Year Released: 2019
Directed by: Michael Engler
Screen Writer and Creator: Julian Fellowes
(PG, 122 min.)
Genre: Drama

“I never argue. I explain.” –Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith)

Let’s face it. Downton Abbey is and always has been a high-class soap opera. We love the gowns, the sprawling Abbey itself, and the melodrama that occurs within its walls, upstairs and downstairs. Especially the backstabbing, romantic trysts, and the insults elevated to an art form.

Who can forget Maggie Smith’s imperious gaze as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, asking the peasants around her, “Weekend? What is a weekend?”

Of course, she is not surrounded by peasants, just Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), the less than noble distant relative and now heir to the estate, who actually works for a living. He and his equalitarian mother Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton), do quite a bit to shake things up in the Masterpiece Theater series, as does the Irish chauffeur Tom Branson (Allen Leech), who has the audacity to woo and wed the Crawley daughter Sybil.

Well Matthew and Sybil, leaving the series for the greener pastures of American stage and screen, are long gone now, killed off rather unceremoniously in a single season, which was enough to permanently lose a few miffed viewers, one of whom is Different Drummer’s good friend.

During the television series we also endured the Great War (World War I), cripples true and false, romantic liaisons ending in pregnancy and death, false accusations of murder, sibling rivalry and snobbishness at DEFCON level 4 (if I may be excused for this crude anachronism), as well as love and harmony blossoming like a field of wild flowers in the final season.

Now as this film begins in the year 1927, all the characters seem adjusted to their new roles. The fussy head butler Carson (Jim Carter), now happily married to the housekeeper, the former Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), keeps busy growing vegetable marrows or something like that in their nearby cottage.

Both sisters. Lady Edith and the widowed Lady Mary are now happily married and remarried: troublemaker Thomas (Rob James-Collier) is now the head butler; and Violet and Isobel are almost friends, whose verbal sparring is now for sport rather than blood.

Don’t expect murder or mayhem in this treat to its large fan base, but just enough intrigue to get the juices flowing again:

The worldwide phenomenon DOWNTON ABBEY, becomes a grand motion picture event, as the beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance.

Of course, some things never change. Maggie Smith as Violet, the Dowager Countess, still has the best zingers. It’s almost as if screenwriter and series creator Julian Fellowes knows her gifts and writes his best lines for her. She fixes her steady gaze on the latest victim, uses her cane like a monarch’s staff (maybe she’s been hanging around Dumbledore too much) and lets her lethal words out in seeming innocence. However, Isobel Crawley, her once Nemesis and now sort of best frenemy, has upped her game and the two now are sometimes almost evenly matched:

“Machiavelli is frequently underrated. He had many qualities.” —Violet
“So did Caligula — not all of them charming.” —Isobel

“Will you have enough clichés to get you through the visit?” —Violet (Maggie Smith), needling Isobel about the impending royal visit
“If not, I’ll come to you.” —Isobel (Penelope Wilton), dishing it right back

Lord Grantham, Violet’s son, can be witty, too, but he is not so sharp-edged:

“A shy royal? Is that an oxymoron?” – Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham

But the film dwells more on the staff than on the Crawley family. Initially excited and nervous about the royal visit, the servants and cooks are pushed out of the way by the snobbish entourage of arrogant servants and the French chef who accompany the royals everywhere. Told to sit on their hands and stay silent, even the proper Carson, called back into service for this occasion, joins the rebellion initiated by Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and quickly joined by the defiant Daisy (Sophie McShera).

Tom Branson, once an Irish rebel but now a loyal family member and consultant on the estate, has some heroic adventures that must remain hidden from all, except for one.

Thomas, as usual, is both angry and naïve, bold and vulnerable at the same time, and getting himself into trouble once more. But we have his back now, and hope he once again slips by. He also garners our empathy as well.

Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) comes into her own here, a fully mature and now likeable figure, but one who still has her struggles. Her hopes for happiness are always to be muted, it seems.

Lady Mary has also worn off her rough edges, confident and competent in getting all her ducks in a row, or in this case, it’s the chairs set out for the Royal Parade, a task that must be done in a drenching nighttime rain. Her acerbic wit does not fail when the sun welcomes them on the morrow:

“The day has dawned, and the weather proves that God is a Monarchist” -Lady Mary Talbolt

In fact, it is amazing that writer Julian Fellowes manages to showcase all our favorite characters, doling out pain, anguish, and sometimes vindication without missing a beat.

A delight for old fans and new ones, too. Not to miss.

–Kathy Borich
🥁🥁🥁🥁!/2

Trailer

Film-Loving Foodie

Different Drummer turns to her own Cookbook, Appetite for Murder: A Mystery lover’s Cookbook for inspiration for our Downton Abbey film.

A visit from the king and queen of England! Even Different Drummer’s heart skips a beat, but our recipes, just like those of Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol), are up to the task.

This one originally accompanies an Agatha Christie short story where the cook somehow mixes deadly foxglove leaves – lookalikes for garden sage – into the stuffing for her roast duck
Our recipe, of course, forgoes the poison. No anti monarchists here, although there are a few in our film. It is in all modesty, delicious.

In fact, fit for the king.

Please enjoy our Roast Wild Duck with Orange Gravy Stuffed with Fresh Sage, Rosemary and Lemon Thyme.

And in the spirit of shameless self-promotion, it is a great time to order this fine book for a mystery-loving friend or foodie. Or maybe even for yourself.

Bon Appetit!

Roast Wild Duck with Orange Gravy

Wild Duck with Orange Gravy

2 wild ducks

1/4 cup butter

salt and pepper

3-4 slices bacon

flour for sprinkling

watercress for garnish

Gravy

3-4 strips orange rind

juice of 1 orange

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, sliced

1 cup well-flavored stock

1/4 cup port or red wine

pinch of cayenne

black pepper, freshly ground

trussing needle and string

1 teaspoon arrowroot mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon water (optional)

Fresh Sage, Rosemary, and Lemon Thyme Stuffing

3 cups toasted whole grain bread cubes

2 cups finely diced celery

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

3/4 cup diced orange sections

1 tablespoon each, finely chopped

fresh garden sage

fresh rosemary

fresh lemon thyme

1/3 cup snipped parsley

3/4 teaspoon salt

dash coarsely ground pepper

3 tablespoons wild rice

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Toss together bread, celery, orange peel, diced orange section, fresh herbs, seasoning, and wild rice. Combine egg and butter; add to bread mixture, tossing lightly.

Preparation

Set oven at 350 degrees. Put 1 tablespoon butter, mixed with salt and pepper, inside each duck. Stuff lightly and truss them. Lay bacon slices over the breasts. Heat remaining butter in the roasting pan, put in ducks, and baste with hot butter.

Roast ducks in heated oven, basting frequently, for 1 1/2 hours or until they are tender. Just before the end of cooking, remove bacon slices from the ducks, sprinkle the breasts with flour, baste well, and cook 5 minutes longer.

For gravy: In a pan heat butter and fry the onion until golden. Add the orange rind and stock; simmer 10 minutes and strain. Return liquid to the pan; add the strained orange juice, port or wine, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil and, if you like, stir in a little arrowroot paste to thicken the mixture slightly. Transfer to gravy boat.

Remove the trussing strings from ducks and gently spoon out the stuffing. Transfer ducks to a warm platter, and garnish with watercress. The stuffing may be placed on same platter or in a separate serving dish.

Appetite for Murder: A Mystery Lover’s Cookbook