342. Downton Abbey; movie review

DOWNTON ABBEY
Cert PG
122 mins
BBFC advice: Contains mild threat, language

It took her a few weeks but Mrs W finally dragged me along to watch a movie version of her beloved Downton Abbey.
And much to my utter amazement, I loved it.
This is coming from a man who has not seen a single episode of the television series and knew nothing about the characters.
In other words, I can report that this film stands gloriously alone.
Why is Michael Engler's film so good?
For starters, Maggie Smith. She may be 84 but she is supremely caustic as the matriarch of the family which runs the stately home.
Her character gets her knickers in a twist over her cousin - the Queen's lady-in-waiting (Imelda Staunton) - who is with the royals for a one-night visit to Downton.
And her run-ins with another relative (Penelope Wilton) are clever and funny.
Anyway, having the King (Simon Jones) and Queen (Geraldine James) at the abbey causes ructions-a-many both among the upper-crust Crawleys and their servants.
The pantomime is led by the likes of Joanne Froggatt and Jim Carter on the home team against the visitors in the shape of an obnoxious royal butler (David Haig) and flouncing royal chef (Philippe Spall).
Meanwhile, despite being largely frivolous serious issues are being tackled such as terrorism, gay rights and the divide between rich and poor.
These reminded me of when Upstairs Downstairs highlighted the Suffragette Movement, Post Traumatic Stress after the First World War and even the Wall Street crash.
Indeed, Downtown has many similarities to that 1970s TV show which was such a favourite of my dear old gran.
It was the only programme she insisted on seeing and just its memory makes me feel warm.
Perhaps, that is why Downton Abbey touched such a nerve.
Mrs W and my mum were fans of the series and loved it, my dad, who had it forced down his neck on Sundays, even said he did and I, as someone who knew nothing about it, also thought it was a winner.


Reasons to watch: Maggie Smith had her devilish best in superb British period drama
Reasons to avoid: Might be a bit too crusty for action-seekers

Laughs: Four
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? In real life, Downton Abbey is Highclere Castle, an estate in Hampshire, England that is home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.

Final word. Hugh Bonneville: "When we were filming at Highclere Castle, the butler told me they had 60 coach visits a year. By the time we went back for the second season, he said they had 600 coach visits a year.” Huffington Post

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