I am totally on board with a Downton Abbey prequel/sequel. Rewind back to the mid 1800s, just before the Dowager Countess marries Lord Grantham. Which leads up to the estate being in dire financial difficulties, until a young girl from America shows up during the London season. She's young. She's beautiful. She's smart. She's independent and Most of all she's Wealthy. There are storylines a plenty to make this work...I can't wait!!
@@noveraislam1567 Start the movie with Cora's life and family in America. See what lead her mother to bring her to London. I want to know what Mrs. Levinson REALLY thought about the Crawley's. I'm thinking it must have happened a few years after Lord and Lady Grantham travelled to Imperial Russia. Not to mention take a glimpse into why Lady Rosamund married Marmaduke.
@@m.layfette6249 The answer as to why she was in London is simple, she was a "dollar princess". Essentially daughters of very wealthy Americans were married into British noble families and in exchange for some of their family's wealth they received a title and their family received a direct connection to titled aristocrats.
I adored Paul Giamatti as Uncle Harald. I especially loved his introduction to the Prince of Wales, his reaction to the Prince being so pompous was hilarious.
@@AudreyMealiff I mean, in the storyline, nothing became of Uncle Harold and the Lady ____ who was being encouraged by her dad to marry Harold because he’s rich.
@@nicklubrino2606 Yes I know and I was agreeing and saying it would be nice to think they did have a future but it just didn't make it into any episode.
"nothing ever changes for you people, does it?? Revolutions erupt, monarchies crash to the ground, and the groom still cannot see the bride before the wedding!"💘😂
I always thought Isobel Crawley did a pretty good job of it. She was just more subtle. Martha Levinson was as subtle as a freight train, and proud of it.
@@joannesmith2484 it really depends on the how u want ur wit. If u want subtly, go English; want directly to the point, go American. Each excels in their own way
@@joannesmith2484 Isobel did all right but usually the Countess could easily shut her down 😆 yes, Martha was not subtle at all but I think the contrast between the two Great Dames adds to the frisson!
I don’t think I could have been as kind and forgiving as Cora was over Lord Grantham’s idiocy. Also, I wonder if “have gun, will travel” was a well known American phrase in 1920. The tv series started in 1957, I believe.
@@joelchesters4184 He is talking about a TV series called “Have Gun - Will Travel” which was broadcast in 1957, according to Wikipedia. I think the original poster is well aware of the Downton Abbey timeline..
We are addicted to this series! Never watched until recently (Netflix). Every single thing about this is flawless; writing, acting, production value, historical attention - all of it. I can only imagine how much work they all put into it to make us, the audience, drawn, interested, entertained - enveloped. American projects now seem so cheap and shallow after the richness of this series. Extraordinary work.
Holly you are so right. I DA has ruined other shows for me. Other shows seem cheap and nasty and the acting within other shows is usually very suspect. We the audience expect high standards. Hollywood once upon a time used to put out quality movies/shows. But now ...
I absolutely adored Downtown Abbey. By far my favorite TV show. The witty firing on all cylinders the Dowager - Violet Crawley is my very favorite character. Like Cora Crawley “I’m an American. Have gun. Will travel”. Thank you Julian Fellowes. Also all the amazing actors who truly made their characters their own. A masterpiece
I spit on you. I share with you the words of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II: "Believe it or not, for my first child, it was still custom to summon the home secretary to witness a Royal birth. My father but a stop to it, with my consent. So I am not against reform. The question is, what is worth preserving and where to draw the line." She goes on to talk about the people who hold positions that have existed for hundreds of years, with skills and expertise that only those people in the world have left, because England is the only place the traditions still take place. If you dismantle the monarchy, hundreds of people with skill lines that have been passed from one master and apprentice to the next will be gone FOREVER. That's cultural erasure.
@@amandamarshall1485 I doubt the staff would have all gone to die in a workhouse. There were people leaving all along to go work in shops, offices, restaurants, etc. remember? The domestic service industry was shrinking rapidly in the inter-war era, and there were other opportunities opening up. Some of them better, at least from certain perspectives. And the Crawleys would have been even more fine than their servants. They had another house they were planning to move to which seemed very nice, just smaller.
Yet Robert still cheats on her. How can someone just forgets moments of being bailed out like this and still betray the person when the times become good again......
At 4:03 THAT brother is **smooth** . And I say that in appreciation of both the skill it took to rescue the situation and the courage it took for a black man to take a white aristocrat into his arms in the mid-20s. If Jack Ross had done the same thing in the Atlanta of the era, they'd find his body about three days later in a ditch. And I say that as a historian. History isn't pretty much of the time.
Forget 3 days later. A mob would've formed outside of the place within 2 hours, as word quickly spread due to all of the witnesses, and he would've been lynched that same night.
@@anyaw340 I'm a Civil War reenactor in a very liberal Western state. I do a lot of teaching at high schools in my area. As you can imagine, teaching the historical truth in an area with a cultural bias can be... interesting. A lot of sacred cows get burned for EVERYBODY... Whites, Blacks, Natives, pretty much nobody is happy when I'm done because history, it turns out, is, um, 'complicated' 😁
I honestly had never noticed that he was American, I assume because I didn't hear it mentioned in the show and I'm American. Anyway, he also did the right thing in the end when he broke up with her so as to not have her be ostracized from society.
@@sarahberkner Well, in the early to mid-20s jazz was still seen as a 'loose' or 'criminal' sort of music because of its association with flappers and gangsters. It was 'the sort of thing Americans listen to' and having a jazz musician as a guest in an aristocrat's home was considered quite avant-garde for the time. It was part of the process where jazz became acceptable by the 40s. We would see the same process play out with rock n' roll from the 50s onward. This subplot was all part of Downton's overall theme of trying to modernize while still maintaining traditions.
I love that Paul Giamatti was John Adams and had to appear before King George III at one point, and here in DA he’s American new money rubbing shoulders with British aristocrats (even tried to introduce himself to the crown prince at one point). Superb in both roles. All of these actors were great. And Alfred was a pretty lucky guy, Mrs. Levinson’s maid was a peach!
