Upstairs, Downstairs - season 1
Oct. 23rd, 2016 02:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dimity_blueI've been watching Upstairs, Downstairs, the original series from 1971. I remembered bits and pieces of it from when I've seen it before.
It was the Downton Abbey of its day, though I think it was far better than Downton Abbey.
Spoilers under the cut.
The series centres around 165 Eaton Place, home to the Bellamy family and their household staff. Richard Bellamy (an MP) is the head of the household, and his beautiful wife, Lady Marjorie, is a member of high society and daughter of an earl.
Richard (David Langton) and Lady Marjorie Bellamy (Rachel Gurney), with stiff upper lips at the ready.
One of the odd things about Upstairs, Downstairs is that the characters don't age in line with the series. The series aired from 1971-1975, but the episodes were set in 1903-1930. Ruby, the kitchenmaid, entered the Bellamy household in 1909, but was still a "stupid girl" (according to the cook, Mrs Bridges) in 1930 when she'd have to be approximately 40. Georgina Worsley, a step-relation who became Richard Bellamy's ward was 16 in 1913, a nurse during the war, a bright young thing in the 1920s, and a young bride in 1930 (when she'd actually be 33).
Apparently, the producers and execs felt the grey hair and prosthetics would get in the way of the stories, so they chucked normal aging out of the window, stuck two fingers up to reality, and did whatever they wanted.
Clémence (Pauline Collins), soon to be renamed Sarah.
The story starts with Clémence Moffat, an illiterate Cockney who offends the butler, Hudson, by attempting to enter the house by the front door! She's rebuffed by his raised eyebrow and his finger points her in the direction of the servants' entrance.
Hudson, (Gordon Jackson), with eyebrow set to stun.
She's taken to Lady Marjorie to be interviewed for the position of housemaid. She's deemed acceptable but her name isn't. Lady M renames her Sarah and sends her off downstairs. It's soon revealed Sarah lies a lot and she's never been in service before. The other servants set about turning her into an acceptable housemaid, with Rose (the head maid) taking Sarah under her wing.
They had no idea what they were getting into, which was maybe a good thing.
Rose (Jean Marsh - also co-creator of the series), who's going to need that tea.
In episode 3, we meet James Bellamy, the well-loved, privileged son who's in the Guards.
James (Simon Williams), complete with fake moustache.
Simon Williams said the moustache made it impossible for him to smile, so he had to do a funny grimace instead.
James would have been grimacing had he known his mother was having an affair with one of his friends!
Charles Hammond (David Kernan), who gets on well with his pals' mothers.
Captain Hammond is ready to abandon India and his military career for love but Lady M gets cold feet about the scandal she'll cause and he returns to India. Richard (her husband) realises what was going on and suggests his wife go to her parents and admire the roses for awhile. Apparently, they're a well known remedy for marital infidelity.
In episode 4, Elizabeth, the beautiful and spoiled daughter of the household, returns from Germany with her head stuffed full of ideas on how to fix society and help the poor.
Elizabeth (Nicola Pagett). The hat is a protest against society.
She's 17...and most annoyed no one's listening to her. She causes embarrassment by skipping out on her presentation to the king and queen, then spends half the night wandering the streets. A kindly policeman tries to help her and gets a lecture about helping the poor and starving instead. (Bet he regretted talking to her.) Later on, she rejects a suitable suitor before falling for a German Baron.
Baron Klaus von Rimmer (Horst Janson), who's not directing that smouldering look at Elizabeth.
Alfred (George Innes), not Elizabeth. He's the footman.
Elizabeth, not Alfred. Don't let the lack of Protest Hat fool you.
Baron von Rimmer turns out to be a spy who's using Elizabeth to gain access to her father and his military secrets. Smouldering at Alfred is just a bonus. Unfortunately for them both, Rose, the head parlourmaid, catches them in a compromising position. Baron von Rimmer flees taking Alfred with him, much to Elizabeth's confusion. I like to think, umpteen years later, she suddenly realised why he took Alfred to see Christmas in Germany. No, Elizabeth, it wasn't just to carry his suitcase.
Some of the storylines are heartbreaking though. Emily, the scullerymaid, falls in love with a handsome footman next door. His employer makes it clear she's got special plans (extra special plans possibly involving her bed, if he plays his cards right) for him and orders him to dump Emily. He does, and Emily kills herself.
