The story centers on legacy, financial troubles, and social change as Lady Mary prepares to assume leadership after the death of the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith). The Crawleys face threats of financial ruin and social disgrace, while Robert Crawley questions the future of the estate
A still from Downton Abbey
Film: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton, Laura Carmichael, Allen Leech, Joanne Froggatt
Director: Simon Curtis
Rating: 3/5
Runtime: 123 min
The continuation of Julian Fellowes acclaimed PBS drama Downton Abbey ‘The Grand Finale’ is suitably grand as the title suggests. The third and final film in the series, this film exists as a goodbye to a world that might not have been as perfect and embellished as nostalgic memories proclaim.
The film is beautifully crafted, sentimental and polished in its depiction of a genteel bygone era. This is a farewell of sorts from much loved characters to a devoted audience that has been following the series and films over the years.
The film basically focuses on the transfer of legacy from one generation to the next. It is a polished portrait of an era rocked by financial distress and fast changing mores.
This is the final instalment in the trilogy of films that were curated as fan service.
Personal and financial difficulties are on the horizon. Lady Mary is on the verge of being declared a pariah, while the Crawleys estate is on the road to financial ruination. The household now grapples with the threat of social disgrace. Will the Crawleys embrace change and permit the next generation to lead Downton Abbey into the future?
This is a dignified, sympathetic, genteel depiction of a class-based society in the early 20th century. There’s no heightened drama to sucker you in. Just fast changing circumstances and decisions that cause a great deal of discomfort.
The Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) has passed away and Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) who is about to divorce her husband, is set to take on that role. The family’s social standing is under threat and financial difficulties begins to chip away at the generous fortune that the Dowager Countess had left behind. Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is left to ponder on what the future of his estate looks like.
The Abbey’s beautiful aesthetic is like a gilded cage within which its residents start roiling in their own inconsequential existence. Beauty is their purpose and when money becomes scarce the order of things start changing drastically. While the film is a sort of elegy to a bygone era it also pays touching tribute to the late Maggie Smith who played The Dowager Countess with elan.
The costume design by Anna Robbins is suitably evocative of the changes brought by the passage of time. The production design is rich and polished. The ensemble performances are a class act. Director Simon Curtis skillfully manages to draw out manners and mores while enunciating on class and legacy. The narrative moves at a stately pace and the final resolution is satisfactory as it allows the tying up of all loose ends.
The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the dramatic conflicts play out gently. Simon Curtis and screenwriter Julian Fellowes must be credited for having made a sparkling drama that resonates throughout.
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