Gosford Park (2001)

 

As always with Altman, you get a full ensemble, and Gosford Park is a particular treat. Maggie Smith is naturally pitch perfect as an aristocratic bitch, particularly revelling in the small misfortune of Ryan Phillipe. Helen Mirren is wonderful as the subdued head of the servants doing all things in accordance with the old traditions. Michael Gambon and Kristen Scott Thomas could of course play aristocratic hosts from the 20's blind. And just the look in Charles Dance's eyes brings glee and excitement of the arrogance to come. Richard E. Grant is also worthy of a special mention. 

Altman lets the story centre around Kelly McDonald a lot of the time, which isn't the best option. Not because she's bad, but she has a rather demure and uninteresting character, despite the directors best attempts at giving her a background story. Generally, the casting and acting is one of the more solid of the decade, and there's hardly a flaw to be found. 

Gosford Park pays particular notice to the servants, a feature missed entirely by Stephen Fry as a disappointingly bumbling detective, and that is quite clever. The director does a wonderful job at portraying the idle gossip amongst them, the small joys of eavesdropping to the music played by the higher classes, and the imagined hierarchy amongst them. With all that involves in terms of suspicions and envy, even among those who have little. Sort of a poorer mirror of their masters. 

The film takes a long time getting started, setting up little controversies all around the manor. I do love little, smart breadcrumbs, but there was perhaps room for some editing. The murder doesn't occur until well into the second half. And here lies the film's greatest weakness. Altman is a bit too busy with his actors and all the pieces of information to pay attention to the actual murder story

The scenery is British as can be and quite lovely in all respects. Though, grey and always raining of course. As for the inside, it's very lavish and with minute attention to details.

If you want an Agatha Christie, you might well be better off with, well Agatha Christie. The murder in Gosford Park isn't really what Altman wants the film to be about. So it isn't. It's about the fates of some key characters, and the dynamics of the people in a manor. As a stylistic study, and an ensemble film, it is quite delectable. 

7/10