An exceptional movie with a twist on the whodunnit genre. Set in a upper class manor in 1930's England, a series of well to do guests arrive all vying in some shape or guise to weedle money or recognition out of the Lord of the Manor - played by Michael Gambon. Gambon's character is a notorious womanizer, a despicable and unscrupulous character who is deeply disliked by most of those around him. It is no surprise when he meets his demise but the mystery of who killed him is something of a moot point. Much of the movie focuses on the brilliant interplay and relationships between the upper class set and more importantly the servants below stairs. Director Robert Altman does an exceptional job of allowing the actors to play their parts as naturally as possible, which allows the audience to feel a casual observer on the whole affair.
Rich with intrigue and snappy dialogue the film is awash with brilliant acting across the board. The film is a who's who of exceptional British acting talent and it's rare these days to have so many big stars in one place. See: Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Alan Bates, Derek Jacobi, Kristin Scott-Thomas and Maggie Smith to name but a few. It really is a wonderful film capturing the period so delightfully. The film received numerous awards and I'd highly recommend it, expecially for those of you who like the high brow wit. Gambon is typically brilliant, and plays the common rich man off so well; Maggie Smith is a real delight too, her character's ascerbic wit - some of which is unscripted - is a real treat.
Never was a director better at directing an ensemble cast than Robert Altman. In this stylish, throwback to classic dinner-party mysteries, Altman succeeds again at getting the perfect balance between all his actors (and the magnificent screenplay helps, as well).
Gosford Park is the name of an English country estate, where, in 1932, a gaggle of royals and wannabes including a horde of locals plus a popular British actor and a Charlie Chan-obsessed Hollywood movie producer gather to attend a weekend hunting party. Upstairs, it's the usual hoity-toity, drawing room chitter-chatter, while downstairs an army of servants does little but gossip about the visitors above. The cast is a collection of British stage and screen royalty. Dame Maggie Smith is at the top of her game as the gossipy aunt everyone loves to hate. Alan Bates is truly compelling as Jennings, the authoritarian head of the household trying hard to conceal the chink in his armor. Michael Gambon and Kristin Scott Thomas are magnificent as the duplicitous couple, Sir William and Lady Sylvia. Helen Mirren gives an Oscar worthy performance as the duty bound drill sergeant Mrs. Wilson. Emily Watson is perfect as the adventurous housemaid Elsie. Jeremy Northam lends his exceptional musical talents to the role of Ivor Novello, the only historical character in the film. Stephen Fry's performance as the bungling Inspector Thompson is all too brief. The lone Americans, Bob Balaban and Ryan Phillippe, hold their own against their British counterparts, with Phillippe adding some exceptional moments for others to play off of. It is an excellent exploration of its material, and it owes its brilliance to everyone involved.
This film was good but not as good as I thought it would be. The acting was pretty much the only thing that I thought was good in this film. Particularly both Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith in their Oscar nominated performances. It was a bizare film just in one building and confused me a bit aswell.
Lots of great actors but the presentation of the story just seemed weak. It might have looked better as a screenplay but as a movie I had a tough time paying attention. Worth watching if you want to catch your favorite actor/ess.
Only giving this such a low rating right now because I couldn't understand it all. Just too many characters all at once. But what I could wrap my head around I liked. And plus I'm a sucker for anything Clive Owen related. Will re-watch.
i had to watch this one twice. i love british movies, but this one... with people talking on top of each other and alot of plot details given in really casual conversation in heavy british accents it was hard to catch everything. but i have to give it up to the writer and the actors and the director. this seemed like a hard project to take on ... and they nailed it!
Excellent cast and, unlike the typical movie, Gosford Park captures the little things that shapes reality and manages to make those events interesting. I can only recall one movie that portraits life so realistic and that is Magnolia. So if you like this you should probably check it out.
I saw this in the theater and couldn't follow it. I watched it again tonight off the tivo and understood it all. Listen closely to follow the story of murder and who did it.
Altman's 'who done it' which could be viewed as more of a 'why done it' boasts a brilliant cast made up of contemporary stars along with veteran thespians that sparkles as it knowingly trashes the Hollywood elite while treads subtly on British customs and manners ala Oscar Wilde. Well written, acted and directed.
I thought the asting was fantastic and I loved the idea of everything being from the servants' perspectives which gave it a bit of social commentary. However, I think Robert Altman is highly overrated. I enjoyed the subtle humor in bits of the picture, but he managed to take a "who done it?" and suck out all the mystery and suspense out of it and make it really boring. I could only enjoy this as a piece of drama with some very talented actors.