Indeed this is at a time when American naval power matched British naval power evenly for the first time in history and getting stronger (1922 Washington naval conference setting limits) Plus the US economy already being much larger than the British economy
I kind of wish the second movie was the Crawleys visiting America, that would be funny. Then I realized it was the 30s, so that would be the Great Depression and it might be a little depressing lol.
@@LeahWalentosky yeah. It makes me think they should actually get back to doing the show instead of another movie because all the movies have fluffy storylines, which is great but...shit's about to get real very soon lol
My grandmother came of age in the 1920’s in Boston privileged society and from her memoirs their expected behaviors were identical to their English cousins. Much of New York society however was culturally bohemian and ahead of the times except for certain “Mayflower” neighborhood’s whose residents were unforgiving if any of them strayed beyond their norms. Like Boston, women were forever shunned if even a whiff of scandal was suspected.
Yeah he lost the money but not enough to be in the lower class, if matthew didn't give them the money, they would still be rich af, even tho if they couldn't live the "vie de châteaux" with a lot of servants
It's not just the money. It's the generations of legacy that each Earl passes to the next. It's the shame that they fear as well. They have a duty to keep the estate running and service to the Monarch. When they fail they are crushed. I read in an official Downton Abbey book that during this time nearly half of the floor space of these castles and grand houses were torn down. Many estates were subdivided and auctioned off.
@@keldonmcfarland2969 They don’t have jobs because they have to, they do it because they love their jobs. The British royal family is worth over a half billion and since all that money is investments, they will have money for probably another 1000 years.
@@beadmecreative9485 Eugenie and Beatrice are not on the Sovereign Grant. They are probably tied to their father's trusts, he's worth millions of £s. They (probably) don't get a large income (if any at all) from the Queen.
The racist ball was a very sobering moment. As much of a fan as I am of Downton, it's important to remember that were we really alive at that time, our sentiments really wouldn't be as gentle toward the Crawleys and their ilk.
@@What_was_wrong_w_jst_our_names I’m not quite sure I did that. This was in or quite near the 20s. Plenty of people, like Rose herself in this scene, knew exactly what was wrong. And tbh, putting the race bit aside. Her family letting her be flung around a dance floor by a drunken man who refused to let her go was wrong too and that was another consequence of the time. One that Rose didn’t appreciate and one that the other Downton ladies in previous episodes had fought against openly (men thinking they can control women because they’re women, that is).
@A. B. Let’s not put words in the mouths of others. I didn’t say anything was problematic. It said it was sobering. The fact that we enjoy this show so much is precisely because it’s overwhelmingly focused on the rich, privileged people. We in the 21st century like watching that and we grow very attached to them. It’s sobering to realize that, actually, were we living in that time, we probably wouldn’t think as highly of them. It’s not just the racism, it’s classism, and other things. Also important to note, 1920s England was socially a *vastly* different place than late 19th century England, so to even casually put those two together is a bit ridiculous especially since that’s a huge theme of this show to begin with. It’s not projecting morality now to then. It’s acknowledging that were we actually alive back then in any other social status other than theirs, many of us wouldn’t view them as kindly.
@A. B. I find it quite hilarious how people think that just because it was a different day and age, that the awful things that transpired then were somehow okay because it was the times lol it’s total bs, right is right and wrong is wrong. If you think just because the race relations back then was normal for some, that somehow it negates the disgust nature of it, you’re wrong. Black ppl didn’t like how they were treated then either.
@@tc2334 Not putting words or anything in your mouth, but I could easily imagine that when presented with a buffet of beautifully prepared food, you’d be the first to say, "Imagine how it looks in your stomach."
@@KoiYakultGreenTea She convinced him he wasn't the worthless wastrel and libertine he thought he was. After he saw through the Allsopps' gold digging plan, he discovered he liked her. That was great.
@@neilgerace355 and she wasn’t like them. She was hopelessly trapped to be a wife of some rich guy but I think after that she was a lot more confident and maybe she’s gonna do something trailblazing
One of my really most favorite with Shirley MacLaine in it I wish she was in the movie maybe when they do the second movie they could ask somebody like Jane Fonda to play Shirley maclaine's role
This is true, though the UK had its own customs and social rules. He's also occupying an odd grey area as entertainment. The appropriate thing would probably have been to escourt her back to the table and say good night. He could do that all with out touching her.
@@a.munroe true but trauma and fear are hard things to get over. Those during WW2 a number of African American solders had romantic relationships with European women
This is true, but Jack Ross was also based on an historical figure named Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson. Interracial relationships have been around throughout history!
I wouldn't be upset with seeing a young Cora & Robert on The Gilded Age. It takes place in 1880s NYC/America. Downton began circa the Titanic. 1912. Surely Robert and Cora were meant to be late 40s, early 50s based on Mary's age. 30 years prior could have them meeting in America. Or a mention? 🤷🏿♀️🤷♂️🥰
I doubt that. They probbaly met in London on Cora's Deb, her mother probably looking for a way to raise herself in the society, but then realize that English Polite Society os nothing but poor peer looking for money, one of them are the Crawleys that force Cora's fortune to be bounded with Downton's, that's why she's so distasted by English Society.
I love how they think Mrs levinson can be played for a fool. She reminds me of my grandma! My grandma is a Holocaust survivor and always the smartest one in the room!
Cora is going to be fine. That's why she's so supportive and calm. I bet she will have an inheritance worth millions upon millions as soon as dear mama and papa kick the bucket back in old New York. We heard as much from Cora's brother, when he was a tad too blunt for Rose's friend at the coming out ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Cora's getting that money too. So Robert losing the fortune she brought into the marriage is no big deal. Also, why was Robert the one in charge of the finances? It seems that the daughter of a major industrialist would be better with money than some blue-blooded toff who doesn't know a thing about the right investments, diversification and growing a fortune. Cora does, and she can always talk to her daddy about these issues.
@@DGraziosif If dear papa is already dead, then Cora will get a nice sum when mother dearest kicks the bucket. Cora will inherit a handsome residual from that estate, just like her brother explained at the coming-out party at Buckingham Palace. Hence Cora's nonchalance. It pays to be very rich--don't need to worry when one fortune goes down in flames. There's another one always waiting in the wings. :D
@@pabloruiz8597 that's actually addressed in the series. When Robert and Violet try to convince Martha to help them with their financial difficulties she basically declined, saying that Cora already got her inheritance and the rest is going to her brother.
