Gosford Park Video

Average Rating:

Julian Fellowes received an Academy Award for the screenplay, which was based on an idea by Robert Altman and Bob Balaban, who also appears in the film in a comedic role of a Hollywood producer. It's fun to watch all the characters interact as little by little we learn how they are all connected. Each one is in a life and death struggle for something. And each one has some sort of secret. As the film progresses, I found myself saying "ah ha" a lot at each sign of recognition.

The cast is terrific: Maggie Smith as a countess who is dependent on her brother, the lord of the estate, for her income; Kristin Scott Thomas as the wife of the rich man; Helen Mirren as the housekeeper with a deep secret; Emily Watson as a maid; Alan Bates as the head butler. Accolades could just go on and on. There's masterful acting here.

The DVD is full of interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits as Robert Altman describes the process for getting the best performances from the actors. There's even a whole section devoted to the film's authenticity as some real-life servants who worked in an English country house in the 1930s were hired to advise the producers on every detail of service at that time, down to the color of the bow tie that the footman wore.

This film is destined to be a classic in its own right. I give it one of my highest recommendations. Don't miss it!

Opening with a cross-section of British high society arriving at a stately mansion for a weekend shooting party along with their servants at Gosford Park, it is not long before the upstairs downstairs politics of master and servant (illicit sexual trysts, dodgy business deals and unspoken heirarchy's are revealed). Eventually of course the bitter politics and sordid double-dealings lead to the murder of the lord of the manor, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and so the movie transforms from social commentary (with black comedy) to a whodunnit murder mystery. Although, as is eventually revealed, its less of a whodunnit and more of a who cares because it transpires that Sir William was such a loathsome and morally reprehensible character that his loss is mourned by (next to) nobody. And so with a houseful of suspects, both upstairs and downstairs, the task of solving Sir William's murder is assigned to the hapless Inspector Thompson (Stephen Fry), a dithering idiot who contaminates the crime scene and is bullied by the aristocrats. He ignores all the obvious clues much to the frustration of his uniformed working class assistant, whilst the guests try to conceal their deepest darkest secrets.

For Gosford Park, a kind of cross between Remains of The Day and an Agatha Christie novel, Director Robert Altman has assembled the cream of British acting talent and provided them with a sparkling script by screenwriter Julian Fellowes. Full of wit and insight, the script provides wonderful material for all its excellent ensemble cast which includes, above stairs; Michael Gambon is the grumpy lord of the manor and Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) his very elegant but dissafected wife. Charles Dance (White Mischief) plays 'war hero' Lord Stockdale, and Geraldine Somerville (Arthur/Harry Potter) his wife. The excellent Jeremy Northam (The Net/Enigma/Emma) is acclaimed songwriter Ivor Novello, and James Wilby (Howard's End) plays the Honorable Freddie Nesbitt, to name but a few.

Downstairs the servants include; Ryan Phillipe (Cruel Intentions/Antitrust), Helen Mirren (2010/The Mosquito Coast), Richard E. Grant (Withnail and I/Bram Stoker's Dracula), Alan Bates (The Sum of All Fears, Women In Love), Derek Jacobi (Gladiator/Dead Again), Emily Watson (Angela's Ashes/Breaking The Waves/Red Dragon), Clive Owen and Kelly MacDonald. Particularly good amongst this cast are (perhaps surprisingly) Clive Owen (Croupier/The Bourne Identity), who is a good bet to be the next 007, and Kelly MacDonald (Trainspotting) as Mary, Lady Trentham's Lady's Maid. However it is Dame Maggie Smith (Harry Potter/The prime of Miss Jean Brodie) that steals the show as the acid tongued Lady Trentham.

This is undoubtedly Robert Altman's best movie for some time perhaps since The Player and definitely since Short Cuts. Infinitely superior to Altman's last outing, the ill-judged Dr T and the Women, Gosford Park is a very elegant movie performed by a faultless cast and even if the ending is a little flat and unsatisfactory, Gosford Park is never less than entertaining.

Four stars ****

The plot is simple. In November, 1932, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) has invited friends and family to his country estate for a hunting weekend. Everyone arrives with his or her baggage, physical and emotional. Director Altman expertly allows the viewer to eavesdrop on bits and pieces of seemingly random conversations that serve not so much to give us plot information, but to give us an insight into the characters and their lives. And to pave the way for murder.

The first half of the film is a brilliant look at the rich and their servants. The attendants are often treated as part of the furniture. Often the wealthy guests carry on intimate conversations among themselves with the servants clearly in earshot. But they are servants, their job is to serve, not to report conversations. But when the rich are alone with their servants, they confide in them and share information they would never share with anyone else. Altman does a masterful job of showing us that even though this is an English estate from 70 years past, things really haven't changed much.

Many excellent characters are present in the film. Sir William seems bored with the charade of hosting this event and seems to want to spend time only with his dog and his mistress. The feelings are mostly mutual. His dog seems to be the only one present who really loves him. Bob Balaban is wonderful as American movie director Morris Weissman, who is more concerned about filming his next Charlie Chan movie than the real-life murder right under his nose.

While all these character revelations are important and fascinating, they do go on perhaps a bit longer than they should. After all, the film is past the halfway point before the murder is even committed. But as the film moves closer towards the conclusion, viewers will begin to piece together all the information presented during the first hour to find a solution. I would almost say that the solution is not as important as the journey getting there, but it is important because of its power.

In watching the film, I almost thought that the movie did not deserve the R rating. The rating was put there for some language and some very brief [love] situations, but probably to help define the audience. Kids would probably not enjoy the film at all. The same could probably be said for action-crazed teenagers. However, if you enjoy interesting characters portrayed by a stellar cast in the hands of a masterful director, 'Gosford Park' is for you. Enjoy.

Running time: 2 hours 16 minutes