They’re calling the new Crawley family movie “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” but don’t you believe that this will be the last chapter. I’m writing about the film business, after all, and the people who make motion pictures have always known how to rekindle a storyline or bring back a former, albeit still living and breathing, character.
Before production ended on television’s “Downton Abbey” in 2015, tens of millions of viewers around the world, including on PBS in the United States, were enthralled with the program. Two full-length films followed in 2019 and 2022, and now we have the third cinematic edition, crowned “The Grand Finale,” which may or may not be true. The new movie version is playing in theaters and is an early box office success. When an entertainment entity continues to make money, no one riding the wave is putting that horse out to pasture.
Hugh Bonneville as Robert Crawley and Elizabeth McGovern as his wife Cora – Lord and Lady Grantham to their posh peers – both return, as does Michelle Dockery as their daughter Lady Mary Talbot. Many other familiar faces show up, including a cameo using recycled footage of the deliciously sharp-tongued Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. Loyal fans of the series and films know her as the beloved actress Maggie Smith.
The story told in the first movie is about a visit to Downton Abbey by the King and Queen of England. The second entry is about Violet’s secret past, an inherited so-called “farmhouse” in France, and Downton being used as the location for the production of a film.
In “The Grand Finale,” we’re in 1930 and the Great Depression has caused even the Crawleys to tweak their lifestyle, but just a tiny bit, mind you.
The movie begins with Lord and Lady Grantham, without Mary, attending a London performance of the popular operetta, “Bitter Sweet.” It stars Guy Dexter and the very colorful and talented Noel Coward, who wrote, directed, and produced the show. The Crawleys meet with Dexter, Coward, and former Downton Abbey butler Thomas Barrow, who is now Dexter’s assistant and lover. Dexter is played by Dominic West and Barrow by Robert James-Collier. One of the special highlights in the entertaining film is the scintillating acting by Arty Froushan as Coward.
The next day, the Crawleys — Robert and Cora, with Mary — are at Lady Petersfield’s glittering, highly anticipated ball when news breaks about Mary and Henry Talbot’s divorce. Lady Petersfield (Joely Richardson) orders Mary to leave at once because members of the Royal family are expected to attend, and it just wouldn’t do to have an embarrassing divorce scandal overshadow the festivities. Divorce is a forbidden topic of conversation among the upper crust. The Crawleys are mortified.
Robert and Cora return to Downton Abbey while Mary stays at Grantham House to receive Cora’s brother, Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti), who is arriving from the United States following their mother Martha’s death. Accompanying Harold is his financial adviser Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola), who reportedly saved Harold from complete monetary ruin by withdrawing his investments in the stock market just prior to the Wall Street Crash.
Unfortunately, Levinson does have some personal negative financial news of a family nature and is hopeful that he and the Crawleys will be able to come to some sort of arrangement regarding additional investments. He is being honorable when he says he hopes to repay Sambrook for his losses. For their part, Mary and Gus find themselves intrigued by each other. Their powerful interest leads to a private drinking session. I’ll stop with that nugget of information and let you discover the path that is taken on your own.
“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is directed by Simon Curtis, who knows exactly what he’s doing, and he does it very well indeed. His approach is precise and happily quite successful. The new feature is written, as is all of the former Downton Abbey material, by Julian Fellowes. He also wrote 2001’s “Gosford Park,” a sharp-edged satirical movie comedy with similar characters and themes, which is directed by the celebrated Robert Altman. He received a screenplay Academy Award for it, but never for “Downton Abbey.”
For those who recall the television show “Upstairs, Downstairs,” the truth is that the movie is a more extravagant variation. The haves and the have-nots in the latest film are photographed with beautiful cinematography courtesy of Ben Smithard and clothed in deluxe costumes that are designed by Anna Robbins. The acting in this third adventure is wonderful across the board and the production values are top-of-the-line.
Regarding “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” it’s a better movie than its two predecessors. American audiences have long proven that they draw immense pleasure from watching wealthy Brits go about their well-heeled business. This is a comedy that respects its characters and is willing to honor traditions. There is a lot going on in this edition. There are also some gentle surprises, and if this is really the end of an era, the concept goes out with its collective head held high. However, as I alluded to at the beginning, because of the many multi-layered stories that can still be told – think of the possibilities — I would imagine that additional visits to Downton Abbey are in its future. It’s not a matter of how, but rather a matter of when. Streaming services are certainly waiting in the wings. Fans of Downton Abbey are a passionate and welcoming lot and any upcoming celebration of the swells and their servants would be greeted with cheers and laughter, which are too often in short supply in the cinema.