@@reginabillotti Perhaps she didn't want to throw good money after bad. That wasn't the first time Robert had lost a fortune. Mary was the one that took up money grubbing for Downton.
@@marigold6920 LOL. Robert married Cora, a very rich American millionairess. He had already done all the money grubbing he could stand for the estate, so it was Mary's turn. ;) Robert was lucky because he ended up liking and then loving the moneybags (i.e. Cora). A lot of the time these gold-digging marriages between an ailing British aristocrat and an American millionairess ended in disaster--like poor Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage to a hateful closet-case who liked the men on the side. Consuelo could already tell it was going to be a disaster the day of the wedding--she cried right after ceremony. But she soldiered on because her parents wanted a duchess in the family.
I just Enjoy the ups & downs of family/families. The elegance, the common thread of opportunities and indiscretions, even with those who appear to be of higher stature. I enjoy being entertained in a way that does not express every detail of everything. ~`~
It was kind of annoying how most of the Americans on the show were portrayed as socially awkward or arrogant/rude like they’re from another planet except Cora. 🤔
@@m.layfette6249 Teapot Done was a scandal contemporary to THIS time. Any prequel/sequel would be out of step or premature. It would be the same as a show today talking about Watergate or the results of the 2032 Presidential election as if it were a current event.
@@robertmoore6149 The Teapot Dome Scandal if anything was a precursor to Watergate. At it's core was bribery and corruption. I would like for it to be shown more in depth. The only difference between Harold Levinson and Lord Grantham is a firm lack of business on the part of Robert.
@@m.layfette6249 Watergate and Teapot Dome have nothing to do with each other: the events, the people, the places, not even motivation. My point is that THIS show is most reasonable talking about those event with THESE people. A show set in the past simply cant do that. And a show in the future hasnt been made an if extremely unlikely to do that. Thus the opportunity was missed. Thats all
There was an earlier episode where Robert went to America to basically make Harold more respectable, but they never did explain exactly what role Harold had played. He was probably an investor in one or more of the illicit oil leases.
Why does Mrs. Levinson think it’s such a weird foreign thing for the groom not to see the bride the night before the wedding? It’s a tradition in America too. That always struck as a discordant note with me.
They're new money rich, which meant they may still have the more simple traditions, which in all likelihood allowed for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Mr. Levinson was Jewish as well, which meant that the practice was not applicable compared to other groups in America and Europe.
I don't think it was as though she'd never heard of the tradition, she just thought it was silly that they were still observing it so strictly and universally. Like "Oh, gosh, he's seen her several times a week for years on end, but somehow this one night makes all the difference." I think the tradition came from the era when marriages were arranged and couples barely did see each other before the actual wedding, right?
Robert doesn't deserve Cora. After all this he still goes and cheats on her, for no effing reason at all. Also the way Cora's response was portrayed as some kind of American sensibility feels frivolous. No one, not anyone from any country is supposed to take the news of losing almost all their fortune calmly and nonchalantly. It takes courage, maturity, extraordinary love to put on a brave face for the spouse in that moment. This didn't really seem like it was appreciated.
Again, you should not impose today's sensibilities on residents of a prior age. Racism is ugly, but divisions between races, classes, countries were real and a fact of life. Thomas was written and portrayed true to his time and space. Nothing more, nothing less.
I agree. Tom, Rosemund, and Edith all were on my shitlist after this arc. Uppidity can be forgiven, but racists...never. At least the band leader had a real job...the rest married or inherited money.
I love this series to pieces, but some of these American accents are a bit...wobbly from the Brits playing Americans. Still love the characters though.
He had massive failures on all fronts, but I honestly do think he was a better husband than many, especially when taking into account the sequel, his and Cora's interactions were absolutely lovely therein
I know someone with the same personality type as Robert, and his business filed for bankruptcy. They're both good in an emergency and nice enough people, but are not good at planning. And they both admitted fault, but shouldn't have been given that much authority in the first place.
When Jack Ross' band visits Downton to play there, he tells Mr Carson that his family lives in England for over a century. So I am not completely sure why he is in this clip.
Jazz music began in the American south. As African Americans relocated North to NY and Chicago, the genre of music evolved over time. Many musicians traveled to Europe to "escape" racial (blatant) persecution. Jack Ross' family line may date back to the 1700s, but I'm pretty sure he has some Americans in his ancestry.
2:21 …isn’t this also an American custom? Why is she acting like it’s British only 😂 I’m American and have always grown up hearing about this tradition
I agree. I think part of the problem is that he's not actually American. They should've picked an American who knows the culture/style. And his accent is horrible; it sounds so exaggerated lol. When he's singing, he sounds more like a modern teenager singing pop music at a talent show.
Ok. Terrible mismatch of Americanism used by Cora: ‘ I’m a American. Have Gun Will Travel.’ That’s a title of old western in the 60’s. Not quite a match here.
@@flyboy152 I can see the expression would have existed but hard to say it would have been such common parlance. The series does have odd bits of more modern terms and this seemed to jolt me as well. To what it would matter is slim since it’s fiction. I watched it for the characters and the fabulous design.
No, they weren't. That was the point of Shirley Maclaine behaving as she did; that is how she was intended to behave. Many wealthy American families were "new money" and acted like it, except in the South, where they had "old money" from slavery. Cora's family is new money. British aristocratic families came from hundreds of years of wealth, so "class" (or their idea of "class") it was in their culture. Not so for many wealthy American families.
Tom should have behaved better when he was introduced. I don't get when those who fight to break a social ocial barrier have a negative and prejudiced mindset themselves.
I really don't understand what went on with the singer. I get the racial stuff, but he literally came down and helped. Do the Brits forget kindness can exist in a vacuum? You can be kind for no other reason than because it's who you are.
History and tradition didn't lead to a thing. Treaties did. Democracies would've led to a war just as brutal. WW1 was caused by treaties that were signed under the table, George, Wilhelm, and Nicholas wanted to talk things over but the elected officials pressured them into war. Tradition could've saved Europe.
