If it begins in 1912, with the sinking of the Titanic in which the heir to the estate perished, the series Downton Abbey revisits several years of British history, showing the political and social context and depicting the evolution of society. When the fiction ends, at the end of its 6th season, the Crawleys celebrate the New Year in 1926. The series therefore dealt with a turbulent period in English and European history, focusing on to the First World War and its consequences, in season 2. Tragic scenes, which gave rise to upsetting intrigues for many characters. This is particularly the case of Thomas Barrow, the valet, and Matthew Crawley, who went to the front and who both returned wounded. The war also saw great changes for the Downton Abbey estate, with the castle being transformed into a hospital and Lady Sybil, the second daughter, becoming a nurse. As a result, the established order is called into question, as is the role of women in society.
Downton Abbey : why the actors were forbidden to discuss details about the war with the actresses
Historical advisor to the series Downton AbbeyAlastair Bruce was able to share his experience with the actors, he who experienced the Falklands War in 1982. “The men came back changed, both mentally and physically, to the point of being unrecognizable. This affected young men as well as young women. Women destined to live in the home and make tapestry all their lives saw their friends die”he says in the book The World of Downton Abbeywritten by Jessica Fellowes, the niece of the creator of the series. To give his explanations, Alastair Bruce spoke separately to the actors whose characters were going to war, to describe the experience to them. The actors were then prohibited from discussing the details given by the advisor with the actresses, a way of trying to reconstruct the gap that was widening between their characters.
“The bombs were exploding, the men were screaming” : Dan Stevens (Matthew) remembers the impressive filming of the Downton Abbey war scenes
For actor Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew Crawley, filming the war scenes Downton Abbey was a great experience. “The war scenes were exciting to film, he remembers in the book. There was an incredibly authentic and muddy trench system. We felt like we were there. People burst out of the trench, guns thundered, bombs exploded, men screamed and, all the while, the cameras were rolling. It gave a good adrenaline rush. It wasn’t so much the sound of the bombs but the fact that it made your chest vibrate. By the end of the shoot, even the cameramen were completely covered in ashes.” An atmosphere very different from the cozy atmosphere of the chic salons of Highclere Castle, where the majority of the series was filmed Downton Abbey. Even if, behind the scenes, the smell emanating from Madame Patmore’s meals was less delicious than you might think…
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