A Fine End to a Beloved Saga

“Sometimes I feel that the past is a more comfortable place than the future,” muses one of the characters in the presumably final Downton Abbey film. That sentiment probably rings very true for the devoted fans of the long-running franchise that has included six television seasons and three theatrical films. While societal change is very much afoot in this installment set in 1930, Downton aficionados will be relieved to learn that nearly all of the familiar characters return (save, of course, for the deceased ones, and even they show up in one form or another) for this swan song reprising the familiar themes, subtle humor and elegant dramatics.

It’s a new character, however, that gives Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale its comedic juice, and he’s a real-life one at that: Noel Coward (wonderfully played by Arty Froushan), who swoops in to provide the sort of barbed witticisms that Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess delivered with regularity. He’s a wonderful addition to the overstuffed line-up, for which you practically need a scorecard to keep track.

The story begins in 1930, with several members of both the upper-crust and servant-class inhabitants of Downton attending a performance of Coward’s operetta Bitter Sweet in the West End (naturally, the latter are sitting up in the rafters). Although everyone seems to be having a fine time, it soon becomes clear that there’s trouble brewing, especially when Robert (Hugh Bonneville), Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and Mary (Michelle Dockery) attend a high-society ball. When scandalous news of Mary’s divorce becomes public, she becomes an instant pariah and is ordered to immediately leave by the officious hostess (Joely Richardson).

Not much later, the arrival of Cora’s brother Harold (Paul Giamatti, another cast highlight) from America brings more bad news. It seems that he, guided by his slick-talking financial adviser Gus Sambrook (Allesandro Nivola), has lost nearly all of his and Cora’s late mother’s fortune, putting Downton Abbey into dire financial straits. Mary doesn’t learn about that until after she has a one-night stand with Gus, whose lighthearted American charm provides some temporary balm in her angst-ridden state. 

As is customary in the Downton universe, subplots of both the comical and dramatic variety abound. Here they include the impending retirement of butler Carson (Jim Carter, always wonderful), all too reluctant to hand over the reins to his respectful but eager replacement Andy (Michael Fox), who isn’t shy about doing things differently. There’s also the matter of the upcoming County Fair, now led by Isobel (Penelope Wilton, delightful), who shakes things up by inviting Carson and cook Daisy (Sophie McShera) onto the board. This invasion of the lower classes doesn’t sit well at all with County Fair official and pompous snob Sir Hector Moreland (Simon Russell Beale, stealing every scene he’s in), whose dialogue could well be summed up as “harrumph.”

Another major plot element is Cora’s effort to restore her daughter’s reputation by throwing a party, which runs into a snag when their neighbors refuse to attend. Mary’s enterprising sister Edith (Laura Carmichael) devises a plan to invite Coward, in whose show their friend Guy Dexter (Dominic West), now secretly in a relationship with their former servant Thomas (Robert James-Collier), is appearing. News of Coward’s impending attendance, spread by the area’s servants, results in a triumphant event in which Coward not only sings a song but also, upon hearing of Mary’s divorce, hatches the plot for Private Lives.

It’s a lot to take in, frankly, and there are times when you long for the comparatively relaxed pace of the series episodes. But Julian Fellowes’ typical witty script proves a pleasure throughout, especially in such stellar scenes as when Robert, agonizing over whether or not to hand over the Downton reins to his daughter Mary, seeks advice from his trusted servant Carson.  The beautifully written and performed scene, which makes clear the enduring friendship between the two men of very different classes, proves emblematic of the franchise at its best.

True to its title, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale works hard to provide closure to fans for their 14 years of devotion. This is particularly true in the final moments, with return director Simon Curtis providing a nostalgic reverie featuring haunting images from the series’ past, including, of course, Maggie Smith’s indelible character, whose portrait frequently looms over the proceedings. The film fittingly ends with a dedication to the late actress whose contribution to the property’s success can’t be overstated.