(Sigh) Historically, tradition and history binds Europe to their issues even to this day. The more realistic traditional belief in Europe was that of cultures have the right to land based on myth or legend, which was the driving catalysts in 1900-1940 Europe, and even to this day it occurs. All sides did this, no one was successful, yet the wounds linger. And if ur claiming that monarchs are the true power, then there is less truth to each. Neither of the three had true power, only very loud noisemakers that ultimately besided themselves to their own interests.
@@dan_38 I'm saying if Monarchs did have the power like they did in the old days, the war could've been avoided. Elected officials were behind ww1 not the Kings.
@@blackfedoramedia6498 what in the old days were we all still live under feudalism with no rights to vote. Blaming WW1 on democracy is a stretch considering over half of the population in the UK didn’t have the right to vote before 1914.
I have to say that this is the only part of DA that wasn't done well. The racial handling of Jack Ross and the Crawley family felt like they walked on eggshells.
With all due respect to Ms.MacLaine’s considerable talents, her scenes with Maggie Smith point out the differences between a performer, even a “ham” (albeit a good one) and a real actress of the highest caliber.
Apparently a lot of black American musicians toured through the UK and Europe. While there was some discrimination, it was nothing like the Jim Crow laws of the day in the US. They could eat in regular restaurants and use public transport and other facilities in most countries in Europe then.
No, the Crawley family is snobbish. Mrs. Levinson is direct, honest, and blunt to the point of rudeness. She's a realist and "calls a spade a spade." This is how Americans in western states appear to Americans in eastern states, and how all Americans appears to the rest of the world. Which must be why writer Julian Fellows wrote this character in such a stereotypical way.
Thomas Rowsell: Really? The Crawleys are the snobs with an estate with no money to pay for it. At least the Levinsons have the cash to pay for their lifestyle
It's funny how they make fun of Cora for her "american sentimentalities" but she's the only one who keeps her head straight in a crisis
Cora...send in Cora the Calvary 😘
Not when her daughter died. 😔
@@zyxw2024 Truth.😢💔
@@zyxw2024 I think we can give her a pass on that one. ☹️
@@zyxw2024 I mean, that's understandable
I am totally on board with a Downton Abbey prequel/sequel. Rewind back to the mid 1800s, just before the Dowager Countess marries Lord Grantham. Which leads up to the estate being in dire financial difficulties, until a young girl from America shows up during the London season. She's young. She's beautiful. She's smart. She's independent and Most of all she's Wealthy. There are storylines a plenty to make this work...I can't wait!!
Omg yes
@@noveraislam1567 Start the movie with Cora's life and family in America. See what lead her mother to bring her to London. I want to know what Mrs. Levinson REALLY thought about the Crawley's. I'm thinking it must have happened a few years after Lord and Lady Grantham travelled to Imperial Russia. Not to mention take a glimpse into why Lady Rosamund married Marmaduke.
Hopefully, it might come true...i 🤔?!
@@m.layfette6249 The answer as to why she was in London is simple, she was a "dollar princess". Essentially daughters of very wealthy Americans were married into British noble families and in exchange for some of their family's wealth they received a title and their family received a direct connection to titled aristocrats.
@@The_13th_Hussar Sadly not too much has changed in 100 years.
Dame Maggie Smith and Shirley Maclaine acting against each other made me so happy. The quips are amazing!
You need some of the Leveson cash I always remember that line and Shirley Maclaine
I adored Paul Giamatti as Uncle Harald. I especially loved his introduction to the Prince of Wales, his reaction to the Prince being so pompous was hilarious.
Nothing became of Uncle Harold and the Lady ___
@@nicklubrino2606 We can hope that maybe something did off camera.
@@AudreyMealiff I mean, in the storyline, nothing became of Uncle Harold and the Lady ____ who was being encouraged by her dad to marry Harold because he’s rich.
@@nicklubrino2606 Yes I know and I was agreeing and saying it would be nice to think they did have a future but it just didn't make it into any episode.
Paul Giamatti is a great actor.I love his performance as John Adams.
"nothing ever changes for you people, does it?? Revolutions erupt, monarchies crash to the ground, and the groom still cannot see the bride before the wedding!"💘😂
"You Americans never understand the importance of tradition."
@@m.layfette6249 "yes we do, we just don't give it power over us"
@@ellispeterson16 "Tradition and history took Europe into a world war, you might want to let go if it's hand a little."
@@m.layfette6249 violets face after that...😤😱😭
Monarchies crashed to the ground and what followed was fascism and communism. Yep that worked out well didn't it.,,?
Martha Levinson was the only one who could match the Dowager Countess’s wit. Amazing script fitting for two legendary actresses!
I always thought Isobel Crawley did a pretty good job of it. She was just more subtle. Martha Levinson was as subtle as a freight train, and proud of it.
@@joannesmith2484 it really depends on the how u want ur wit. If u want subtly, go English; want directly to the point, go American. Each excels in their own way
@@joannesmith2484 Isobel did all right but usually the Countess could easily shut her down 😆 yes, Martha was not subtle at all but I think the contrast between the two Great Dames adds to the frisson!
I don’t think I could have been as kind and forgiving as Cora was over Lord Grantham’s idiocy. Also, I wonder if “have gun, will travel” was a well known American phrase in 1920. The tv series started in 1957, I believe.
It's amazing to think in retrospect and realize just how much foolishness and antics she not only put up with but also forgave.
The show starts with the sinking of the Titanic.
The show started in 1912
@@joelchesters4184 I think they meant the phrase have gun will travel comes from
@@joelchesters4184 He is talking about a TV series called “Have Gun - Will Travel” which was broadcast in 1957, according to Wikipedia. I think the original poster is well aware of the Downton Abbey timeline..
We are addicted to this series! Never watched until recently (Netflix). Every single thing about this is flawless; writing, acting, production value, historical attention - all of it. I can only imagine how much work they all put into it to make us, the audience, drawn, interested, entertained - enveloped. American projects now seem so cheap and shallow after the richness of this series. Extraordinary work.
Holly you are so right. I DA has ruined other shows for me. Other shows seem cheap and nasty and the acting within other shows is usually very suspect.
We the audience expect high standards. Hollywood once upon a time used to put out quality movies/shows. But now ...
