Mary is a bitch
What she did to Edith was horrible.
shareWhen you are as good looking as Mary is, you can get away with a lot of stuff
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MovieChat Forums > Downton Abbey (2011) Discussion > Mary is a bitch
She was absolutely HORRIBLE to Edith. I've never disliked the Mary character as I have tonight. And I found Mary/Dockery's apologies so phony, insincere and insufficient. Edith should've whacked her sister on her knee!!
shareEdith's behavior at breakfast was shockingly bad, but Mary topped it. I was very disappointed with both women, but I'm glad they talked before the wedding. That was nice.
"Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?"
That scene before the wedding was really touching wasn't it. They seemed to bury the hatchet - and for once not in each other. I think if Edith can be happy as well - then they will both get along better. Two weeks to wait before this is resolved.
My 2 cents on this - Mary’s stored up grief, unresolved trauma and emotions about Matthew’s death, the race accident and her feelings for Henry came to a head of steam in this episode. Edith's comment about Henry 'abandoning' (quite an inflammatory word to use - but I don't think she intended it to be - she was actually quite careful in wanting to delay the announcement of her engagement) her was the trigger to release those stored up emotions in some way. Fireworks ensued. We've all said things we regret in the heat of the moment - that was a humdinger that she seemed to be sorry for straight after.
There was wrong on both sides - but they'll work it out.
BritGirl
"Don't change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love you."
P.S. i disagree that Anything Edith said triggered what happened next. It was obvious, as soon as Mary sent Carson out of the room for coffee, and before Edith said anything, that Mary was going to drop that bomb. I agree there was wrong on both sides, but I don't think anything could have prevented Mary dropping the bomb on Edith, and consequently, Bertie.
shareYep, it was obvious by the look on her face when Robert made the crack about Edith outranking them all. She was not going to stand for Edith being above her.
shareIndeed.
1. Mary is gleeful (tom's word) that the death of Bertie's cousin will put Bertie out of a job, so he wont be able to marry Edith. She even repeats it to Anna.
2. Mary is smug when she tells Edith that Bertie will have no say where his cousin is buried, as that will be up to the new marquess.
3. Mary refuses to believe that Bertie is the new marquess.
4. Mary thinks, and even has the nerve to say out loud (after Tom teases her that she'll have to curtsey to Edith), that Bertie won't want to marry her now that he is the new marquess. Even Cora says Mary is jealous, at that point.
5. When Bertie shows up, she has the nerve to ask him, at the table, if he has come to settle things with Edith. She's hoping he means to get out of the offer he has made Edith.
6. When Mary looks across the room at Bertie and Henry, she tells Tom that if it were the other way around, and Henry were the new marquess, everyone would be setting their cap at him.
7. Tom knows she blabbed deliberately, to break up the engagement.
8. Robert also knows Mary did it on purpose.
9. Fellowes deliberately drew parallels between Thomas and Mary.
Short version--Mary is evil.
shareThank God someone else noticed that! I knew she was going to tell about Marigold as soon as she sent Carson out of the room, too.
God forbid she do anything so horrid and cruel in front of her precious Carson! Why, he may actually scold her! Horror!
Carson would have found some way to rationalize her behavior. He always does.
shareThank God someone else noticed that! I knew she was going to tell about Marigold as soon as she sent Carson out of the room, too.
God forbid she do anything so horrid and cruel in front of her precious Carson! Why, he may actually scold her! Horror!
No, I think she doesn't want any of the staff to hear family secrets. She may be spilling Edith's beans, but not in front of the servants. share
she seemed to be sorry for straight afterActually, if you look at her body language immediately after she said what she did, she moved exactly like Violet does after she says something smug and bitchy that she's proud of. As much as I hated Mary in that moment, the way she leaned back and moved a bit to the right and left made me laugh. It was definitely a "Violet" move! Excellent acting by Dockery.
"Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?" share
Actually, if you look at her body language immediately after she said what she did, she moved exactly like Violet does after she says something smug and bitchy that she's proud of. As much as I hated Mary in that moment, the way she leaned back and moved a bit to the right and left made me laugh. It was definitely a "Violet" move! Excellent acting by Dockery. I mentioned this on another thread. I loved how she swayed; just like Violet! Perfectly done by Dockery! share
I really wanted to be happy for her with Henry, but after what she did to Edith, it's simply impossible. Edith is a candidate for living sainthood, in my estimation.
"No, I don't like to cook, but I have a chicken in the icebox, and you're eating it."
Even if i disliked quite a lot of Marys actions I absolutely love Michelle's acting.
shareWhat about in Edith's room, when Mary comes in and finds Edith packing. Did you notice Mary's body language when Edith tells her to leave? She was so bitchy, like "you can't make me."
shareWhat about in Edith's room, when Mary comes in and finds Edith packing. Did you notice Mary's body language when Edith tells her to leave? She was so bitchy, like "you can't make me."I took it as if she was saying "this is my house; you leave if you want because I'm not going anywhere!" LOL share
Lol, your interpretation of her body language is less flattering to Mary than mine. 😄
shareShe was absolutely HORRIBLE to Edith. I've never disliked the Mary character as I have tonight. And I found Mary/Dockery's apologies so phony, insincere and insufficient. Edith should've whacked her sister on her knee!!
Seriously? You're actually going to fault the ACTRESS for performing the role in the way that the script called for? Do you have any idea how effing nuts you sound? share
Do you have any idea how effing nuts you sound?
MD did a Awesome job of Acting in those scenes!
Slainte 🇮🇪 I am who I am your approval isnt needed or required.
