Prior to this motion picture I had not watched one minute of the acclaimed television series upon which it is based — but that will change. The movie has persuaded me that the series is worth investigating, something millions of viewers had felt for years without ever needing a movie to persuade them. (I’m a little behind the times in some ways).

Michael Engler’s film follows the upstairs / downstairs adventures of the Crawley family and the staff of their beautiful abode, the Downton Abbey of the title. King George and Queen Mary are coming to stay for a night, so everyone is in a tizzy readying the place for the royal visit. That’s the premise, not exactly a “high concept” pitch. But in the hands of writer Julian Fellowes and an impressive cast, every nuance, political or social, is explored, especially as it results to class difference.

Not being familiar with the series at all I was lost for a while at the beginning, trying to determine who was who to whom, and why. I never became comfortable with all the characters, particularly the Crawley family itself; the film does not lend itself to reiterating all the familial angst which I presume has been depicted in the fifty-two episodes of the series. And yet the story is a universal one which really came to life in the second half and won me over enough to convince me to delve into the series itself.

We’ve been playing this movie at our local arthouse theatre where I work for two weeks now, and audiences love it. It seems to tie up some loose ends from the series, I think, and offers a path toward further chronicles. It also serves for some, as it has for me, as an introduction into the world of the television series, a complex exploration of family and class distinctions that promises rewarding drama, and possibly comedy as well. The music, by John Lunn, is glorious, too. All in all there are many reasons to accept this invitation and watch this movie; it’s a good one. ☆ ☆ ☆. 5 October 2019.