They don't always seem to agree, such as to whether Mary should play a bigger part in how Downton is run, but it is clear that Robert does now value Tom and his outlook as well as his position in now being part of the family. The first time Edna Braithwaite stalked Tom, Mrs Hughes comforted and advised him. She's the star. However, Violet went on to marry Robert's father Lord Grantham and while their marriage lacked the passion she had with Montmirail, they had a successful and fruitful marriage. Afterwards, he is racked with guilt and horror at what has happened, but Edna relentlessly insists he promise to marry her as she is pregnant and not cast her aside, trying to make him feel like he is guilty when in truth she is the guilty one. The chauffeur-turned-estate-agent surrendered most of his agent duties to Mary, who had them well in hand, and opened up a car shop with his brother-in-law Henry Talbot. When Tom presents the possibility of leaving Downton, perhaps for America, Robert advises him not to do anything "in a hurry". Does Tom get the maid pregnant? He announced to the family that he wished to have her baptised Catholic like himself, stating that she was Irish. She is glad that he isn't going to be killed or to go to prison, but wonders why he has to be angry all the time, saying that she knows Britain wasn't at it's best in Ireland during the Easter Rising in 1916. Certainly when Robert remarks about Bunting one night at dinner, Tom begins to talk political again. All Rights Reserved. Tom Branson's main interests are history and politics, something which amuses Robert at first but leads to regret when Tom influences his youngest daughter, Sybil to rebel. Rosamund was absent from Downton Abbey 2019 but she returns in A New Era. He insists to her that he does not want him to go, but it seems his primary reason is because Sybbie would go too, as he appears to still want to have a major role in her upbringing. Despite the growing chasm between Mary and Henry, the eldest Crawley daughter turns down the chance of a romance with film director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy), choosing to honour her marriage vows over pursuing her own desires. You can unsubscribe at any time. Feeling guilty, he decides to tell the family, but Carson insists they cannot say anything about why she had to leave in the first place. . Bates' wife (conveniently) dies by alleged suicide, clearing the way for Bates and Anna to marry. They value each other's opinions and their alliance seems to be doing Downton some good. She is displeased at the thought of him going, and later Edith tells him she would miss him too. His arrival surprised his in-laws, but his explanation left them shocked, with Robert becoming enraged at Tom's behaviour and the fact he left Sybil to follow him, since she was pregnant and Ireland was foreign to her, as well as dangerous. It is things like this that Branson has always admired as it shows her spirit and determination. Branson finally tells her that nothing else matters but the two of them: "Look, it comes down to whether or not you love me. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. He reveals that his grandfather was a tenant farmer in Galway, specializing in Blackface sheep. However, Tom is not interested in Edna. He returns to Downton, where Mary apologizes and professes her love for him. Published: Friday, 29th April 2022 at 2:00 pm, Downton Abbey A New Era ending: Cast explain emotional scenes, Ben Blackall / 2022 Focus Features, LLC, Ben Blackall / 2021 Focus Features, LLC. **Spoiler warning for Downton Abbey: A New Era**, Sign up to get alerts for movie news, reviews and recommendations. Tom Branson, the chauffeur-turned-son-in-law and manager of Lord Grantham's sprawling estate in Sir Julian Fellows' critically acclaimed British costume drama Downton Abbey, was one of the most beloved characters on the show. Mary decides to ask Barrow and Baxter to find a way to humiliate Stowell for his rudeness. After every series, after the first film, and now after the second, each time I have said a heart-wrenching goodbye to these people and then here we are back again.". This caused Tom to loudly voice his left wing, republican views, much to everyone's discomfort and Larry's amusement. It was to Tom to whom she announced she was leaving (though she did not mention she was leaving to keep her daughter, as Violet and Rosamund wanted to send her away). He tried to force her away, and got angry when shebrought up hismarriage to try to justify herself. Later that night, Tom carries Sybbie and George to safety after a fire accidentally starts. In 1927, he met his future wife, Lucy Smith and subsequently married her in a lavish ceremony held at their new home, which Lucy will inherit from her natural mother, Maud Bagshaw. In