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Downton Abbey 3rd Movie: The Grand Finale

211 replies

HeavensWhatASnappyCharriot · 12/09/2025 23:20

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?

OP posts:
LIZS · 17/09/2025 20:33

And Sybbie nearly 16.

Needmorelego · 17/09/2025 20:48

Ravnurin · 17/09/2025 20:15

Oh I meant to add that I was also disappointed that Tom Branson was in the film with Sybie but no appearance by his wife nor any mention of them having another child.

I just did some googling.
It seems Tom and new wife have had a baby and (depending on which article you read) she is called Violet !

TammyJones · 17/09/2025 21:46

Ravnurin · 17/09/2025 18:42

I really wanted to love the film but I found it dull and disappointing.
The entire storyline was focused on Mary being shamefully divorced in 1930. Yet the previous film was set only two years previous in 1928 when they were happily married. In two years he is supposed to have gone off Mary, met someone else and had strong enough feelings not only to want to leave but to get a divorce processed. As a main storyline that’s dismal and unrealistic. It would have been more likely that they would just agree to live separately.
Also a big deal was made previously of Carson not being able to continue working but there he was, back as head butler.
Mosely seemed to have already given up his dream career of teaching to become a miserable writer.
Daisy was supposed to have moved to run the farm but was back in the kitchen.
And such a huge deal was made of Robert and Cora moving out, when they could have sold the Dowager House and used the money. Also meaning Mary and the two kids were left living alone in that giant house!
I get it was supposed to be wrapping up into an ending but I feel they could have done better.

This was my take and I absolutely love everything Downton.
it can of make the happy series ending , with Mary expecting a baby and Henry going into business with Tom - and they all lived happily ever after.
That’s what I want from Downton - a feel good film. Something uplifting, not real life…

opencecilgee · 17/09/2025 23:12

In film 2 Robert was thin with a ridiculous tan

good to see he has returned to his pale plump self again

opencecilgee · 17/09/2025 23:18

Toddlerteaplease · 15/09/2025 22:37

@LayerCakeOfStrangers that’s a very good point. If it was true, it would have been mentioned in the first episode. I notice his limp has miraculously healed, as has Thomas’s hand, Carson’s tremor. And Mrs Patmore no longer needs glasses. Cora also appears cured of her Pernicious anaemia. Forget Lourdes, we should have pilgrimages to Highclere!

Brilliant 🤣

Toddlerteaplease · 17/09/2025 23:25

Needmorelego · 17/09/2025 20:20

It would have been nice to find out whatever happened to Cousin Rose.
Hopefully living happily ever after.

I was surprised there was no mention of her at all.

Needmorelego · 17/09/2025 23:38

opencecilgee · 17/09/2025 23:12

In film 2 Robert was thin with a ridiculous tan

good to see he has returned to his pale plump self again

With the second film they clearly filmed all the South of France scenes first because everyone had a suntan in the other scenes 😂

TenaciousDeeds · 17/09/2025 23:41

I thought the trailer made it look a lot better than it actually was. The most disappointing thing for me was the two socials - the ball in London that Lady Mary had to leave, and the big dinner with Noel Coward at Downton. Neither had the requisite zing of the originals, but they were integral to the plot.

I dozed off after about 45 minutes…

ronconcoke · 17/09/2025 23:46

Blankscreen · 14/09/2025 00:05

I loved it. Yes there was no great storyline but it tied up the loose ends.

A few tears in my eye at the end.

Downton started as TV series when my first born was about 6 weeks old and i have really enjoyed it over the years. I loved it so much i re watched it all in lockdown

Me too re watching first series with a newborn (who’s just turned 15)! I felt very nostalgic seeing the film this evening as it reminded me of cosy autumnal sunday nights watching the series on ITV and having to wait another week to watch the next episode….in the good old days before Netflix and streaming everything!

I thought it was fluffy and enjoyable, agree with a PP that there could have been more laughs and not much of a storyline but I particularly loved Edith’s speech and the horror Robert showed when he was looking around the flat. Bless!

I also had a cry at the end; it was seeing Sybil and then the tribute to Dame Maggie that got me.

RaspberryRipple2 · 18/09/2025 07:10

Ravnurin · 17/09/2025 20:13

The children did look older but they are all played by the same actors as when they started, so they haven’t falsely aged. It must just be the fashion/hair.

A lot more time has passed in real life than on the show though - it’s 13 years since George was born and more since Sybbie was born - but only 9 in the show.

diddl · 18/09/2025 10:48

Sad ti think of her rattling around that great big house with just the kids.

I think that's perfect for her tbh.

She always thought that she should be the mistress of the place.

RitaIncognita · 18/09/2025 22:49

I missed Dr. Clarkson and his soft Edinburgh accent. No one was ill or dying, but surely they could have made him a member of Isobel's planning committee.

