Posts Tagged ‘Sophie McShera’

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Director: Simon Curtis

Cast: Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Dominic West, Phyllis Logan, Allen Leech, Robert James-Collier, Sophia McShera, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Penelope Wilton, Jim Carter, Lesley Nicol, Michael Fox, Harry Hadden-Paton, Douglas Reith, Simon Russell Beale, Arty Froushan

Running Time: 2 hours and 3 minutes

Film Rating: 8 out of 10

It’s the 1930 season in London and scandal erupts when at a royal gathering, Lady Petersfield played by Joely Richardson (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Anonymous) discovers much to her shock and horror that Lady Mary Talbot of Downton Abbey, superbly played by Michelle Dockery, is divorced. Lady Mary resplendent in a ravishing red gown abruptly leaves the party with her reputation in ruin.

So begins the fractious premise of the final film Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale beautifully directed by Simon Curtis and featuring an all-star cast including newcomers Alessandro Nivola (American Hustle, Kraven the Hunter) as a scheming American Gus Sambrook and Persian American actor Arty Froushan as the witty playwright Noel Coward.

It is the age of Noel Coward and the Crawleys need to face some fresh challenges without the wit and sharp humour of the late Lady Gratham, a role written especially by screenwriter Julian Fellowes for the late Oscar winner Maggie Smith.

Besides Lady Mary’s divorce, there is the future of Lord and Lady Grantham, a sophisticated combination of British tradition and American wealth which is now on shaky ground. Paul Giamatti plays Lady Grantham’s brother Harold Levinson fresh off the boat from New York with startling news that the American wealth has somehow been depleted.

Lord Grantham played with vigour by Hugh Bonneville is facing the prospect of an early retirement, but screenwriter Julian Fellowes with skill and determination creates an elegant narrative tapestry expertly weaving several subplots into a brilliant storyline involving a character heavy story about a new decade in which old traditions are challenged and fresh ideas are hinting at an approaching modernity.

With beautiful costumes by Scottish designer Anna Mary Scott Robins particularly evident in the fabulous Ascot scene, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale brings all the joy of the original series along with the cinematic grandeur of the big screen as the film follows the final chapter of The Crawleys as they navigate a changing world in which many of their customs vanish while the noble family learn to adapt, survive and embrace change.

Some notable scenes are between Laura Carmichael and Alessandro Nivola and of course between Oscar nominees Elizabeth McGovern (Ragtime) and Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man, The Holdovers). It’s as if the supporting cast now has an opportunity to shine without the cynical gaze of Dame Maggie Smith looking at them with contempt. Although Maggie Smith’s absence in the film is felt keenly and Julian Fellowes acknowledges her ever lasting legacy.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is an exquisite film centred on a masterful script filled with wit, humour and nuance written so beautifully by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) who has a knack of discovering the fine line between the landed gentry and the servants downstairs, whose lives are continually entwined.

If audiences enjoy etiquette, good wit and sophistication, then be sure not to miss Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale a lovely British film about the elegant transfer of power from one generation to the next in a rapidly changing world.

With a massive supporting cast, beautiful houses and gorgeous costumes, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale gets a film rating of 8 out of 10 and is highly recommended viewing especially for those that loved the TV series.

Downton Abbey: A New Era

Director: Simon Curtis

Cast: Maggie Smith, Hugh Dancy, Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Dominic West, Tuppence Middleton, Elizabeth McGovern, Imelda Staunton, Penelope Wilton, Allen Leech, Nathalie Baye, Laura Haddock, Joanne Froggatt, Laura Carmichael, Sophie McShera, Robert James-Collier, Samantha Bond, Phyllis Logan, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michael Fox, Harry Hadden-Paton, Kevin Doyle, Charlie Watson, Jonathan Zaccai, Douglas Reith

Running Time: 2 hours and 5 minutes

Film Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Capitalizing on the success of the 2019 film Downton Abbey, a star studded sequel returns in its all glittering allure and this time Lady Violet Crawley wonderfully played with her usual coy dexterity by Oscar winner Maggie Smith (California Suite, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) reveals to her large and extended family at Downton that she has a villa in the South of France that was mysteriously left to her by a long last lover.

As Lady Crawley departs the gorgeously decorated drawing room she leaves with a final comment: “I will say good night and leave you all to discuss my mysterious past.”

