Gosford Park Review
by Jerry Saravia (faust668 AT aol DOT com)March 18th, 2002
GOSFORD PARK (2001)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
March 15th, 2001
RATING: 3 stars and a 1/2
Robert Altman has had a wayward, haywire career as a filmmaker. For ever truly inspiring, creative film like "Short Cuts," "The Player" and "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," there were unfortunate, abysmal pictures like "Popeye" and "The Long Goodbye." "Gosford Park" is not in the league of any of those, but it is a supremely entertaining, elegant comedy that shows Altman's strengths at handling ensembles with aplomb.
And what an ensemble he has on board this time. Set in the English countryside in 1932, the film begins with an arrival of guests at an estate belonging to Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon), who is hosting a shooting party for the weekend. The guests include Constance, Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith), who is discreet with her own secrets but not with the secrets of others; Lord Stockbridge (Charles Dance), who is hard of hearing; Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban), a gay Hollywood producer trying to back the latest Charlie Chan flick, and his supposed valet (Ryan Phillippe); and the famed actor, Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam), who appeared in the flop remake of Hitchcock's "The Lodger," among other guests. One person is not a guest and that is Sir William's insufferably bored wife, Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas).
The characters just mentioned sleep in the upstairs wings of the estate, and each of one has their own servant. Let's not forget the downstairs population, mostly servants, footmen, butlers, cooks and maids. The most prominent are Elsie (Emily Watson), a maid who is having a secret affair with Sir William; the head cook, Mrs. Croft (Eileen Atkins); the trusty butler, Mr. Jennings (Alan Bates), who reminded me of Mr. Stevens in "The Remains of the Day"; the Countess's seemingly virginal maid, Mary (Kelly Macdonald); Probert (Derek Jacobi), Sir William's valet; Lord Stockbridge's glowering valet, Robert (Clive Owen); and finally, and most significantly, the stern head of the household, Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren), who admits she is the perfect servant because she has no life.
All the characters from the upstairs and downstairs wings harbor secrets, infidelities and insecurities. Altman introduces so many characters that each one becomes part of a vignette, rather than part of a cohesive plot of well-developed characters (as it should be). That is the trademark Altman style in visual and aural terms. Visual in that he constantly moves the camera ever so slightly in tracking and zoom-in shots. Aural in that everyone talks by interrupting or overlapping other people's conversations. These are the kind of techniques that normally do not occupy a period piece of this nature, nothing like say the unobtrusive drama of the fabulous "The Shooting Party" or any classy Merchant Ivory production. As always, Altman seeks to deconstruct the genre he directs, and it works admirably. The characters are all so fascinating and interesting to listen to that they could each spawn their own one-hour slot on "Masterpiece Theatre."
In roughly the three-quarter mark, Altman introduces the murder of Sir William by an unseen killer, who uses both poison and a knife. Now, in true Agatha Christie fashion, every occupant of the estate is a suspect, and since everyone more or less despises the reviled, lewd Sir William, it makes them that much more guilty. But the film is not as interested in the details of the murder or whodunnit (though we do discover who the culprit is) as much as the characters, and the subtle witticisms in everyone's personality and style of speaking. In other words, "Gosford Park" bears the hallmarks of all British dramas and satires as such, and it is as intriguing, sophisticated and engaging as any Merchant Ivory production.
"Gosford Park" doesn't approach any level of greatness nor is it as much fun as Altman's "Cookie's Fortune" or "M.A.S.H." for that matter. But it is an understated, juicy , playful delight, a walk in the sunny side for Mr. Altman. At the rich age of 76, he still knows how to coax the best out of any ensemble, and one can only admire him for it.
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