Poor Emily (Evin Crowley).
The totally unworthy William (Tom Marshall).
Mrs. Bridges, the cook, is devastated by this. She feels terribly guilty that she kept on picking at Emily, never realising how close to the edge the girl was. In the midst of her grief, she finds a baby in a pram late one evening and kidnaps it. The household find out and are rather aghast. Mr. Bellamy wants to turn the whole thing over to the police, but Lady Marjorie is adamantly against it. How can she throw a dinner party without her cook?
Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddeley). Cook, babynapper, indispensable to Lady M.
Against his better wishes, Mr. Bellamy is persuaded. Hudson, the butler, finds out from his-friend-the-police-officer who the parents are, and the wealthy couple, swathed in furs, go to see them.
The Webbers (David Strong and Janie Booth). Probably secret members of The Anti-Fur Brigade.
Mr. Webber is seriously unimpressed (he can look down his nose better than Lady M!), and Mrs. B. ends up arrested and in court.
Fortunately for her, Mr. Hudson has been nursing a secret admiration for her, and he persuades her to accept his proposal. Once the court hears she's going to be held in check by a dour Scotsman who possibly disapproves of jokes on principle, they bind her over to keep the peace and Mrs. Bridges escapes a jail sentence. Yay! Three course meals all round!
Elizabeth, meanwhile, has been committing good deeds. She helps run a soup kitchen, then gets herself arrested by giving away boots from a shoe shop and refusing to pay for them. As a bonus, she lectures the shop owner on why he should be grateful to her. Her parents are furious - bad enough their cook was arrested, but their daughter?! Elizabeth declares they don't understand and flounces off to live with a friend.
Her parents are frantic with worry. It's Winter! It's 1908! Elizabeth is probably giving away boots at this very minute! Fortunately, she is found and there's a reconciliation though Elizabeth refuses to move back home. To make sure her parents keep on lying awake with worry at nights, Elizabeth has fallen in love with a poet, Lawrence Kirbridge. She's disappointed and indignant when he's deemed socially acceptable and they're given permission to marry.
Lawrence (Ian Ogilvy). Don't worry, he has Issues.
The wedding day isn't without its drama. James brings his special friend to the wedding - Sarah, the ex-maid who's now a singer in a music hall.
And that's the end of season 1!
It was the Downton Abbey of its day, though I think it was far better than Downton Abbey.
Spoilers under the cut.
The series centres around 165 Eaton Place, home to the Bellamy family and their household staff. Richard Bellamy (an MP) is the head of the household, and his beautiful wife, Lady Marjorie, is a member of high society and daughter of an earl.
Richard (David Langton) and Lady Marjorie Bellamy (Rachel Gurney), with stiff upper lips at the ready.
One of the odd things about Upstairs, Downstairs is that the characters don't age in line with the series. The series aired from 1971-1975, but the episodes were set in 1903-1930. Ruby, the kitchenmaid, entered the Bellamy household in 1909, but was still a "stupid girl" (according to the cook, Mrs Bridges) in 1930 when she'd have to be approximately 40. Georgina Worsley, a step-relation who became Richard Bellamy's ward was 16 in 1913, a nurse during the war, a bright young thing in the 1920s, and a young bride in 1930 (when she'd actually be 33).
Apparently, the producers and execs felt the grey hair and prosthetics would get in the way of the stories, so they chucked normal aging out of the window, stuck two fingers up to reality, and did whatever they wanted.
Clémence (Pauline Collins), soon to be renamed Sarah.
The story starts with Clémence Moffat, an illiterate Cockney who offends the butler, Hudson, by attempting to enter the house by the front door! She's rebuffed by his raised eyebrow and his finger points her in the direction of the servants' entrance.
Hudson, (Gordon Jackson), with eyebrow set to stun.
She's taken to Lady Marjorie to be interviewed for the position of housemaid. She's deemed acceptable but her name isn't. Lady M renames her Sarah and sends her off downstairs. It's soon revealed Sarah lies a lot and she's never been in service before. The other servants set about turning her into an acceptable housemaid, with Rose (the head maid) taking Sarah under her wing.
They had no idea what they were getting into, which was maybe a good thing.
Rose (Jean Marsh - also co-creator of the series), who's going to need that tea.
In episode 3, we meet James Bellamy, the well-loved, privileged son who's in the Guards.