Oscar winning screenwriter of the acclaimed Robert Altman 2001 film Gosford Park, Julian Fellowes once again returns to fine form with a familiar cast and adds a touch of glamour as half the cast set off for the French Riviera to meet the previous owners a French mother and son, wonderfully played by Nathalie Baye (Catch Me if You Can) and Jonathan Zaccai.

As Lady Mary, beautifully played once again with a crisp diction by Michelle Dockery, holds the fort at Downton Abbey as some fast and fashionable film people arrive to use the lavish estate as a location for what they would soon learn to be one of their last silent films.

The film crew is headed up by the dashing director Jack Barber wonderfully played by Hugh Dancy (Hysteria, Late Night) accompanied with flamboyance by the film’s stars Myrna Dagleish played by Laura Haddock and the male lead Guy Dexter superbly played with nuance by Dominic West (Chicago, Colette, Tomb Raider) as he reveals that he has hidden desires..

Fellowes cleverly gives all the cast members from the servants to the landed gentry equal screen time and an intriguing backstory, condensing the entire narrative into a poignant yet lavish affair which delicately reflects England and the Mediterranean at the end of the 1920’s, an evolving world which saw cinema become talkies, in which American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald made the French Riviera fashionable in July.

From the beautiful costumes to the witty dialogue, from the elegant subplots to the age old rivalry between the British and the French, Downton Abbey: A New Era is a cinematic treat expertly crafted with an ensemble cast that achieve a formidable pitch with humour and grace.

Definitely made for the fans of the brilliant TV series and the 2019 film, Downton Abbey: A New Era is highly recommended viewing and a perfect cinematic outing, which gets a film rating of 7.5 out of 10.

Cinderella

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgaard, Derek Jacobi, Holliday Grainger, Ben Chaplin, Hayley Atwell

Shakespearean actor and director Kenneth Branagh (Thor, King Henry V) vividly recreates the famous tale of Cinderella in a live action film which despite its sumptuous production design does not match up to other recent onscreen fairy tales most notably the brilliant Snow White and the Huntsman and the equally impressive Maleficent.

Downton Abbey’s Lily James takes on the title role of Cinderella and although she is gorgeous to watch onscreen, the famous narrative arc of her tale is not given any particular depth or subliminal meaning. But then again this is a Disney film and the age restriction is parental guidance, with the target audience being young little girls. Judging by the packed cinema on a Saturday afternoon that target market was spot on.

Branagh’s Cinderella is lush, gorgeous and beautiful to watch with a spectacular production design by Dante Ferreti and fabulous costumes by Sandy Powell, Oscar winner for her costumes in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator.

Oscar winner for Blue Jasmine and The Aviator Cate Blanchett is wonderful as the wicked stepmother and so is Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, The Wings of a Dove) as Cinderella’s quirky fairy godmother who on the evening of the ball given by the crown prince of their kingdom, Cinderella’s dress, transportation and footmen are sorted for her great entrance at the Ball.

The Ballroom scene is simply amazing and is undoubtedly the high point of the film, but in a similar vein to the gorgeous reproduction of Anna Karenina, the script and acting for Cinderella suffers under the weight of its own expectation.

One almost gets the feeling that the actors were slightly bored going through this famous fairy tale with the exception of the brief scenes by Blanchett and the cameo by Helena Bonham Carter, Cinderella fails to lift audiences beyond its very light and fluffy message – which is for all young girls to find prince charming and live happily ever after.

Prince Charming in this case is played by British actor and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden, bulging codpiece and all, and his penetrating blue eyes do the acting. Director Branagh strictly keeps this traditional Cinderella aimed at the young children’s market obviously upon the instruction of parent company Disney.

Nevertheless, the costumes and the production design are superb and should garner some awards in those categories. Whilst Cinderella lacks the edgier darkness of Snow White and the Huntman and Maleficent, it is still fun to watch especially all those character actors making an appearance from Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgaard and Derek Jacobi.

Disney’s Cinderella is recommended viewing for those that loved Mirror Mirror and for all parents who need to take their daughters to see some serious glamour on the big screen. In this case the fabulous glass slipper fits too comfortably and Cinderella and her prince charming do live happily ever after.