After waiting forever for the second Downton Abbey movie, it finally premiered in UK last Friday!!
Before I start, I promise I won't do any spoilers here as the film was just released a few days ago. It won't premier in America till next month so it will be mean of me to spoil things for others. I have been looking forward to this for a long time and I'm sure other Downton fans have.
The film is titled A New Era and we're in the late 1920s. Those who've seen the trailer before will know there are two storylines in this movie. One about Violet inheriting a villa in South of France, and another about a film crew making a movie at Downtown Abbey. The cast is split between the two locations.
The movie starts off with a wedding between Branson and Lucy, a continuation from where we left the previous movie. I think this is a great way to open the movie and for eager waiting fans like me, lovely to see everyone again. It was like being invited to a wedding and reunited with friends that you haven't seen for many years. It's also nice so the Downton staff can get out of their drabby servant uniform and change into something nice for the wedding. It shouldn't just be the Crawley family who dress up to the nines all the time.
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In the movie, Violet suddenly announces she has inherited a villa in South of France, and the family are invited over there. A bunch of them troop over, and these lucky characters get to film in the Riveria and wear more glamorous costumes.
British aristocracy has always been very prim and proper, by contrast the wealthy French we meet in the movie are much more laid back and casual. The attitude is instilled through to some of the staff. Carson nearly has a heart attack when the French host picks up the wine bottle at the dinner table to pour a drink. It's these little fine details that make Downton so enjoyable to watch.
The villa storyline is all about fact finding for the Crawley family. Why? Who? Yes or no? But I think it's also about giving Downton fans see a different side of of the Crawleys outside of Downton Abbey. Did they think we were getting a bored of seeing the beautiful castle? No, never!!
Luckily we still get to see the Downton Abbey we all love in the other story line. Silent movies are still very popular in this era and film production is moving outside of the studio to real life locations. That's where Downton Abbey comes in. The thought of having strangers and actors/actresses crawling around an aristocratic castle sends shivers down some of the traditionalist in the family. Not too difficult to guess who those characters are. The objections are dealt with superbly. One, truly reflecting the New Era, of how one must face the reality of things. And the other in a much more comical way.
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As expected most of the staff stays on at Downton and they are very much part of the film production storyline. Everybody's part is very evenly distributed, but I feel it was very business as usual for them ie they were there to make up the numbers - in a good way. Downton wouldn't be the same without these colourful characters. The film production story line brings changes to Downton, and makes significant changes to a couple of the servant's life, truly propelling them into the New Era.
Mary is left holding the fort at Downton whilst the rest of the family is at the South of France. She clearly understands her responsibility in the family, and the need to take it forward with times. Her role as the dragon is firmly ingrained I believe there is plenty of potential to develop the Downton Abbey story further along these lines for more movies.
Downton may be about the Crawleys, but Downton wouldn't be Downton without the staff. Mrs Hughes can always be relied on with her practical solution to problems. Carson is the same old dinasour who thinks the French speaks too loud and too much French! Daisy has matured and gets less scolding by Mrs Patmore. Barrow, is setting in well as the butler, trying to live true to himself. Anna is as usual her resourceful and sensible self, but Bates doesn't really look like he had much not a role or even lines in the film.
Without a doubt, this is a feel good movie and will surely satisfy Downton fans, though of course we can never get enough of Downton. The wishful thinking inside me may have even detected a clue for another movie.