series three, she welcomes them warmly when Tom and Sybil arrived to Downton Abbey for Mary and Matthew's wedding. Paul Prenter was the first role Leech got that he didnt audition for. Tom was shown to be sincerely upset with himself and his behaviour. Before the wedding, Tom lost his fight about his attire, being forced to wear one of Matthew's old morning suits by Violet and Isobel, since he was now best man. Robert reminds him that she has just lost the love of her life to which Tom reminds him he knows how that feels. He immediately becomes curious about Lord Granthams youngest daughter, Lady Sybil, when he overhears her mother, Lady Grantham, talking about her needing a new dress and implying that she has an interest in rights for women. This is the first time Branson has been seen to be moved negatively by something Sybil has said. She gives him advice on his new job as estate manager and comforts him when he is still grieving for Sybil. Through her sister Mary, she was the sister-in-law of Matthew Crawley and the aunt . She says she didn't know and he drives away upset. Rose remarks that Tom has little life beyond Downton, to which Mary remarks he has had none since Sybil's death, but that she feels Tom is rediscovering who he is once more. Hes a nice man. Later, Tom apologizes to Robert for arguing with him. He notes that he no longer sees things only in black and white. Powered by WordPress. When Robert finally accepts Matthew's letter is a will and Mary will inherit half of the estate and have a say in the running of it, Mary tells him of her disagreement in selling part of the land, to Robert's dismay, who tells Tom that he "better not have put her up to this" to which Tom maintains he has not. The films director (Hugh Dancey) falls in love with Mary because every handsome man falls in love with Mary, but she rejects his flirtations because shes still married to an irksomely absent Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode, who did not return for the film). Tom has more than one cousin, for despite telling Sybil he "lost a cousin", he later tells Matthew that he can "get a cousin from Ireland" to look after baby Sybbie for him, meaning he has more than one. This meeting turns into an argument, Sybil has thought about the the consequences of running away with him, asking if she will be accepted by his people and how she could ever leave her family, she hopes that she is a free spirit like he says, but he is asking her to leave behind everything she has ever known. Henry Talbot and Tom Branson The two Downton men, who both sought a higher calling after marrying into the Crawley family, opened a used car shop. The new film looks to pick up after the events of the first, with Tuppence Middleton returning as the previously introduced character, Lucy Smith, as she gets married to Tom Branson (Allen. He also has a strong will and is not easily swayed when tempted, such as whenTravis and Robert oppose himover his daughter's christeningor when Edna tried to blackmail him. He has her baptized Catholic like himself. She shows the family letters between the two love birds to prove that nothing physical ever happened. The war has changed her irrevocably and she knows it, she cannot and will not return to her mundane existence of waiting around for a suitable bachelor, whom her parents approve of, to stumble her way. Though technically Robert is now the head of the family, Mary was most similar to her grandmother: They both could be cruel and fearsome but also smart and brave. In Episode 3.07, when discussing Tom becoming the agent, Cora says that he and Matthew are "the same age" - Matthew was born in 1885, so Tom may well be born between September 1884 and September 1885. Through his marriage he became the son-in-law of Robert Crawley and his wife, Cora. He explains there are death duties which much be paid, with tax and that her father intends to sell part of the land in order to pay it off in one big lump. Will the luck of the Irish affect the Oscars? Robert thinks that he may be the illegitimate son of the mysterious Frenchman who left his mother the villa, but Violet dispels that notion from her deathbed. Tom Branson In 1918 Sybil was talking to Branson outside the garage, and questioned why he had promised Mr Carson not to take part in any more political protests when he wouldn't promise her. Cora fired Nanny West on the spot, and would not allow her to spend another minute with Sybbie or George. Towards the end of the film, Lucy reveals to Tom that she is pregnant with their child. Later, Tom helped Matthew to reconcile with Mary after they had a tense argument. Cora defends and respects Tom and his wishes, even though she does not want him to go either, remarking how Robert had always been the one who wanted Tom to leave. Tom and Sybil ran away