I absolutely adored Downtown Abbey. By far my favorite TV show. The witty firing on all cylinders the Dowager - Violet Crawley is my very favorite character. Like Cora Crawley “I’m an American. Have gun. Will travel”. Thank you Julian Fellowes. Also all the amazing actors who truly made their characters their own. A masterpiece
Love Cora when she says, I'm an American, have gun will travel. LOL...that line is priceless.
My favorite new quote...Tradition is just a way for your family to continue to control you from the grave.
I spit on you. I share with you the words of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II: "Believe it or not, for my first child, it was still custom to summon the home secretary to witness a Royal birth. My father but a stop to it, with my consent. So I am not against reform. The question is, what is worth preserving and where to draw the line." She goes on to talk about the people who hold positions that have existed for hundreds of years, with skills and expertise that only those people in the world have left, because England is the only place the traditions still take place. If you dismantle the monarchy, hundreds of people with skill lines that have been passed from one master and apprentice to the next will be gone FOREVER. That's cultural erasure.
I am so impressed how Cora is so loving.. and calm . Money is just money
... not when it means you will lose your home, and an entire staff of people lose their livelihoods and have to leave to go die in a workhouse
@@amandamarshall1485 I doubt the staff would have all gone to die in a workhouse. There were people leaving all along to go work in shops, offices, restaurants, etc. remember? The domestic service industry was shrinking rapidly in the inter-war era, and there were other opportunities opening up. Some of them better, at least from certain perspectives.
And the Crawleys would have been even more fine than their servants. They had another house they were planning to move to which seemed very nice, just smaller.
Yet Robert still cheats on her. How can someone just forgets moments of being bailed out like this and still betray the person when the times become good again......
Omg the look on Carson’s face when Cora’s mother says “oh dear, I’m afraid the war has made old women of us both.” 😂🥲
06:17 - Carson's expressions with the American valette are simply PRICELESS! With every look of amazement he gives me, I burst out laughing 😂😂😂
At 4:03 THAT brother is **smooth** . And I say that in appreciation of both the skill it took to rescue the situation and the courage it took for a black man to take a white aristocrat into his arms in the mid-20s. If Jack Ross had done the same thing in the Atlanta of the era, they'd find his body about three days later in a ditch.
And I say that as a historian. History isn't pretty much of the time.
Forget 3 days later. A mob would've formed outside of the place within 2 hours, as word quickly spread due to all of the witnesses, and he would've been lynched that same night.
@@anyaw340 I'm a Civil War reenactor in a very liberal Western state. I do a lot of teaching at high schools in my area. As you can imagine, teaching the historical truth in an area with a cultural bias can be... interesting. A lot of sacred cows get burned for EVERYBODY... Whites, Blacks, Natives, pretty much nobody is happy when I'm done because history, it turns out, is, um, 'complicated' 😁
I honestly had never noticed that he was American, I assume because I didn't hear it mentioned in the show and I'm American. Anyway, he also did the right thing in the end when he broke up with her so as to not have her be ostracized from society.
@@sarahberkner Well, in the early to mid-20s jazz was still seen as a 'loose' or 'criminal' sort of music because of its association with flappers and gangsters. It was 'the sort of thing Americans listen to' and having a jazz musician as a guest in an aristocrat's home was considered quite avant-garde for the time. It was part of the process where jazz became acceptable by the 40s. We would see the same process play out with rock n' roll from the 50s onward.
This subplot was all part of Downton's overall theme of trying to modernize while still maintaining traditions.
I love that Paul Giamatti was John Adams and had to appear before King George III at one point, and here in DA he’s American new money rubbing shoulders with British aristocrats (even tried to introduce himself to the crown prince at one point). Superb in both roles. All of these actors were great. And Alfred was a pretty lucky guy, Mrs. Levinson’s maid was a peach!
Indeed this is at a time when American naval power matched British naval power evenly for the first time in history and getting stronger (1922 Washington naval conference setting limits)
Plus the US economy already being much larger than the British economy
Love the verbal sparring between the Dowager Countess and Mrs Levinson!
Interesting to see the Dowager get the worse end of it
0:38 "have gun - willl travel" My favourite American in Downton is: Lady Cora, but Mrs. Levinson, impersonated by great Shirley, is a real gem too.
Martha Levison's speech at 2:28 is amazing!!!
When I went to NY I travelled to Rhode Island to see these 'cottages' are they are huge. Just to think those were just the summer residences.
These cottages are often larger than their primary residences.
@@AlexS-oj8qf , yup the Townhouse in NY were grand but they of course lacked the grounds in the country
Their Adirondack great camps were just as impressive, if not moreso. For those times when they needed to "rough it" in the wilderness.
I kind of wish the second movie was the Crawleys visiting America, that would be funny. Then I realized it was the 30s, so that would be the Great Depression and it might be a little depressing lol.
That and the Dust Bowel
@@LeahWalentosky yeah. It makes me think they should actually get back to doing the show instead of another movie because all the movies have fluffy storylines, which is great but...shit's about to get real very soon lol
Comment by Carmencita: No, please keep Downton Abbey in the UK; bringing it to America would ruin it.
The Great Depression was world wide. I wonder if they will show how it effected them in Great Britain.
I hope the levinsons get a mention in the gilded age !!! Also ... the Russell daughter is going to marry a Duke! 😂
A superb performance in the characters of Robert and Cora in this scene… so very believable!! I was truly moved!!
My grandmother came of age in the 1920’s in Boston privileged society and from her memoirs their expected behaviors were identical to their English cousins. Much of New York society however was culturally bohemian and ahead of the times except for certain “Mayflower” neighborhood’s whose residents were unforgiving if any of them strayed beyond their norms. Like Boston, women were forever shunned if even a whiff of scandal was suspected.
My father was born in 1920 and my mother was born in 1925
Yeah he lost the money but not enough to be in the lower class, if matthew didn't give them the money, they would still be rich af, even tho if they couldn't live the "vie de châteaux" with a lot of servants
It's not just the money. It's the generations of legacy that each Earl passes to the next. It's the shame that they fear as well. They have a duty to keep the estate running and service to the Monarch. When they fail they are crushed.
I read in an official Downton Abbey book that during this time nearly half of the floor space of these castles and grand houses were torn down. Many estates were subdivided and auctioned off.
@samantha ssmith
That's what they are doing now. Even Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice have regular jobs now.
