We went to see Downton Abbey yesterday. We liked it. It was pretty much like the TV show, only the story was self-contained and resolved everything in two hours. Elizabeth McGovern looks old. She’s 58, but looks older. It was fun to see our favourite characters, and I wonder if there will be any more films. They didn’t exactly set the story up for another film, but at the end (spoiler ahead)…
… Maggie Smith’s character is revealed to have a terminal illness. They didn’t kill her off in the film, but there’s your handy explanation as to why she wouldn’t appear in a sequel.
Personally, I’d like to see a film where the Crawleys et al. live through the start of WWII. Or through WWII, though I don’t think that could be done in a single film.
The movie was set in 1927, so setting a sequel just two years later could cover how they deal with how the stock market crash in 1929 affects their fortunes.
Just saw it and thoroughly enjoyed. It was Fellow’s love letter to both his TV show fans and the peerage system. I thought they did set up for a sequel, and possible plot points were well laid out. I thought the way they set up Maggie Smith’s absence from future movies was well done.
It also, surprisingly to some, did well at the box office, topping both the new Rambo movie and the new Brad Pitt movie.
I saw a free sneak preview of it awhile back and liked it, even though I’ve never seen the TV show. I followed the stories and characters pretty well, though all the men under 40 looked alike to me. I have Regal Unlimited so I’ll probably see it again. I’m sure they’ll distinguish themselves a bit better the 2nd time.
My favorite people were the snarky mouthy old ladies (Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilton & Imelda Staunton) and the cook in the kitchen. Speaking of, wouldn’t the entire staff have been fired for the stunt they pulled?
I liked it. It’s basically just an episode of the TV series with more location shooting and higher profile guest stars. It was fun escapism. I really enjoyed Thomas’s subplot. He may be an ass, but as a gay man I can’t help but emphasize with him.
Like that moment when stepped into the warehouse nightclub and for the first time in his life he was somewhere were he didn’t have to pretend; I guarantee that was one of if not the happiness moments of his life so far. And then they were raided by the police and he only escaped being ruined because the cute gay royal backup valet had a get out of gaol free card. At least now he know’s about York’s underground gay scene and has someone to meet up with the next time he’s in London.
I do have an odd question about the royal visit that set everything in motion; did the Crawleys actually *invite *the King & Queen to Downton? Because the film gives the impression that they were just told out of the blue they’d be hosting royalty; one would that that in reality a courtier would make discreet inquires well in advance of the visit to find suitable hosts and have them invite the royal couple.
I asked a similar question about the etiquette of the royal visit in another thread. It seemed to be news to Robert Crawley that the royal couple were coming, so I don’t think he invited them.
And some comments about the real-life events. The Prince of Wales who was supposed to take the African tour is the guy we know as the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson. And the Queen Mary we saw was known for either stealing small valuables from country houses, or expressing such interest in such things that they were given or loaned to her.
Because the film gives the impression that they were just told out of the blue they’d be hosting royalty; one would that that in reality a courtier would make discreet inquires well in advance of the visit to find suitable hosts and have them invite the royal couple.
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