together, but returned to Downton eventually, and the wider family came to accept her decision. Sybil finds Branson in order to tell him that Mary knows about them. As the one-time chauffeur turned member of Downton Abbey's upper crust through marriage, Tom Branson has had his share of love highs and love lows. The series ended with Tom catching Dr Clarkson out, and embracing both Robert and Matthew. "It just feels really monumental and very special to be a part of it," said Fox. Speaking to RadioTimes.com about the prospect of a sequel, actress Sophie McShera said: "I mean, we definitely were saying all of us if there was an appetite for another film, and if Julian had an idea, we would love to come back and do it because we have the best time ever. Tom chooses to wait until Christmas to announce his decision, as he does not wish to disrupt his daughter's life then regret it. Downton Abbey was an international smash hit but bringing the historical soap to the big screen took a massive effort from cast and crew. Who is the most popular character on Downton Abbey? It is revealed that Lucy is pregnant and she later gives birth to a baby boy.[5]. And I may not have long to live, she tells her granddaughter Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the first film. Still, Violet would like to keep the villa and gift it to Sybbie, the child of Tom Branson and the now-dead Sybil Crawley. However, Cora's comment could also be interpreted to just mean "Thomas and Matthew are members of the same generation [as opposed to Robert and Jarvis, the previous agent]", which would leave a lot of leeway for Tom to be closer to his wife Sybil in age than to Matthew. . Mary also recalls her love for her late idealistic and sweet first husband Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), who she compares to Jack to, unlike Henry who is more pragmatic and realistic. Leech initially signed on for three episodes, first appearing in the fourth episode of season one, with an arc that was meant to see him being fired for romancing Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay). Sybil suggested that he could buy proper wear with the money they had been given, but he refused on principle. Tom in return came to respect her more, and named her his daughter's godmother. Advertisement. Although Branson is visibly discouraged by this rejection, he is touched that she would not reveal his admission of feelings for her to her family, granting it would be hard for her to forget about being a nurse and her family even if she reciprocated his feelings. Branson was devastated when Sybil died, and the fact that he named his daughter after her and continued to treasure Sybil's memory just shows how much he loved her. Edith Violet Pelham, Marchioness of Hexham (ne Crawley; b. "It sounds rather romantic to say that, but also you do want to give a really good evening to the people whove been faithful to us for so many years. Thomas "Tom"[4] Branson, (born possibly between September 1884 and September 1885 - canon evidence is unclear[1]), is the former chauffeur and the current estate manager for Downton Abbey. (It wouldnt be Downton Abbey without someone contesting an inheritance.) While many of the beloved characters earned their happy endings, his character, Tom Branson, didnt quite get the satisfaction. What are the classification of pesticides according to toxicity. ", Haddock acknowledged of Myrna: "Sometimes it just takes someone like Daisy to give her a reality check. When Branson finds out he has been rejected by the army because of a heart murmur, Sybil is initially worried for him, but he says it is only dangerous if you want to humiliate the British Army. The family notes something is wrong with Tom, but he does not tell them. He met Sybil's maternal grandmother, Martha Levinson, during the visit. Rose, seeing that Tom is friends with Bunting, decides to invite Sarah to Robert and Cora's anniversary dinner. Tom was so pleased and relieved to see her, and they shared a kiss and hug upon reuniting. Two of the films biggest dramatic turns end up being fake-outs. Not long afterwards, Tom returned to Downton on his own after getting into trouble with the Irish police for being present at the firing of an aristocratic family's house, and for attending republican meetings which advocated some level of violence. But Sybil will be Catholic. Sybil arrived safely at Downton a day later. The end of Downton Abbey was, admittedly, a bit of a disappointment for Allen Leech. When a letter from Matthew is found, stating his last wishes, Tom is happy to discover that Matthew had wanted Mary to be his sole heiress in event of his death. Shortly after Lavinia falls victim to the Spanish Flu and dies. Alasshe continued stalking him, even to the point of intoxicating then taking advantage