@@keldonmcfarland2969 They don’t have jobs because they have to, they do it because they love their jobs. The British royal family is worth over a half billion and since all that money is investments, they will have money for probably another 1000 years.
@@beadmecreative9485
Eugenie and Beatrice are not on the Sovereign Grant. They are probably tied to their father's trusts, he's worth millions of £s. They (probably) don't get a large income (if any at all) from the Queen.
Money is not class .
Love Mrs Levinson. She walks in like she owns the place. Because she actually does own the place
The racist ball was a very sobering moment. As much of a fan as I am of Downton, it's important to remember that were we really alive at that time, our sentiments really wouldn't be as gentle toward the Crawleys and their ilk.
It is easy to view history through rose colored glasses. You shouldn’t apply today’s morals and ethics to the past.
@@What_was_wrong_w_jst_our_names I’m not quite sure I did that. This was in or quite near the 20s. Plenty of people, like Rose herself in this scene, knew exactly what was wrong. And tbh, putting the race bit aside. Her family letting her be flung around a dance floor by a drunken man who refused to let her go was wrong too and that was another consequence of the time. One that Rose didn’t appreciate and one that the other Downton ladies in previous episodes had fought against openly (men thinking they can control women because they’re women, that is).
@A. B. Let’s not put words in the mouths of others. I didn’t say anything was problematic. It said it was sobering. The fact that we enjoy this show so much is precisely because it’s overwhelmingly focused on the rich, privileged people. We in the 21st century like watching that and we grow very attached to them. It’s sobering to realize that, actually, were we living in that time, we probably wouldn’t think as highly of them. It’s not just the racism, it’s classism, and other things. Also important to note, 1920s England was socially a *vastly* different place than late 19th century England, so to even casually put those two together is a bit ridiculous especially since that’s a huge theme of this show to begin with. It’s not projecting morality now to then. It’s acknowledging that were we actually alive back then in any other social status other than theirs, many of us wouldn’t view them as kindly.
@A. B. I find it quite hilarious how people think that just because it was a different day and age, that the awful things that transpired then were somehow okay because it was the times lol it’s total bs, right is right and wrong is wrong. If you think just because the race relations back then was normal for some, that somehow it negates the disgust nature of it, you’re wrong. Black ppl didn’t like how they were treated then either.
@@tc2334 Not putting words or anything in your mouth, but I could easily imagine that when presented with a buffet of beautifully prepared food, you’d be the first to say, "Imagine how it looks in your stomach."
I wanted the movie to tell us what happened between Harold and his penpal The Hon. Madeleine Allsop.
Yeah theirs was a strangely wholesome relationship that defied convention. I cringed at his awkwardness at first I found their friendship so cute
@@KoiYakultGreenTea She convinced him he wasn't the worthless wastrel and libertine he thought he was. After he saw through the Allsopps' gold digging plan, he discovered he liked her. That was great.
@@neilgerace355 and she wasn’t like them. She was hopelessly trapped to be a wife of some rich guy but I think after that she was a lot more confident and maybe she’s gonna do something trailblazing
@@KoiYakultGreenTea She's still going to marry a rich guy, but they're going to fall in love first :)
Yea I was hoping they’d get together 🥲
Of course Martha Levinson ❤️💃🕌🍷✨ I think she needs her own movie!
Shirley MacLaine ugh she didnt age well.
One of my really most favorite with Shirley MacLaine in it I wish she was in the movie maybe when they do the second movie they could ask somebody like Jane Fonda to play Shirley maclaine's role
In the episode where Edith gets married, it’s made clear that Martha’s transatlantic traveling days are over.
I wish cora's mother and brother had a couple of scenes in the films or later on in the series. They were both great 😊
In real life Jack Ross would have stayed far from Rose. In America he could have been killed for even looking a at Rose.
This is true, though the UK had its own customs and social rules. He's also occupying an odd grey area as entertainment. The appropriate thing would probably have been to escourt her back to the table and say good night. He could do that all with out touching her.
I like how Lady Mary says that her father would be more scandalized that Ross was a jazz musician. Haha
@@a.munroe true but trauma and fear are hard things to get over. Those during WW2 a number of African American solders had romantic relationships with European women
This is true, but Jack Ross was also based on an historical figure named Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson. Interracial relationships have been around throughout history!
@@Blackcomanche good point
The BEST SHOW EVER❤ Harold is awesome😂
2:36 that is actually wise and thought provoking.
I wouldn't be upset with seeing a young Cora & Robert on The Gilded Age. It takes place in 1880s NYC/America. Downton began circa the Titanic. 1912. Surely Robert and Cora were meant to be late 40s, early 50s based on Mary's age. 30 years prior could have them meeting in America. Or a mention? 🤷🏿♀️🤷♂️🥰
they were in their early 40's and got married between 1888 - 1890
I doubt that. They probbaly met in London on Cora's Deb, her mother probably looking for a way to raise herself in the society, but then realize that English Polite Society os nothing but poor peer looking for money, one of them are the Crawleys that force Cora's fortune to be bounded with Downton's, that's why she's so distasted by English Society.
I tried watching The Gilded Age. Terrible. Couldn’t watch more than a few episodes.
My shock when I saw Paul Giamatti in this series.
Love these scenes!
Violet and Cora's mother pairing was a stroke of magic...the dynamic duo.
I would love a prequel.
Jack has a beautiful voice
We came 3 and a 1/2 1000 miles to change the subject is one of my favorite lines delivered by Shirley MacLaine 😂😂😂
Such a great one.
I love how they think Mrs levinson can be played for a fool. She reminds me of my grandma! My grandma is a Holocaust survivor and always the smartest one in the room!
Never mind this my favorite episode. Or one of them
That dude: I wanted to ask you man to man -
*Mr Carson.exe has stopped working*
Cora is going to be fine. That's why she's so supportive and calm. I bet she will have an inheritance worth millions upon millions as soon as dear mama and papa kick the bucket back in old New York. We heard as much from Cora's brother, when he was a tad too blunt for Rose's friend at the coming out ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Cora's getting that money too. So Robert losing the fortune she brought into the marriage is no big deal. Also, why was Robert the one in charge of the finances? It seems that the daughter of a major industrialist would be better with money than some blue-blooded toff who doesn't know a thing about the right investments, diversification and growing a fortune. Cora does, and she can always talk to her daddy about these issues.
