Downton Abbey 3rd Movie: The Grand Finale

[HeavensWhatASnappyCharriot]

Thoughts please…
I’m a huge Downton fan and I’ve just watched the final film. I’m not entirely sure how I feel as I really built it up in my head and the film was so… different. It did feel a bit warm and fuzzy in places but also quite disappointing. What did you think?

It was line eating a very large meringue

I was hoping for more of a story rather than a 2 hour goodbye

I loved the Downton Abbey series but I thought it was very weak. A lazy story line. And some poor acting. The actress married to Mosley was particularly bad.

Who were the extra children around the place? Were they Edith's? It was a two hour film and they couldn't take one minute to let us know how many children Edith and Bertie have?

The brother who lost all the money is just forgiven as easily as that?! Ridiculous... Lady Grantham shows us a one dimensional character at all times.

I think the film relied on us liking the characters from years ago and not bothering to develop them at all. There was no energy or humour to it. It was less Grand Finale and more lazy snooze fest..

They repeated most of the storylines that were covered in the last film. Mrs Patmore, Carson, Mary’s father - they all allegedly retired then, so to repeat all the same themes was merely tedious.

Having said that I did enjoy the development of Edith’s character and how she is now a force to be reckoned with, likewise Daisy growing and developing into head cook and I did have a wee tear in my eye at the end.

Frothy and fun, I enjoyed it as it was perfect comfort viewing for a chilly Autumn afternoon. Our cinema was packed.

I loved it! Made me cry at the end (that’s not difficult these days!) but yes, I enjoyed it. Not as much going on as in the earlier films but because I knew all the characters and backstories, it was an easy watch.

When you say Mary’s father… have I missed something and the Earl of Grantham isn’t????

Also from the trailer, lady Grantham finds herself pregnant… wouldn’t she be too old by now?
The first episode was 1912 and Mary was 21. This means lady Grantham would have been at least 40. Twenty years have passed……

Off to see it now!

I saw it last night.....it's not supposed to be an Oscar winner.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, made me laugh on a number of occasions and booed my bloody eyes out at the end. The best of the 3 for me.

Just watched the documentary on ITV X. That made me cry too! 🤣🤣

I’ve always suspected Carson is Mary’s real father …

SPOILERS

It was classic Downton silliness/sentimentality and I loved it. I’ve learnt as a superfan that Downton cannot be taken too seriously.

I loved that Lady Mary had a ONS

I loved that Robert was basically on his period for 3/4 of the movie.

I loved that they didn’t have to give up Downton and that Robert and Cora took the v sensible approach of retiring and putting their feet up while Mary took over. Let’s face it - by the age of 60 Mary would probably have to sell Downton and her parents would be long gone.

I love that Carson’s shaky hand syndrome has been miraculously cured, and no one mentions it

I love that Barrow finally can be his authentic self

I missed Maggie Smith. A lot.

I loved that Mary isn’t married to Henry anymore. The storyline was weird in the TV show, she basically married someone really unsuitable that she barely knew because Tom bullied her into it (and because the show strung the arse out of the same men chasing her for 2 seasons and they panicked and hired Matthew Goode for the last few episodes)

I love the randomness of the children’s ages. Sybbie should only be 10 but looks 15 and then Marigold looks older than George, and Caroline who should only be about 3 looks about 6.

I loved the ending a cried like a baby. Especially when Sybil was shown turning round

I love that I made my username a quote from the film.

Are you sure the trailer shows Cora pregnant??

You mean Mary not Lady Grantham. And it’s been 18 years not twenty making her 39 - that’s hardly too old for a pregnancy!!

No it doesn’t!

Apologies! I’m not sure what trailer I was watching!
It was a scene in a flat, but maybe that was the movie…

Considering it's meant to tie up the ends of a saga - being set in 1930 means in 9 years time life is not going to be great for the younger generation.
Poor George will be off to war......😬
Will we get Downton The Next Generation?
The children (for the person upthread who asked) were
Sybbie (Tom and Sybils girl)
George (Matthew and Mary)
Marigold (Edith)
Caroline (Mary and the boring bloke she's just divorced)
We briefly saw the Bates little boy at the fair - I am curious who looks after him while his parents are at work.
I think there was reference to Edith and Husband having another child (Peter) who they'd left at home.

Anna is pregnant.
Simply because the actress was apparently.

@LayerCakeOfStrangers I got to admit the "In Memory Of Dame Maggie Smith" got me tearful.

Spoiler.

I really enjoyed it. The best of the three films IMO. I did shed a tear as well with the cheesy montage at the end. I know that the natural state of affairs was Robert and Cora moving into the Dower house but I thought how awful for Mary being essentially left all alone in that big house.

I loved the series and loved the films. But that has to be it now. I'm not sure they can keep flogging the horse.

Also- so pleased Barrow had his happy ending.

I saw it last night. I did enjoy it, it was just like the rest of the series and films, in that it was light, fluffy, funny, sad, with all the usual story lines. Tom saving the day, Mary having a ONS, Lord Grantham blustering until he is cajoled into submission.
It was odd but also nice to see Barrow completely mellowed. I think that he grinned just a bit too much.
For me, the outstanding highlight of the film, and in fact the entire franchise, are the costumes! What I wouldn't give for Lady Mary's red gown (and the figure to pull it off!)

Barrow and his bloke - lets show a couple is gay by having them affectionately touch each others arms 😂
So PG !

IIRC, when the Bates baby was born Lady Mary said there was more than enough room in the Downton Nursery.

i thought it was dull, no real plot and lazy repetition.
Also thought how very lonely Mary would be in the bloody huge house on her own and what would all the cooks and maids do when they had 1 adult and 2 children only to look after, so unrealistic of Robert and Cora to push of to the dowager house, that is meant for elderly widowed mothers of the current Lord !

But I don't think he was there when we saw all the children together.