of him. Later he and Matthew began a plan to buy farmland in order to build up an income for Downton. I wanted to do something with that., When I first read it I kept going back going, Am I actually doing all of that? Leech laughs. The new outing sees Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Dame Maggie Smith) come into possession of a luxury villa in the South of France. Much like on Downton Abbey, where the cast remain steadfast friends and meet up for a reunion dinner hosted by Jim Carter in London every year, Leech found his experience in Bohemian Rhapsody to be immediately bonding. However, after further tests by Dr Carson, Cora learns that she does not have cancer as was feared and instead is suffering from a form of anaemia which can be treated. She's all I have left of her mother.speaking of his daughter. But he does promise Mary not to leave until after a new pig farming venture they are pursuing is completed. A source said: 'She wowed producers in her audition and they are delighted to. Before Downton, when I was acting and I had done roles but not massive roles, she famously once introduced to me to one of her friends by saying, This is my son Allen, he could have been an architect.. At the end of the film, Lady Mary invites Mr Carson to be an interim butler at the house following the death of the Dowager Countess and Mr Barrow's resignation. Edna, still fixated on Tom, got him drunk and then snuck into his room at night. Mary finally accepted, five and a . Sybil was not yet 21 so couldn't marry Tom in England. Downton Abbey Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. The Downton Abbey Movie is the big-screen continuation of Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey TV series, and it reunites nearly the entire cast. He does not open up to her, but she insists he find someone he can talk to, leading him to confide in Mrs Hughes about Edna's schemes. Over time, he grew extremelyclose to people upstairs, especially Mary, Cora, and Isobel and found a good friend in downstairs' Mrs. Hughes. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Review: Downton Abbey is in the house, splendidly picking up where the PBS series left off, How the Downton Abbey movie came together: Passion, patience and perfect timing, Our critic says Tr deserves several Oscars, including best picture, Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with Creed III, Hunger Games star Jena Malone says someone I had worked with sexually assaulted her, Review: The gorgeous new movie Pacifiction will hypnotize you. Rose, Mary, and Charles Blake later discuss Tom's behavior after dinner. Tagged: Help. The rest of the film is occupied by a few minor plots involving the many, many characters that have come to define Downton Abbey. She advises him to be careful when it comes to his feelings for Sybil. Lets have this family be forced to have an outsider, someone theyve been very hostile toward, sit at that table without his wife and try to find his way.. The couple went on to have a daughter, who they named after Sybil (Sybbie for short), but it all came undone when Sybil sadly and tragically died from complications during childbirth in 1920. Molesley soon proposes to Baxter and she is delighted to say yes. Branson tries to convince her that she loves him, otherwise she would have told her family about his feelings and intentions years ago. He is an Irish socialist and a member of the Branson family. That's it! Starting off as a firmly principled member of the working class at the outset . Robert and Cora are both delighted by the good news. Mary says she once said that to someone and he did not (regarding Matthew and Pamuk). "It was lovely that they had this common ground there and I thought it was really heartbreaking that she suddenly became a victim of her class and it hadn't held her back before that moment. Though she frets in the hours before she dies that she will be remembered as some sort of scarlet woman, Violet no doubt will be remembered for her barbs and her wit. Sybil's husband and the father of their daughter is Tom Branson, the former Grantham chauffeur and . He is also brother-in-law to Matthew Crawley, Mary Talbot, Edith Pelham, Henry Talbot, and Herbert Pelham; and through them he has two nephews, George Crawley and Peter Pelham, and two nieces, Marigold (last name could be Crawley/Gregson/Drewe) and Caroline Talbot. The actor, who studied drama and theater at Trinity College and left Dublin for London in 2004, is particularly compelled by Irish stories. Tom did replace Jarvis,and movedwith his daughter and her nannyin the agent's house. He feels it would be better for her to have a clean slate, rather than grow up where she will constantly be reminded her father is, in his words, an "uppity chauffeur." Afterwards Tom was able to