No one does ensemble pieces better than Robert Altman (except maybe John Sayles), and this is one of his best, as good as "M*A*S*H" and "Nashville". With a fairly loose plot structure, Altman tells a murder mystery that's also a cutting commentary on the English class system. It's a brilliant piece of work in that all the character development seems almost peripheral. Brief snatches of dialogue, seemingly throwaway scenes, all of them add up to a rich exploration of all of the characters, regardless of how small a part they play in the movie. All of the actors do a great job with their parts. There isn't anything laugh out loud here, but the entire movie is dry and droll (in the very best sense) and highly entertaining.
Its good... but if you're looking for a good ol' fashioned drawing-room whodunit you'll be very disappointed. However if you want an interesting look at the British class system you'll enjoy it. Stephen Fry is frantastic however.
i liked the subtle nuances of each character here. each had a slight chip on their shoulder about one thing or another and it came through in their personality. the collection of actors were well cast. enjoyed helen mirren, emily watson and maggie smith the most, but clive owen and stephen fry were amusing back up. i don't know the actors name but the guy playing an actor and pretending to be a scotsman was amusing. the one with the endless supply of hot milk. haha. anyone know the name of that actor? anyhow, the acting and the subtlety were great. the main fault was that it took about three quarters of the movie to get to the murder so you were left with no substantial plot for the three quarters previous
Una historia interesante, excelentemente bien dirigida y super bien actuada. La primera hora de Gosford Park es divertida y te atrapa... se te va como si hubieran pasado 10 min., a comparacion de sus ultimos minutos que llegan a ser algo lentos y cansados.
La pelicula no deja de ser adorable e interesante. La amo.
"Tea At Four. Dinner At Eight. Murder At Midnight." ini benar-benar misteri pembunuhan dengan setting klasik ala agatha christie atau alfred hitchcock yang gw suka.
In spite of being slightly boring and having a bit too much characters, which you have to write down if you don't want to get confused, I adore it for some unfathomable reason. I really loved the acting and the way we get to see life through servants' eyes. Well, naturally, it may be more interesting for me than for other people considering I've been very interested in the 1930s ever since I read I Capture the Castle, but I think many people will find it endearing in some way, if not interesting.
I haven't even seen the end of this movie because it's sooo boring (I just turned it off)! Nothing happens!!! I'm sure it's a good doco of how life was like back then for the wealthy, but for entertainment purposes it's extremely dull.
Among Altman's most dense and brilliant screenplays. One of the many ways to evaluate a filmmaker's genius is by how many characters he can put together in a film without them getting in the way of each other. Gosford Park is one of those examples. Works as a murder mystery, a comedy of manners, a human drama, and a social commentary on the 1930's-era British society (even if made and written by Americans) simply by providing a rich tapestry of characters and relationships, status and class. The Hitchcockian whodunnit aspect is not the meat of the film, but the characters themselves and their personal affairs, hang-ups, and peculiarities that make the film interesting to watch. Highlights: the performances by Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren.
'Gosford Park' is an eloquent insight into the lives of 30's England. It is not only a murder-mystery, despite the seemingly simple plot having plenty to offer, but a character study, an observation of the barriers caused by the class system. And not only in general terms, but the significant differences between the servants and socialites - the upstairs-downstairs life of the upper class. Robert Altman directs the scenes with rigour and perfection, but still maintaining the intense and absorbing subtelty and understated manner of the house-guests and those in service. It has a beautiful score and cinematography, both extremely appropriate to the iconography the director presents. Yet still the most intriguing and interesting aspect of the film is the characters, and the marvellous script they use to their best of their abilities - which is perfectly constructed with such careful attention to detail. Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas and Helen Mirren are particular stand outs among the amazing ensemble cast, all of whom we get to know over the course of the film. We slowly learn who each and everyone is as though we were there ourselves, making assumptions and questioning motives until revelations occur, old haunts are unearthed and dark secrets revealed. 'Gosford Park' is a darkly thrilling and amusing time, with extra depth that we would never first suspect.
Well this film was absolute genius. So many faces it was almost a little annoying at times for me because so many of my favourite actors are in this film, but it meant it was incredible. Although at first I was a little (well a lot) baffled by the intricate storyline and huge ensemble cast, it left me with an awful feeling of loss and regret. I felt somewhat cheated although this was most likely my romantic tendencies being thwarted by the failure of Mary and Robert to get together. But that was the point, of capturing a moment in time and all the intricacies and complications. I think I will watch it many more times and find something different in it.
Just seen this for the first time today and i thought it was rather good. I can see why it won and oscar for best screenplay. At first i didn't know what was going on but the more you watch it the more it reveals itself. I thought there was going to be a big investigation into the murder but seems no one cared the old bloke was murdred! top film, great acting well worth a watch.
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