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AT THE MOVIES
Two Touching British Products: One a Familiar Charmer and the Other a Poignant Literary Biography by Mike Canning
Downton Abbey: A New Era
as Guy Dexter, the smooth star of the film, and Hugh Dancy as the decent film director, Jack Barber, who falls for Lady Mary. Major family mileposts are again marked, with the film opening with a lively wedding scene between Tom Branson (Alan Leech) and his intended, Lucy (Tuppence Middleton). There are an additional three other couplings at the end of the show, as well as one touching and considerate death. The latter provides a satisfying wrap-up for this film as well as for what has become a cultural icon (at least according to Mr. Molesley). Bon Voyage!
They’re back! No, no, I do not mean another “Chucky” horror flick but rather another chapter of the “Downton Abbey” saga. The Granthams and the Crawleys are back, this time with an overseas twist. “The New Era” has, besides the familiar cast, yet another beguiling script from the series’ creator, Julian Fellowes, and is directed by Simon Curtis (The film, now in theaters, is rated “PG” and runs 124 minutes.) A pre-credit opening introduces us to the ever-anxious Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle), who offers a useful recap of the last “DownAllen Leech stars as Tom Branson and Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith in “DOWNBenediction TON ABBEY: A New Era,” a Focus Features release. Photo: Ben Blackall / © 2022 Focus ton” film (2019) and catches us up Features, LLC Written and directed by acclaimed on the Granthams, the Crawleys, filmmaker Terence Davies, “Beneand their extended family as well as diction” explores the complex and the staffers who serve them. the premise of the classic “Singing in the Rain,” turbulent life of renowned WWI poet Siegfried SasIt is 1928, and Violet, the Dowager Countess wherein a harsh-voiced film star is replaced by the soon (the convincing Jack Lowden), a soldier who (Maggie Smith) learns that she has inherited a villa in young ingenue whose delivery turns a silent movie survived the horrors of war. Decorated for his bravSouthern France from “an old friend.” In the meanclinker into a smash. Here, the voice savior is Lady ery, he was also an outspoken critic of the British time, Downton has been selected by a British film Mary herself, who records lines to bury the crass government’s continuation of the war. His career company as the location for a frilly period piece and cockney accent of the lead actress Myrna Dalgleish was a long one (he died in 1967), engaged in literary will be used as the film’s set. The Crawleys rough(Laura Haddock). pursuits and earlier involved with the London demily split into two factions, one to visit the villa headFor the rest, the Downton cast brings comfortmonde of creative gay life when he returned from ed by Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville able changes on their standard roles from the origiservice (the film, running 137 minutes, will open in and Elizabeth McGovern) and the other to observe nal series and earlier film. For example, hide-bound the DC area in theaters in early June and is rated the shoot, headed by Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery). Carson (Jim Carter) thinks the movie escapade is “PG-13”). The English contingent is welcomed by a gean affront to Downton’s dignity while bubbly DaiHis most memorable poetry was inspired by his nial relative, the Marquis of Montmirail (Jonasy (Sophie McShera), besotted with Hollywood, grisly experiences on the Western Front, and he bethan Zaccai), but must contend with an intransigent is thrilled to ogle the stars. Lord Grantham plays came one of the best-known war poets of the era. Mademoiselle Montmirail (French actress Natalie variations on his usual befuddled self, being both After having seen his own men and others of his age Baye), who refuses the family’s right to the property. skeptical of the movie business as well as his own slaughtered in the trenches of France, he wrote his The dilemma for the group back at Downton is that lineage. Both Violet and Mrs. Isobel Crawley (Pecompany commander with a blunt critique of the war the film company—already on shaky ground finannelope Wilton) pursue their typical sniping— effort as a waste. That critique led to his being concially—learns that, with the beginning of the sound though their verbal tussling moves towards affecsigned to a psychiatric clinic in Edinburgh after the era, their silent film might be shut down. tion. Newcomers to the cast include English studs war where he met another future war poet, Wilfred In the latter instance, movie fans will recognize known to American TV audiences: Dominick West 104 H HILLRAG.COM
