, has inherited a gorgeous seaside villa in the south of France. Who has bequeathed this to her and, more importantly and mysteriously, why has it been bequeathed to her? Half of the family heads off the France to check into this whole thing, while we also see unfolding....
Plot #2: A movie production company wants to use Downton Abbey for location shooting of a motion picture. It is hard to say who is more horrified at the prospect of a bunch of grubby actors traipsing all over the estate and stealing the silverware, the stuffy Earl, his mother the Dowager, or the even snobbier servants. However, the studio is offering a lot of money for the use of the estate, and the Granthams actually need the money to fix the roof of the old castle. Lady Mary stays behind to supervise the whole thing and finds herself smack in the middle of a dilemma lifted straight out of "Singin' In The Rain" with Mary playing the Debbie Reynolds part. No singing or dancing, of course. Oh, and the filming of this movie-within-the-movie ends with a completely contrived "Hey, kids, let's put on a show" type of finale, but what the hell, it's all a jolly good time.
No spoilers, but a dose of sadness comes with this iteration of the Downton Abbey Saga, but it is sadness that is overlaid with optimism as well.
Plus, Lady Mary, played by the lovely Michelle Dockery, has made a 180 degree turn since this story began. She started off as a spoiled, bitchy, brat, and has become a more than competent, compassionate, and selfless person. She will obviously become the Grantham who will lead the family into the future as the middle part of the twentieth century approaches, and she won't need a man to help her do it, either.
I only wish that Lady Rose, as played by Lily James, was still a part of this tale, but - sigh - you can't have everything.
The Grandstander just can't help himself: Four Stars for this one!
As far as the next Downton Abbey movie is concerned, it surely has to be centered around Edward VIII, Wallis Warefield Simpson, and that nasty bit of business surrounding the abdication, don't you think?
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