Downton Abbey A New Era

Or. Happy Arrivals and Dear Departures

The film format suits Downton Abbey remarkably well, though its probably not the place for a first timer to dive in. After six seasons and a movie, if you’re not keeping up the Crawleys, I cannot imagine A New Era would hold much other than its gorgeous sets and luscious costuming (which is always stunning).

But for those of us tied in the lives of those upstairs and downstairs, the movie gives us all the twists and triumphs of a season, with the bare minimum of plot caltrops to rough up the road. And while the last movie was deeply satisfying but hardly indelible (off the top of my head: The Dowager Countess (the immortal Maggie Smith) confessed to be not so immortal, and everyone’s favorite heartthrob communist, Tom Branson (Allen Leech) found a new love …FOR MONARCHY! (and Tuppence Middleton*) the new film is packed full of personal delights. Forget the King’s visit, I just want to see Mr. Mosely (Kevin Doyle) and Miss Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) be nice to each other.

A New Era is not so much a new era (clothes, still spiffy, the repartee, still witty, the escutcheons, still in terrible danger of being blotched). We do however get two twining plots (and fully fleshed ones at that) for the price of one: the Dowager Countess comes into the possession of a gorgeous villa in the south of France (a shimmering house of light and water in contrast to the Abbey’s well documented rooted enduringness) and the family goes to snoop and settle the score with the ruffled French owners. Meanwhile a film company wants to shoot a movie at Downton, leaving the staff all atwitter and Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) to work as host to a dashing film director Mr. Barber (Hugh Dancy), proving once again that she can pull more suiters than her sisters with one hand tied behind her back.

What follows are a good number of sweet and tender moments. Notable scenes particularly go to Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern when Lord and Lady Gratham find more in France then either bargained for and are pushed to their breaking point, while at home we get a bouquet of thrilling moments of moviemaking which caused much cooing and cheering from the audience (almost as much pleased cacophony as accompanied the sparks kindled between Tomas (Rob James-Collier) and the leading man Guy Dexter (Dominic West). It’s been a dished long time coming.

I do believe that Downton Abbey A New Era is a sterling addition to the the stately queen of soap-operas, it’s story as welcome additions to the cannon and satisfying conclusions to many well tended arcs. It’s a good place to leave off (hopefully, before someone reboots the series and young George and Sibby have to contend with the Depression, fascist lords, and the the Luftwaffe) and for a dedicated fan, or even a fond remembrancer, to take of that old fashioned air one more time.

*Contender for the 2022 Aven Tavishel and unchallenged title holder of Most British Name Ever, socking Benedict Cumberbatch in a shocking 2019 defeat)