Gosford Park (2001)
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86% of critics liked it
(142 reviews) -
75% of users liked it
(46,860 ratings)
Maverick American filmmaker Robert Altman takes a witty and absorbing look at the foibles of the British class system in this intelligent murder mystery set in the early '30s. Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas) are a pair of wealthy British… More Maverick American filmmaker Robert Altman takes a witty and absorbing look at the foibles of the British class system in this intelligent murder mystery set in the early '30s. Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas) are a pair of wealthy British socialites who have invited a variety of friends, relatives, and acquaintances to their mansion in the country for a weekend of hunting and relaxation. Among the honored guests are Constance (Maggie Smith), Lady Sylvia's matronly aunt; Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam), William's cousin who is also a well-known actor and songwriter; and Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban), an American film producer who is friendly with Ivor and researching an upcoming project. Observing the proceedings are the domestic staff of the mansion, including imperious butler Jennings (Alan Bates); footmen George (Richard E. Grant) and Arthur (Jeremy Swift); Probert (Derek Jacobi), a valet to Sir William; housekeeper Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren); Mrs. Croft (Eileen Atkins), who oversees the kitchen; and Elsie (Emily Watson), a maid. Also on hand are the guests' personal servants, including Mary (Kelly Macdonald), Constance's maid; Henry (Ryan Phillippe), Weissman's valet; and Parks (Clive Owens), a butler. While the servants are required to display a high level of decorum, they are expected to be passive observers who do not comment on what they see, though the gossip among them travels thick and fast once they retire to the servants' quarters downstairs. And it turns out that there's plenty worth gossiping about, especially after Sir William turns up dead, and everyone is ordered to stay at the mansion while the police investigate the killing. Gosford Park also features Charles Dance, Tom Hollander, Natasha Wightman, and Ron Webster; the screenplay was written by Julian Fellowes, based on a story by Altman and co-star Bob Balaban. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Robert Altman
- Written By
- Julian Fellowes
- Genres
- Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Dec 26, 2001 Wide
- Studio
- USA Films
Critic Reviews
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Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
A scintillating comedy-drama and one of [Altman's] most richly moving and entertaining pictures.
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Wonderful British whodunit with some sexual content.
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Betsy Bozdech, Reel.com
Masquerading as a whodunit, Gosford Park is really an intricate examination of the rigid English class structure that started to transform between the two world wars.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Contents and style converge smoothly and seductively in Altman's luxuriant period drama that applies Agatha Christie murder-mystery format to a rigorous anatomy of British class structure in the 1930s, with all the who's who in U.K. in the cast.
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Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
Altman juggles about thirty different characters, moving them from the upper-class upstairs to the servants' quarters... and he does so without losing the audience.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Maggie Smith
as Constance Countess of Trentham
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Michael Gambon
as Sir William McCordle
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Kristin Scott Thomas
as Sylvia McCordle
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Jeremy Northam
as Ivor Novello
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Bob Balaban
as Morris Weissman
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Alan Bates
as Jennings
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Richard E. Grant
as George
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Helen Mirren
as Mrs. Wilson
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Eileen Atkins
as Mrs. Croft
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Emily Watson
as Elsie
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Stephen Fry
as Inspector Thompson
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Kelly Macdonald
as Mary Maceachran
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Clive Owen
as Robert Parks
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Ryan Phillippe
as Henry Denton
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Tom Hollander
as Lt. Commander Anthony Meredith
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Geraldine Somerville
as Louisa Lady Stockbridge
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Charles Dance
as Raymond Lord Stockbridge
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Sophie Thompson
as Dorothy
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Derek Jacobi
as Probert
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James Wilby
as Freddie Nesbitt
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Camilla Rutherford
as Isobel McCordle
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Claudie Blakley
as Mabel Nesbitt
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Natasha Wightman
as Lavinia Meredith
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Teresa Churcher
as Bertha
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Jeremy Swift
as Arthur
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Ron Webster
as Constable Dexter
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Frank Thornton
as Burkett
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John Fountain
as beater
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Joanna Maude
as Renee
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Lucy Cohu
as Lottie
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Adrian Scarborough
as Barnes
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Frances Low
as Sarah
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Sarah Flind
as Ellen
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John Atterbury
as Merriman
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Laurence Fox
as Lord Rupert Standish
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Trent Ford
as Jeremy Blond
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Finty Williams
as Janet
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Emma Buckley
as May
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Laura Harling
as Ethel
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Tilly Gerrard
as Maud
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Will Beer
as Albert
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Gregor Henderson-Begg
as Fred
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Leo Bill
as Jim
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Ron Puttock
as Strutt
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Adrian Preater
as McCordles' loader
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John Cox
as Loader
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Ken Davies
as Loader
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Tony Davies
as Loader
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Steve Markham
as Loader
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Terry Sturmey
as Loader
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Julian Such
as Loader
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Alan Bland
as beater
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Peter Champion
as beater
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Geoff Double
as beater
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Robin Devereux
as beater
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Richard Gamble
as beater
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Brian Rumsey
as beater
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Pip the Dog
as Widget
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George Sherman
as beater
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Megan Owen
as Lewis

