I think I’ve talked about this before but I also feel some kind of way about Guy both like… being older than Thomas and also further removed from the upper classes and the effect that that might have had on his life. Like Thomas was, generously, five-ish years old at the time of the Wilde trials, but Guy was probably in his teens, potentially aware of what was going on, potentially internalizing that shit like WOAH.
And this is probably my own bias, lol, but when I think of suit salesmen I think of fucking. Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman and Alexander Bonaparte Cust from The ABC Murders. Men who lived shall we say not super exciting lives. Like I think of Quentin Sidebotham growing up in this period where he’s internalizing homophobic pressure and NOT realizing things about himself, and when he does, he doesn’t have the freedom that money and aristocratic megalomania bring you—no love affairs with footmen here, thank you very much.
And that doesn’t mean his life is entirely sad—the man still looks like Dominic West, and he becomes a film star at ~40—but I think it can definitely affect like… the Type of man he is and the type of love life he’s had. And flip the dynamic a bit. Like Thomas goes in thinking oh gosh this is a Big Movie Star, everyone wants to be with him, he’s so suave and confident, and internally Guy has a much stronger and more consistent memory of being lonely, and scared, and denying who he is. And in turn he really admires that Thomas has that particular confidence—that confidence *I* have loved about Thomas from the beginning, the fact that HE FEELS NO SHAME in being gay, his angst is SOLELY centered around the exclusion he faces.
So like they both have Experience in some stuff, but not as much as each other thinks. And they figure it out together. And… mutual healing, and gay community, and modeled relationships, and the importance of one’s knowledge of gay history in shaping gay self-identity. I’m wine drunk and projecting like woah. Julian Fellowes didn’t think this through this much.
But I love that Thomas found love in near-middle age with a partner who is firmly middle-aged. You know? I think that’s good. I think they’re both at the point where they still have insecurities, but they’ve LIVED with who they are long enough that they know themselves, and they’re gonna be good for each other. Yeah.
Reaction behind the cut, in case I’m not the last person to see it. In non-spoilery news, remember how I wrecked my car on the day I was supposed to see the first movie? I almost did it again, this time on the way home from seeing the movie–some a-hole made a left turn across traffic directly in front of me. Luckily, I slammed on the brakes in time and managed not to hit them.
Anyway, on to the movie:
I thought it…didn’t suck? I mean, I’ve written at least half a dozen versions of “Thomas finds happiness by leaving Downton,” so I can hardly cast aspersions at JF for trying it once. My main objection, as far as that goes, is that I don’t really trust him not resort to, “It doesn’t work out with Guy, so he comes crawling back,” if they end up doing a third movie and realize that they’ll miss out on some ticket sales if it doesn’t have Thomas in it.
The romance was rushed, of course, and we didn’t see enough of them together to to make this move really believable–but every romance in the entire franchise is like that; I more than halfway suspect that “meeting someone who would be Suitable and whom you can stand to be around” is what Julian Fellowes thinks falling in love is.
Also, I kind of feel like the reminder about how Lord and Lady Grantham’s marriage started out as a business arrangement was thrown in there as a deliberate parallel*, as a backstop against any whiff of homophobia inherent in Thomas’s only successful romance also be a job offer: it’s the same way for posh straight people, and it worked out great for them!
(*I mean, it certainly isn’t a thing that makes any emotional sense for the characters to be talking about at that point**, nor is it relevant to anything else in the plot, as far as I can figure out.)
(**While we’re on the subject what was the point of the whole, “Cora may or may not have some sort of mystery illness; whoops, no, she doesn’t” subplot? It seems like something that might’ve worked better back when it was still a TV show, so the hints that she might be ill could build for a bit, and then we have a week between finding out that she’s having some tests done and finding out she’s fine. Having it all happen in 2 hours is just, like…that’s 15 minutes or so that could have been profitably applied to any of the half-dozen other plots***.
(***By which, of course, I mean, “to having Thomas and Guy interact in a meaningful nonprofessional capacity beforeGuy just up and proposes.)
Also, now I have to research how the Great Depression affected Hollywood. I seem to recall that the picture-palaces did fairly OK during that period–obviously, the people who thrown into dire poverty weren’t going to the pictures much, but for those who just had to cut back on luxuries, movie-going might’ve been one of the more affordable options. You don’t need fancy clothes, for one thing, since you’re going to be sitting in the dark. (Don’t quote me on this–I’m going off a History of Cinema elective I took in college, and that was quite a while ago now.)
So I just saw Downton Abbey: A New Era. I’ve got some thoughts and had some emotions. Be warned, I’ll have some vague spoilers in here.
Baxter and Molesley made me so happy in this one. FUCKING FINALLY!!!!
Sidebar, Mr. Molesley is finally getting all the love and respect he deserves. It’s about damn time!
Edith and Mary getting to be proper sisters to one another is long overdue. I love that they can snark at one another, but those comments don’t come from a mean place. They come from a light-hearted familial place. It’s just two sisters being sisters and doing the “I love you, but I’m also the only one who is allowed talk shit about you; anyone else who tries will be summarily punched out” thing. They’re hug towards the end where they just leaned into one another should get so much recognition. Edith and Mary have come a long way in their relationship and they’re both better for it.
I cried. If you’ve seen the movie, you know why.
My headcanon that Tom Branson is Violet Crawley’s favorite grandchild still stands. Him calling her by her given name (especially after all this time) warned my heart.
The Crawley next generation has gotten so big! I can hardly believe it.
The entirety of the French plot line was one of costume porn, landscape porn, and drama. I enjoyed it.
Seeing both Mary and Edith taking on different interests and jobs is nice. Mary as a voice actress — that’s a turn I appreciate. Also, Edith getting back into her magazine and writing is a good thing. I love a boss bitch and they both served that in this film.
On another side note, if we do get more Downton Abbey after this, I’d love to see Edith at her magazine dealing with the effects of the Great Depression. (It is Marigold’s legacy after all.) Also, it’d be a great way to get Spratt back as a one scene wonder. (I, for one, want to know how his Agony Aunt column is going.)
All of the established couples are adorable as expected.
The combination of Anna, Daisy, and Cora with the lead actress at the Abbey is nice. Women supporting women, I dig it.
Daisy the matchmaker is not something I expected, but I can get behind it. It feels like she’s starting to take on that role for the next generation. That’s not a bad thing.
not Downton Abbey: A New Era throwing in the idea that robert might’ve been a french bastard, something that would’ve turned the six-season series on its head – and then snatching it away :/