convince Lord Grantham that there still is an important role for him to play,and that they will be able to turn things around together, if each of them, i.e. Cora insists they remain calm and talk to Tom if he does decide to leave. Larry's father apologized for his son's actions and hopedTom would be well again in time for Matthew and Mary's wedding. Isobel praised Matthew's decision of naming Tom his best man. In an interview with this week's Radio Times magazine, Downton creator Julian Fellowes revealed that a third film is still possible. So hes still looking for that next great project. It wont be too quick, but of course, you can never get a London doctor to be precise.. I felt Tom Branson was the only one we hadnt really settled in the series, Fellowes explains. . Tom chose to namehis daughter Sybil, admitting though it would be painful he felt "it's right" because he wanted to remember her mother whenever he looked at her. Im sorry butI cant change into someone else just to please you.to his in-laws during his first upstairsdinner at Downton Abbey. So in this world, it was kind of fair enough that people would be responding to her in the way that they're responding to her, because she wasn't being particularly amenable or polite. Tom later speaks to Edith, revealing he knows Marigold is her daughter, as he had had a cousin in a similar situation. And then for them to sit down in that scene, and her to say, don't forget who you are and where you've come from. After suffering a heartbreaking loss, Tom Branson finally made peace with his position in the family. The important thing is that, after so many failed attempts at love, Daisy has finally found her own happily ever after. Passion and obsession intertwine in Fire of Love. Sybil Branson, 24, was nearing the due date for her first child, so that part's right. By 1921 they form a closer relationship when both stay behind when the rest of the Crawleys go to Duneagle, they have dinner together and talk about Tom's new role as manager of Downton. Fellowes said: You never know if more is going to be wanted. The couple later goes on to enjoy a trip to the French Riviera to explore the villa where Tom's daughter Sybie will inherit. When Violet finally does die, she is surrounded by family. Sarah encourages him to feel that he can be the same man again who encouraged Sybil to run for freedom. After Edna returned andtried to trap him into marrying her, on Mary Crawley's advice to speak to someone he confidedto Mrs Hughes (admitting he couldn't think of anyone else to turn to, signifying how much he trusts and respects her), and she saved him from Edna's schemes. Hed been a widower for some years by then. I really do not see the love or romance between Sybil Crawley and Tom Branson. Tom continues to adore his daughter, who refers to Robert as "Donk" - a reference to Pin the Tail on the Donkey, a children's game. Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com. He later dances with Isobel while Jack Ross's jazz band plays. As of Spring 1925, Tom and Sybbie have settled into their new life in Boston, and Tom and the family frequently exchange letters. Same with Pride and Prejudice. "Like, if things are changing in the house, so it would be an interesting story.". She promised Sybil that "we will get to know and value him". During dinner one evening, Sir Anthony told Tom that he learned from Edith that he's interested in politics, to which Robert politely remarked that "Tom is our tame revolutionary", and Sir Anthony replied that "Every family should have one". Tom eventually writes to his cousin in Boston, asking for his advice. She seems set to take over her grandmothers role as the de facto head of the house. Branson has waited so long for her to say those words that he cannot believe he is finally hearing them, she tells him he can kiss her, but that is all until everything is settled, that doesnt matter to him as it is enough that he could kiss her. The film crew at Downton has to pivot from a silent film to a talkie, and Lady Mary lends her voice to the movie. Allen Leech at the Corinthia Hotel in London, ahead of the U.K. premiere of Downton Abbey.. I felt that there was a lot left open for him, says Leech, sitting in a hotel suite in Londons Corinthia Hotel ahead of the premiere of the long-anticipated Downton Abbey film. Oh, all this endless thinking; it's very overrated. In the highly anticipated Downton Abbey movie, Tom Branson, the former chauffeur who married Lady Sybil Crawley (we're still not over her shocking death!) Cora believes she has cancer but learns by the end of the film that she is just sick with anemia. Because that will inevitably put you in a place of turmoil.". Though Tom taught Edith to drive during the war, they rarely interacted with one another until after Tom married Sybil.