Gosford Park Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)January 17th, 2002
Much to See; Little to Do at "Gosford Park" by Homer Yen
(c) 2001
"Gosford Park" is a film that evokes a period of English grandeur and country estates where eccentricity and snobbery go together like foxes and hounds. At its heart, the film is a biting satire about the British class system. Yet, it's oddly low-impact in its effect. It makes class-conscious statements that draw our attention. But it doesn't grab us.
Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and Lady Sylvia McCordle (Kristin Scott Thomas) have invited a great number of guests to their estate (called Gosford Park) for a shooting party. Many are unfamiliar with one another and the guests mingle, banter, socialize, cast judgements upon one another, and reveal their peculiarities. Most memorable of the bunch yet the one that you would least like to be stuck in a room with was Constance (Maggie Smith) who possessed a demeanor that was both catty and arrogant. You can almost feel the room temperature drop when you're near her.
We sort of eavesdrop in on what concerns the gentry, and in this case, most have a gripe with Sir William. Regardless of their complaints and their hardships, it's clear that the guests are just too preoccupied with themselves.
Meanwhile, we also get a glimpse of the world at the bottom of the staircase within the country estate because Gosford Park requires the dedicated services of a butler, a housekeeper, and a cook. "I am the perfect servant; I have no life," says one of them. Meanwhile, each guest has brought along his or her assortment of help, which includes a variety of maids, valets and servers.
Their lives are lived for and through the lives of their employers. The servants are addressed not by their own names, but by the names of their masters. And when the servants dine together, they are seated according to the ranks of their employers. The film shows the lower level as somewhat drab and overly institutionalized. Yet, their world seems much more vibrant, for they can truly appreciate the beauties of life.
The element of a murder mystery is later introduced, but its real purpose seems to be to further illustrate the distinction between the upper and lower class through the introduction of an Inspector (Stephen Fry) and his Constable assistant (Ron Webster). The jolly inspector looks and acts as if graduated from the Inspector Clouseau Academy and snubs most of the Constable's suggestions. For example, the inspector is tempted to drink from a brandy bottle at the crime scene and only reluctantly stops when the Constable reminds him that the scene has not been checked for fingerprints.
To Director Robert Altman's credit, he ably manages to juggle the sheer number of speaking parts. He introduces everyone in a systematic approach that allows an understanding of who they are, why they're there, and the actions that they choose to take. Altman is like a meticulous host of a huge dinner party.
Despite the sumptuous look of the film, "Gosford Park" seemed to be mostly atmosphere and gossamer. It captures our attention for a little while, but entertainment-seekers will prefer more vicarious thrills (the mystery hardly is a mystery at all), while the revolving characters makes it somewhat difficult to invest our energies in any of them. The more dynamic films allow you to transport yourself from your chair onto the story on the screen. Here, we feel like an observer.
Grade: C
S: 1 out of 3
L: 3 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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