Her father died before the series even started
@@DGraziosif If dear papa is already dead, then Cora will get a nice sum when mother dearest kicks the bucket. Cora will inherit a handsome residual from that estate, just like her brother explained at the coming-out party at Buckingham Palace. Hence Cora's nonchalance. It pays to be very rich--don't need to worry when one fortune goes down in flames. There's another one always waiting in the wings. :D
@@pabloruiz8597 that's actually addressed in the series. When Robert and Violet try to convince Martha to help them with their financial difficulties she basically declined, saying that Cora already got her inheritance and the rest is going to her brother.
@@reginabillotti Perhaps she didn't want to throw good money after bad. That wasn't the first time Robert had lost a fortune. Mary was the one that took up money grubbing for Downton.
@@marigold6920 LOL. Robert married Cora, a very rich American millionairess. He had already done all the money grubbing he could stand for the estate, so it was Mary's turn. ;) Robert was lucky because he ended up liking and then loving the moneybags (i.e. Cora). A lot of the time these gold-digging marriages between an ailing British aristocrat and an American millionairess ended in disaster--like poor Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage to a hateful closet-case who liked the men on the side. Consuelo could already tell it was going to be a disaster the day of the wedding--she cried right after ceremony. But she soldiered on because her parents wanted a duchess in the family.
I just Enjoy the ups & downs of family/families. The elegance, the common thread of opportunities and indiscretions, even with those who appear to be of higher stature.
I enjoy being entertained in a way that does not express every detail of everything. ~`~
Cora’s Cincinnati accent comes out when she greets her mother and brother
It was kind of annoying how most of the Americans on the show were portrayed as socially awkward or arrogant/rude like they’re from another planet except Cora. 🤔
Really wish they got into more detail about the family's connection to Teapot Dome
Save that for the Downton Abbey prequel/sequel.
@@m.layfette6249 Teapot Done was a scandal contemporary to THIS time. Any prequel/sequel would be out of step or premature. It would be the same as a show today talking about Watergate or the results of the 2032 Presidential election as if it were a current event.
@@robertmoore6149 The Teapot Dome Scandal if anything was a precursor to Watergate. At it's core was bribery and corruption. I would like for it to be shown more in depth. The only difference between Harold Levinson and Lord Grantham is a firm lack of business on the part of Robert.
@@m.layfette6249 Watergate and Teapot Dome have nothing to do with each other: the events, the people, the places, not even motivation.
My point is that THIS show is most reasonable talking about those event with THESE people. A show set in the past simply cant do that. And a show in the future hasnt been made an if extremely unlikely to do that. Thus the opportunity was missed. Thats all
There was an earlier episode where Robert went to America to basically make Harold more respectable, but they never did explain exactly what role Harold had played. He was probably an investor in one or more of the illicit oil leases.
The jazz singer is not American. He is a Brit playing an American
I could tell. His accent was too exaggerated and sounded put on. No one in American has ever spoken that way, lol.
Why does Mrs. Levinson think it’s such a weird foreign thing for the groom not to see the bride the night before the wedding? It’s a tradition in America too. That always struck as a discordant note with me.
They're new money rich, which meant they may still have the more simple traditions, which in all likelihood allowed for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. Mr. Levinson was Jewish as well, which meant that the practice was not applicable compared to other groups in America and Europe.
I don't think it was as though she'd never heard of the tradition, she just thought it was silly that they were still observing it so strictly and universally. Like "Oh, gosh, he's seen her several times a week for years on end, but somehow this one night makes all the difference." I think the tradition came from the era when marriages were arranged and couples barely did see each other before the actual wedding, right?
As s gay man, I want someone with the personality of Cora no matter how awfully irresponsible I was. And stunningly beautiful
6:52 😂 😁 😄
Love Cora and Rose.
Robert doesn't deserve Cora. After all this he still goes and cheats on her, for no effing reason at all. Also the way Cora's response was portrayed as some kind of American sensibility feels frivolous. No one, not anyone from any country is supposed to take the news of losing almost all their fortune calmly and nonchalantly. It takes courage, maturity, extraordinary love to put on a brave face for the spouse in that moment. This didn't really seem like it was appreciated.
Paul Giamatti was so young here
Very nice.
Jack Ross had EXCELLENT taste. In ladies, too.
DEEP!
What season and episode
It's an almagation of a bunch. You need to at least specify the scene(s) you're asking about.
4:33. 8 could punch Branson in his face. He's been an outside in that family. He Knowles the feeling but now he's superior to someone.
Again, you should not impose today's sensibilities on residents of a prior age. Racism is ugly, but divisions between races, classes, countries were real and a fact of life. Thomas was written and portrayed true to his time and space. Nothing more, nothing less.
He’s trying to remind Rose that she crossed the line. Rose is a noble lady, daughter of a marquess, not a flapper/play girl.
I agree. Tom, Rosemund, and Edith all were on my shitlist after this arc. Uppidity can be forgiven, but racists...never. At least the band leader had a real job...the rest married or inherited money.
I love this series to pieces, but some of these American accents are a bit...wobbly from the Brits playing Americans. Still love the characters though.
Like the one from Martha’s maid. It sounds rather off.
Jack Ross' accent was also bad, and he didn't sound like an American jazz singer at all. I don't know what type of music that was.
Ethan ❤️
Jack Ross: Black don't crack mehn ✨
I really like Americans. I want to marry an American.
Robert was really not a good husband. Or businessman. He was a very good father
He had massive failures on all fronts, but I honestly do think he was a better husband than many, especially when taking into account the sequel, his and Cora's interactions were absolutely lovely therein
I know someone with the same personality type as Robert, and his business filed for bankruptcy. They're both good in an emergency and nice enough people, but are not good at planning. And they both admitted fault, but shouldn't have been given that much authority in the first place.
When Jack Ross' band visits Downton to play there, he tells Mr Carson that his family lives in England for over a century. So I am not completely sure why he is in this clip.
Jazz music began in the American south. As African Americans relocated North to NY and Chicago, the genre of music evolved over time. Many musicians traveled to Europe to "escape" racial (blatant) persecution. Jack Ross' family line may date back to the 1700s, but I'm pretty sure he has some Americans in his ancestry.
