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I don't know what future time period the movie will take place in, but after the finale, I started wondering (and worrying) about our characters and their fictional futures. Yes, the show did a great job of tying up everyone's story and having them all end up "happily ever after."
But that was as of 12/31/1925. We all know, though our characters don't, that all kinds of sh*t is yet to hit the proverbial fan.
First they will be engulfed in the Great Depression. Will our family be able to withstand that financial challenge and still maintain their estate and their position? Or might they end up selling off more and more land, and having the Abbey turned over to the National Trust?
Then we have WWII. If WWI was bad for our characters, they haven't seen anything yet. Little George was born in 1921, so when Britain goes to war, in 1939, he's 18 years old. Baby Bates was just born, but will hit 18 by 1943, when the war is still raging. One or both could be killed or permanently disabled. Maybe during the London Blitz, the Crawleys will open up the house to child refugees from London. But will the London house make it through? What about poor Rosamund--maybe she'll be a victim of a bombing.
That was much the thought I had when they gathered for the last time, in the finalle. Those boys would fight for their country in a war that nobody that day could imagine. And the county estates were one of the chief victums of the Great Depression, since many families simply didn't have the money to maintain them. Many were demolished. I wonder if they'll follow the real story of the estate, that it suffered but before it was hopeless, a generation chose to save it. That they've already shown that they were being creative, with the track to bring in money, and the tours. Mary and her new husband and her 'brother' are all well grounded in the real world. Robert and the older members of the family may feel a great sense of something lost, but they are willing to look ahead.
But its said that nearly every family lost someone in the second world war, and no doubt the Crawley's will too.
There is a real reason why this stops in 1925. The undenyable beginnings of the war and the depression would soon start to make an impact, and maybe that cold snowy holiday would be the last in they could remember as part of the past.
Upstairs Downstairs (first run) ended as the Depression came crashing and James sucide. The second run ended with the family leaving the house, as as its being closed up, the first air raid siren. They took us up the brink.
Downton left us with everyone knowing it would change, but not where it was going to lead. Past that, it would have to be a different story.
Downton left us with everyone knowing it would change, but not where it was going to lead. Past that, it would have to be a different story.
Assuming there is a movie, I wonder how that format will influence the storytelling. They will have to cram a much longer timeframe into the few hours of a movie than they did in the equivalent amount of airtime allowed for a few episodes.
Telling as many stories of as many characters won't be possible. One of the great things about Downton was being able to follow the lives in detail of so many very different people. In a movie, they'll have to pick and choose. I'm sure they'll choose a combination of people from both upstairs and downstairs, although the number of main characters in each group will have to be smaller.
There will be less servants than before because of changing economics, although there may be more members of the Crawley family living there for the same reason. They may not be able to afford the London homes, not that space will be a problem. Our whole discussion group could move in and not be cramped for space.
I doubt they'll cover the whole Depression and all of WWII. Perhaps the timespan will be the Depression and entrance into WWII or, more likely, the end of the Depression through WWII.
Regardless of the exact time period, the storytelling style will have significant changes compared to the television show.
I'm going through major Downton withdrawal already. I almost cry when I watch PBS and they keep showing little snippets from Downton episodes followed by some of the actors saying thank you for watching.
That was one fabulous series.
.
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Assuming there is a movie, I wonder how that format will influence the storytelling.
Regardless of the exact time period, the storytelling style will have significant changes compared to the television show.
A movie? Okay first there will have to be some casting changes to achieve a greater star power and ethnic balance. Morgan Freman will play Carson, Selma Hayek will be Mary and so forth.
Then there will have to be a lot more stunts and action sequences: Tom in a life & death car chase, Molesley having to diffuse a bomb planted at the manor during a big dinner with high ranking political guests, Edith enrolls in a karate class and turns into a Mrs. Peel style fighter against Nazi spies in England....etc.
A movie? Okay first there will have to be some casting changes to achieve a greater star power and ethnic balance. Morgan Freman will play Carson, Selma Hayek will be Mary and so forth.
Then there will have to be a lot more stunts and action sequences: Tom in a life & death car chase, Molesley having to diffuse a bomb planted at the manor during a big dinner with high ranking political guests, Edith enrolls in a karate class and turns into a Mrs. Peel style fighter against Nazi spies in England....etc.
I almost fell off my chair! Morgan Freeman playing Carson
Could hard core Downton fans tolerate not having all the same people playing the characters in a movie? I can't imagine all the actors would be available... unless they killed off a few in various ways.
I'm going through major Downton withdrawal already. I almost cry when I watch PBS and they keep showing little snippets from Downton episodes followed by some of the actors saying thank you for watching.
That was one fabulous series.
.
I get a lot of comments as my phone ring tone is the Downton Abbey music. and every time my phone rings (which is a lot) I have positive thoughts.
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. I, for one, would not watch such a movie
and every time my phone rings (which is a lot) I have positive thoughts.