I've been watching the TV show from the beginning. It is really so good, such great character development right from the beginning.

LIZS · 19/09/2025 08:09

There was an allusion to Edward Prince of Wales and a divorcee but wiki tells me he didn't meet Wallis Simpson until 1931. Were there others before her or was it an anachronism?

FinallyHere · 19/09/2025 14:40

I’m prepared to put up with the unlikelihood of Mary’s divorce in order for her character to counterpoint Edith’s now happy ever after situation.

finally Mary gets her come-uppance while Edith has everything. Glad I lived to see this chapter unfold

in earlier episodes, Edith points out resignedly that Mary can’t bear to be unhappier than Edith and so makes mischief for Edith. Sorted. Hurrah.

RitaIncognita · 19/09/2025 16:21

FinallyHere · 19/09/2025 14:40

I’m prepared to put up with the unlikelihood of Mary’s divorce in order for her character to counterpoint Edith’s now happy ever after situation.

finally Mary gets her come-uppance while Edith has everything. Glad I lived to see this chapter unfold

in earlier episodes, Edith points out resignedly that Mary can’t bear to be unhappier than Edith and so makes mischief for Edith. Sorted. Hurrah.

Edited

But Edith could be quite unpleasant in the early episodes. Also she is the one who spilled the beans about Mary and Mr. Pamuk.

diddl · 19/09/2025 17:54

But Edith could be quite unpleasant in the early episodes. Also she is the one who spilled the beans about Mary and Mr. Pamuk.

They were both awful to each other.

Edith seemed to be overlooked.

Things were expected of Mary & nothing of Edith.

Edith was the dowdy, boring one who was expected to stay a spinster & look after Mama & Papa in their dotage I think.

JustStopItNorasaurus · 19/09/2025 18:20

Edith was awful. But I confess I loved that she became a Marchioness.

In our cinema before the showing there was that Landrover ad. Ds1 said 'That guy played Pamuk!!!' of the driver. I confess that until he said it I did not recognise him, but it tickled me.

Allswellthatendswelll · 19/09/2025 18:23

LIZS · 19/09/2025 08:09

There was an allusion to Edward Prince of Wales and a divorcee but wiki tells me he didn't meet Wallis Simpson until 1931. Were there others before her or was it an anachronism?

He had a huge thing for married women. Lady Thurness was his main mistress before Wallis.

Pointynoseowner · 19/09/2025 18:25

Just got back from seeing it. Loved it, perfect finish 👌

JustStopItNorasaurus · 19/09/2025 18:29

diddl · 19/09/2025 17:54

But Edith could be quite unpleasant in the early episodes. Also she is the one who spilled the beans about Mary and Mr. Pamuk.

They were both awful to each other.

Edith seemed to be overlooked.

Things were expected of Mary & nothing of Edith.

Edith was the dowdy, boring one who was expected to stay a spinster & look after Mama & Papa in their dotage I think.

DH's grandparents were very old fashioned and his parents very old for their time when they had him. There was indeed a younger daughter (his aunt) who was expected to look after them in their dotage.

She inherited almost everything, and when they died got her pilot's licence, had a hobby of visiting archaeological digs and travelled widely in the far east on her own.

DH's favourite aunt ad a source of inspiration for him.

Toddlerteaplease · 19/09/2025 20:19

The planning committee thing was a bit ridiculous. The aristocracy would have never been on a committee with servants.

NorthernGirl1975 · 19/09/2025 21:48

JustStopItNorasaurus · 19/09/2025 18:20

Edith was awful. But I confess I loved that she became a Marchioness.

In our cinema before the showing there was that Landrover ad. Ds1 said 'That guy played Pamuk!!!' of the driver. I confess that until he said it I did not recognise him, but it tickled me.

Yes I noticed that! I watched him in the Time Traveller's Wife recently.

TammyJones · 20/09/2025 02:16

NorthernGirl1975 · 19/09/2025 21:48

Yes I noticed that! I watched him in the Time Traveller's Wife recently.

Show quote history

He’s been in a few good things -

ThisCanFuckOffToo · 21/09/2025 19:24

I quite enjoyed it, it wasn’t a great film, and certainly not as much fun as the last one but it was quite watchable. I felt sad for Mary at the end - imagine living in that huge house on your own?

I spent a lot of it trying to work out what Anna had done to her mouth? Fillers? Veneers? Botox?

lessee167 · 21/09/2025 19:32

diddl · 19/09/2025 17:54

But Edith could be quite unpleasant in the early episodes. Also she is the one who spilled the beans about Mary and Mr. Pamuk.

They were both awful to each other.

Edith seemed to be overlooked.

Things were expected of Mary & nothing of Edith.

Edith was the dowdy, boring one who was expected to stay a spinster & look after Mama & Papa in their dotage I think.

Which was ridiculous as I always though Edith was more striking looking than Mary