I Actually shipped Madeline and Harold so much
How can u ask mr carson that?😂
How the girls never met their uncle up until the debutante season was a bit weird
2:21 …isn’t this also an American custom? Why is she acting like it’s British only 😂 I’m American and have always grown up hearing about this tradition
Jos and Toady 😀 TV
Oye the singers voice kills me everytime lol. It’s so not true sound of the generation….the annunciation lmao.
It hurts my ears to hear him sing. He's out of tune and he goes from one register to another. So annoying.
I agree. I think part of the problem is that he's not actually American. They should've picked an American who knows the culture/style. And his accent is horrible; it sounds so exaggerated lol. When he's singing, he sounds more like a modern teenager singing pop music at a talent show.
Ok. Terrible mismatch of Americanism used by Cora: ‘ I’m a American. Have Gun Will Travel.’ That’s a title of old western in the 60’s. Not quite a match here.
And where do you think they got that title? That was a common American expression dating back to the 19th century.
@@flyboy152 I can see the expression would have existed but hard to say it would have been such common parlance. The series does have odd bits of more modern terms and this seemed to jolt me as well. To what it would matter is slim since it’s fiction. I watched it for the characters and the fabulous design.
The Jack Ross scene makes me SO uncomfortable
You can hear the American accent being forced with these British actors the singer and the help.
have gun will travel
Revaluations erupt and monarchies crash to the ground (love that)
Can I just mention how OFF KEY the singer is? Handsome guy but...
Lady Grantham actress a perfect choice but Shirley Maclaine as her mother not as fortunate a choice. American aristocracy in that era was classy.
No, they weren't. That was the point of Shirley Maclaine behaving as she did; that is how she was intended to behave. Many wealthy American families were "new money" and acted like it, except in the South, where they had "old money" from slavery. Cora's family is new money. British aristocratic families came from hundreds of years of wealth, so "class" (or their idea of "class") it was in their culture. Not so for many wealthy American families.
Robert was so bad with money lol
2:17 dont listen to that American, Violet.
Love it can't afford it .
Tom should have behaved better when he was introduced. I don't get when those who fight to break a social ocial barrier have a negative and prejudiced mindset themselves.
What kind of greedy idiot invests everything in one place
If they lost all money. How can they pay for a wedding???
how did they get their fortune back?
Matthew inherited a large sum and became partners with Robert on the estate.
I just love Cora!
😳 💜 💚
They really should've had a Canadian mediator for the Americans and Brits lmao. "Don't let tradition affect us", *cough* originalism
I really don't understand what went on with the singer. I get the racial stuff, but he literally came down and helped. Do the Brits forget kindness can exist in a vacuum? You can be kind for no other reason than because it's who you are.
I wonder why he didn’t want to marry her?
History and tradition didn't lead to a thing. Treaties did. Democracies would've led to a war just as brutal. WW1 was caused by treaties that were signed under the table, George, Wilhelm, and Nicholas wanted to talk things over but the elected officials pressured them into war. Tradition could've saved Europe.
(Sigh)
Historically, tradition and history binds Europe to their issues even to this day.
The more realistic traditional belief in Europe was that of cultures have the right to land based on myth or legend, which was the driving catalysts in 1900-1940 Europe, and even to this day it occurs. All sides did this, no one was successful, yet the wounds linger.
And if ur claiming that monarchs are the true power, then there is less truth to each. Neither of the three had true power, only very loud noisemakers that ultimately besided themselves to their own interests.
@@dan_38 I'm saying if Monarchs did have the power like they did in the old days, the war could've been avoided. Elected officials were behind ww1 not the Kings.
@@blackfedoramedia6498 what in the old days were we all still live under feudalism with no rights to vote. Blaming WW1 on democracy is a stretch considering over half of the population in the UK didn’t have the right to vote before 1914.
This is not true at all lol, there is a reason why so many monarchies fell after/during the wall and it was due to the hubris of the dynasties.
@@extatickiddo5714 I'm telling you man it was all treaties. Look it up/
I love Robert but he really is the worst ennemy of his estate…such a bad manager!
I have to say that this is the only part of DA that wasn't done well. The racial handling of Jack Ross and the Crawley family felt like they walked on eggshells.
With all due respect to Ms.MacLaine’s considerable talents, her scenes with Maggie Smith point out the differences between a performer, even a “ham” (albeit a good one) and a real actress of the highest caliber.
The Americans are the opposite of the stuffy English! Good opposites though!
We like being stuffy thanks 😤
@@steveb149 no insult intended! You r our closest ally, an appreciate our cousins ovr the pond.
@@steveb149 Clearly you live in a different part of the UK to me then.
@@Pius-XI greetings frm Kentucky, USA, hi ya'all!😊
@@Pius-XI Yes from South...London
USA!! USA!! USA!!
Ross wasn’t American. He was black British.
He was American. He was from Chicago. Plus, he speaks in a strong American accent.
@@europeanroyalist.6387 I must have missed that
Apparently a lot of black American musicians toured through the UK and Europe. While there was some discrimination, it was nothing like the Jim Crow laws of the day in the US. They could eat in regular restaurants and use public transport and other facilities in most countries in Europe then.
@@keldonmcfarland2969 that was why why Josephine Baker moved to France.💁🏻♀️
@samantha ssmith
Yes. They played for aristocracy and royalty and the commoners.
not really the biggest fan of Mrs Levinson, to me she came across more snobbish than anyone, and very hypocritical
Yes, but Shirley MacLaine was brilliant :)
A perfect example of the American upper classes at that time. As if her maid quit just to spite her, instead of leaving to get away from her abuse.
No, the Crawley family is snobbish. Mrs. Levinson is direct, honest, and blunt to the point of rudeness. She's a realist and "calls a spade a spade." This is how Americans in western states appear to Americans in eastern states, and how all Americans appears to the rest of the world. Which must be why writer Julian Fellows wrote this character in such a stereotypical way.
Thomas Rowsell: Really? The Crawleys are the snobs with an estate with no money to pay for it. At least the Levinsons have the cash to pay for their lifestyle
Snobbish in the superior-condescending sense, yes. In the posh-smug-entitled sense, no. Every Downton Abbey character with dev time shows facets.