Downton Abbey : The Grand Finale

Two years after Downton Abbey 2, this is the cinematographic return of the Crawley family and their servants in 1930, for what is being billed as the final film of this British saga. This review is written by a fan of the series, and is spoiler-free.

Let's start with a recap of this saga. Written by Julian Fellowes, an actor and screenwriter from the English aristocracy, this historical series tells the story of life in a British castle from 1912 to 1926, paying equal attention to the aristocrats and the servants. The multi-award-winning series has 6 seasons, broadcast from 2010 to 2015 and 5 "Christmas Special" episodes, as usual in England and the USA. It was a huge success around the world, particularly in the United States. The story was then extended to the cinema with Downtown Abbey in 2019, then Downtown Abbey 2: A New Era and finally Downtown Abbey 3: The Grand Finale.

In this third installment, we find everything that made this series so successful with its refined universe. The story takes place in the early 1930s. The Crawley family is once again confronted with social upheaval. Lady Mary must face the gaze of high society following her divorce. Will she be able to lead Downtown Abbey and succeed her father? Lady Cora's American brother comes to see her following the stock market crash of 1929, accompanied by financial advisor Gus Sambrook.

As usual, Julian Fellowes has written a film that blends lightness and gravity, humor and emotion, the great and the small history. The dialogue is chiseled, with that inimitable English humor. Some characters say their goodbyes. Others are about to rise. It's a tender farewell to this universe. In this film, he chooses to show the ritual of the London season of these aristocratic families, which takes place every summer and ends with Ascott.

The talent of the cast contributed to the success of this series. They master their roles. A greater role is given to women with Lady Mary, her mother Cora, Isobel, and Daisy. The film pays tribute to actress Maggie Smith, who died in 2024, and who played Lady Grantham. In the previous installment, in 2022, her character disappeared. Reality has sadly caught up with fiction. The shadow of her character looms over the film.
The musical composition also features John Lunn, whose theme song, with its famous piano notes backed by an orchestra, has become the hallmark of this series.

Downtown Abbey 3 will delight fans of the series, who will rediscover everything that made it a success. It is also accessible to those unfamiliar with the series, who will be able to discover British talent in historical sagas.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Directed by Simon Curtis
Written by Julian Fellowes
Based on Downton Abbey by Julian Fellowes
Produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge
Starring  Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton
Edited by Adam Recht
Production company : Carnival Films
Distributed by    Focus Features
Release date : 10 September 2025 (France), 12 September 2025 (United States)
Running time : 124 minutes

Seen on August 28, 2025 at Le Grand Rex cinema, Theater 6

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