I think it's odd that Mary treats the servants better than her own family. I don't advocate being nasty to anyone; everyone deserves respect until they prove otherwise. However, Mary will apologize to Anna at the drop of a hat. She's fond of Carson and she showed amazing compassion for Barrow. She wanted "the best" (even though it was her idea of what that was) for Carson & Mrs. Hughes' wedding. That's why I thought it was even odder than Mary would infer that Henry wasn't good enough for her. Those young ladies have really never been snobs, so i knew there was another reason. And, yes, I realize that we all knew she was afraid to marry a race car driver, she'd be daft not to.
shareI for one did not find Mary's aversion, until she changed her mind, to Henry to be based on snobbery. I simply do not understand what she thinks he brings to the table. He does not seem to have any qualities that would suggest a successful marriage over the long haul. Other than winning car races, perhaps, what achievements does he have? Is there something special about him in any positive way? What strength of personality, how true he will prove to be, is evident?
Now I understand Henry's interest in Mary can be examined and found wanting as well. But the writers have not done much in attempting to understand the question from his point of view. It's hard to say about that.
And did I miss exactly why the marriage proceeded so quickly? Was it merely that the show is running out of time?
And did I miss exactly why the marriage proceeded so quickly? Was it merely that the show is running out of time?
I wondered about that too. Why the hurry? It's not like it was a shotgun wedding.
I have to say though, even with the lack of traditional pomp and circumstance, Mary looked beautiful. The dress she chose and the pearls were perfect. share
I was rather shocked she didn't suggest they spend a WEEK IN Liverpool MAKING SURE the sex was ok then again maybe they just went at it on the couch.
Slainte 🇮🇪 I am who I am your approval isnt needed or required.
. I know, but she tried that strategy once before. And besides, time was of the essence, so maybe the couch test worked just as well.
Isn't there some old saying about buying (or in this case, marrying) a pig in a poke?
Mary did bring up that Henry was a commoner, but I think she was using that as an excuse. I think she was trying to persuade herself while she was persuading the rest of the family.
shareI hate Mary. My older sister is just as mean and as cruel. I feel so bad for Edith
... End of line.
[deleted]
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I love that face she makes when she's having that heart-to-heart with Grandma Violet who asked her "why she did it" and Mary goes, "well, Edith is soo....(yuck face)..." Just fantastic! share
Lol
Slainte 🇮🇪 I am who I am your approval isnt needed or required.
Haha -that raised eyebrow of disgust!
To you, Baldrick, the Renaissance was just something that happened to other people, wasn't it?
https://vine.co/v/iZAE9PePm2W Love it karinBM! Dockery is just lovely.
I love that face she makes when she's having that heart-to-heart with Grandma Violet who asked her "why she did it" and Mary goes, "well, Edith is soo....(yuck face)..." Just fantastic! share
http://i.imgur.com/a1YMrm7.gif
shareYikes! That looks like she has been having a bout of constipation and it just broke loose!
shareA bitch and a cow! Really, what is her problem? I still can't over the fact that right after Sybil's death when Edith asked her to, she still couldn't make ammends with her
shareOn the plus side, if they had made amends way back then, we would not have had that very satisfying scene when Edith finally told Mary she was a bitch. I especially liked it when Mary retorted that she was not a bitch and Edith let her have it again. Doubly satisfying.
shareLol! Too true
shareYou know those two actresses loved having such a powerful scene to play together. I wonder how many takes it took to get it right. It would be a great stress reliever to yell bitch over and over and over.
shareBet they had a ball!
Generally I keep out of this sibling rivalry but this was posted on tumblr yesterday giving a heartfelt defence of Mary from a big fan. So for the sake of some balance I'll post the link and then duck!
http://maryhenrytalbot.tumblr.com/post/139853670909/badasskicka7-lady-mary-didnt-ruin-ediths-life
BritGirl
"Don't change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love you."
I'd hardly say that was balanced, but thanks for posting it.
"Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?"
To go that much trouble to defend the indefensible, one would have to be unhinged/deranged/insane. I wonder if she is posting here under an assumed name.
shareThat's my guess John, those same arguments have been posted here ad nauseaum
Makes you wonder.
Someone needs to pull their heads out of Mary's backside and breathe some clean air.
Slainte 🇮🇪 I am who I am your approval isnt needed or required.
Yeah, I don't get it. Both characters are flawed. They both do things that are wrong, but defending them when they do something so obviously indefensible seems nuts. I can completely understand liking one over the other for whatever reason, but to think either one is a saint is nuts. I am beginning to believe that it is not really about the characters, but more about the posters themselves. For myself, I would not want to have either of those characters in my real life.
shareId take 10 Edith's over 1 Mary I have known Marys who "slip" and reveal a secret they told to cause trouble No thanks to Toxic for me.
Slainte 🇮🇪 I am who I am your approval isnt needed or required.
I might take one over the other but I still would rather not know either character in real life. Give me Mrs. Patmore, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Mason, Isobel, Molesley or Baxter over either one of them any day.
Regardless of the drudgery involved, I would much rather be part of the downstairs staff than to have live with that family upstairs.
Perfect!
Thank you BritGirl.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DracoInLeatherPants
I guarantee you Satan's going to have no problems on this planet because all the women are gonna go 'What a cute butt!'
He's Satan! 'You don't know him like I do.'
He's the prince of darkness! 'I can change him.'
— Bill Hicks
Indeed.
Mary's fans will accuse us Edith fans of not seeing Edith's flaws. But I say that they are the ones, who seem to be blind to Mary's faults.
Intelligence and purity.