Gosford Park Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)December 25th, 2001
GOSFORD PARK
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Quintessential American director Robert Altman ("Cookie's Fortune," "Nashville") travels to England to explore an upstairs/downstairs Agatha Christie-style murder mystery. Set between the two world wars, a huge, largely British ensemble cast is gathered for at a shooting party organized at the country estate of "Gosford Park."
This light social commentary cum murder mystery is obviously choreographed by a director of great skill, yet the sheer number of the players allow few to really register in a mystery which offers few surprises.
Young Mary Maceachram (Kelly Macdonald, "Trainspotting"), new maid to Constance, Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone") largely acts as the audience's portal to two distinctly different, yet equally socially structured, worlds. All accounts of upstairs are presented
through the eyes of servants, even when such high-ranking ones as First footman George (Richard E. Grant, "The Player") are reduced to invisibility by people like Lord Rupert Standish (Laurence Fox) (who proclaims at his intrusion 'Don't worry, it's nobody.')
Countess Constance, aunt of Lady of the house Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas, "Life As a House"), is just one of the many people beholden to her nephew by marriage, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon, "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover"), a new money boor who's spent his life attempting to bed as many women as possible. As Constance asks Mary not to be discreet, except, of course, regarding herself, Mary begins picking up pieces of upstairs gossip, but her downstairs counterparts offer her every bit as much melodrama.
Head housekeeper Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren, "Greenfingers") explains to visiting American valet Henry Denton (Ryan Phillipe, "The Way of the Gun") that he will be referred to by the other servants with the name of his employer, Mr. Weissman (Bob Balaban, "The Majestic"), a film producer researching country house parties for his upcoming "Charlie Chan in London." This establishes the social structure for visitors who will be
under the domain of Head butler Jennings (Alan Bates, "An Unmarried Woman"). Mrs. Croft (Eileen Atkins, "Wolf"), the cook, resents her better Mrs. Wilson, but runs her own mini-empire in the kitchen. Head housemaid Elsie (Emily Watson, "Cradle Will Rock"), who's having an affair with Sir William, sizes up her employers for her temporary roommate Mary with 'She's horrible, but he's alright.'
As Lady Sylvia takes lascivious interest in visiting valet Denton, staid Mrs. Wilson makes note of withdrawn visiting valet Parks (Clive Owen, "Croupier") and Sir William dips into his own household staff, the household bustles and snobbery reigns. Trouble of a criminal sort first pokes up its head when the blundering William is strafed with hunting shot. When his corpse is discovered later in his study, comically incompetent Inspector Thompson (Stephen Fry, "Wilde") arrives and seals off the house.
Debuting screenwriter Julian Fellowes mines "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Upstairs Downstairs" for this overpopulated souffle. As improvisation was encouraged during this shoot, it's impossible to know whom to credit for some of the witty and cutting dialogue, although the story idea belongs to producer/star Bob Balaban. Production design by Altman's son Stephen ("Dr. T and the Women") perfectly captures the place and period, as does the work of Costume Designer Jenny Beavan ("The Remains of the Day") and Hair Designer Jan Archibald ("The Shooting Party"). Altman's direction is impeccable if his material overreaches. Dame Maggie Smith is the standout of a cast which also boasts Charles Dance, Jeremy Northam, Derek Jacobi, and Sophie Thompson.
"Gosford Park" carries none of the weight of the superior mid war British house party film "The Remains of the Day," a devastating look at class structure, but it still gets its barbs in amidst its comical mystery amalgamation.
B
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