After recently bingeing on the award-winning and critically acclaimed BBC mini-series Downton Abbey, the drama-comedy Gosford Park caught my eye on my Netflix suggestions menu. It turns out they share the same writer, Julian Fellowes. Directed by Robert Altman, Gosford Park was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 2002. Since we had two small children at that time, our movie-going was pretty limited and my husband and I had missed it in the theater.
The story is a sort of film-length adaption of the board game Clue (but MUCH better than the stale film version), a ‘manor-house mystery’ in the style of Agatha Christie. Set in the 1930’s, a motley crew have assembled for a weekend hunting party and murder ensues.
The main theme of the film, like Downton Abbey, is the class sytem. The opening sequence highlights this by telling two parallel stories- one ‘above stairs’ and one ‘below stairs’ (the servants). You get the feeling that each group is merely playing a role as they go about their preparations for the weekend.
The ensemble cast includes favorites of mine like Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Michael Gambon, and Helen Mirren. In my younger days my heart might have fluttered to see Ryan Phillippe billed, but nowadays Clive Owen did it for me. A treat at the end is a cameo-like appearance of family favorite Stephen Fry as the hapless Inspector.
Sir William McCordle, an older English gentleman with a much younger wife, is the center of the tale. It becomes obvious that almost everyone, upstairs and down, wants a piece of him. As the story lines unfold, you start to wonder how they will come together, but now that you know Sir William is the crux, perhaps you will follow it better than I did. It also helps if you start the movie prior to 11 pm (my movie watching partner was asleep before the first 15 minutes were up).
One of many angles is that of the American film producer who is invited along for what is revealed to be research for a movie in which a murder occurs during a weekend hunting party on an English estate. These are the types of developments that kept me watching.
As one reviewer put it, Gosford Park is “a complicated tale of secrets, lies, deceit, betrayal, revenge, bitterness, hatred, money and love – and that’s all before the murder.” It is a bit silly and intentionally obvious in parts, but I found it entertaining to lose myself in the ambiance and complicated interrelationships. If you, like me, are biding your time before the announced second installment of Downton Abbey, add Gosford Park to your Netflix queue.
Man, I forgot to mention the fingerwaves. Loads of them. Fashion was fun in the 30s.
Downton Abbey was deliciously addictive — perfect Sunday night TV.
The costuming in Gosford Park was amazing and it does boast a fantastic cast. I liked, but didn’t love it. However, I remember thinking the juxtaposition of Altman’s naturalistic direction with the stylization of the genre and period was really interesting.
Nice review–I also made the mistake of watching this at 10:30 one evening. You’ve inticed me to watch it again, this time on the treadmill. I’ve never fallen asleep watching a movie on the treadmill.
er “enticed”
I almost stayed awake for this show.