James (Simon Williams), complete with fake moustache.
Simon Williams said the moustache made it impossible for him to smile, so he had to do a funny grimace instead.
James would have been grimacing had he known his mother was having an affair with one of his friends!
Charles Hammond (David Kernan), who gets on well with his pals' mothers.
Captain Hammond is ready to abandon India and his military career for love but Lady M gets cold feet about the scandal she'll cause and he returns to India. Richard (her husband) realises what was going on and suggests his wife go to her parents and admire the roses for awhile. Apparently, they're a well known remedy for marital infidelity.
In episode 4, Elizabeth, the beautiful and spoiled daughter of the household, returns from Germany with her head stuffed full of ideas on how to fix society and help the poor.
Elizabeth (Nicola Pagett). The hat is a protest against society.
She's 17...and most annoyed no one's listening to her. She causes embarrassment by skipping out on her presentation to the king and queen, then spends half the night wandering the streets. A kindly policeman tries to help her and gets a lecture about helping the poor and starving instead. (Bet he regretted talking to her.) Later on, she rejects a suitable suitor before falling for a German Baron.
Baron Klaus von Rimmer (Horst Janson), who's not directing that smouldering look at Elizabeth.
Alfred (George Innes), not Elizabeth. He's the footman.
Elizabeth, not Alfred. Don't let the lack of Protest Hat fool you.
Baron von Rimmer turns out to be a spy who's using Elizabeth to gain access to her father and his military secrets. Smouldering at Alfred is just a bonus. Unfortunately for them both, Rose, the head parlourmaid, catches them in a compromising position. Baron von Rimmer flees taking Alfred with him, much to Elizabeth's confusion. I like to think, umpteen years later, she suddenly realised why he took Alfred to see Christmas in Germany. No, Elizabeth, it wasn't just to carry his suitcase.
Some of the storylines are heartbreaking though. Emily, the scullerymaid, falls in love with a handsome footman next door. His employer makes it clear she's got special plans (extra special plans possibly involving her bed, if he plays his cards right) for him and orders him to dump Emily. He does, and Emily kills herself.
Poor Emily (Evin Crowley).
The totally unworthy William (Tom Marshall).
Mrs. Bridges, the cook, is devastated by this. She feels terribly guilty that she kept on picking at Emily, never realising how close to the edge the girl was. In the midst of her grief, she finds a baby in a pram late one evening and kidnaps it. The household find out and are rather aghast. Mr. Bellamy wants to turn the whole thing over to the police, but Lady Marjorie is adamantly against it. How can she throw a dinner party without her cook?
Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddeley). Cook, babynapper, indispensable to Lady M.
Against his better wishes, Mr. Bellamy is persuaded. Hudson, the butler, finds out from his-friend-the-police-officer who the parents are, and the wealthy couple, swathed in furs, go to see them.
The Webbers (David Strong and Janie Booth). Probably secret members of The Anti-Fur Brigade.
Mr. Webber is seriously unimpressed (he can look down his nose better than Lady M!), and Mrs. B. ends up arrested and in court.
Fortunately for her, Mr. Hudson has been nursing a secret admiration for her, and he persuades her to accept his proposal. Once the court hears she's going to be held in check by a dour Scotsman who possibly disapproves of jokes on principle, they bind her over to keep the peace and Mrs. Bridges escapes a jail sentence. Yay! Three course meals all round!
Elizabeth, meanwhile, has been committing good deeds. She helps run a soup kitchen, then gets herself arrested by giving away boots from a shoe shop and refusing to pay for them. As a bonus, she lectures the shop owner on why he should be grateful to her. Her parents are furious - bad enough their cook was arrested, but their daughter?! Elizabeth declares they don't understand and flounces off to live with a friend.
Her parents are frantic with worry. It's Winter! It's 1908! Elizabeth is probably giving away boots at this very minute! Fortunately, she is found and there's a reconciliation though Elizabeth refuses to move back home. To make sure her parents keep on lying awake with worry at nights, Elizabeth has fallen in love with a poet, Lawrence Kirbridge. She's disappointed and indignant when he's deemed socially acceptable and they're given permission to marry.
Lawrence (Ian Ogilvy). Don't worry, he has Issues.
The wedding day isn't without its drama. James brings his special friend to the wedding - Sarah, the ex-maid who's now a singer in a music hall.
And that's the end of season 1!