Gosford Park

Buy This Item Gosford Park by Universal Studios  Available from Amazon  $9.49  on 10-31-2008     The Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay, Gosford Park is a whodunit as only director Robert Altman could do it. As a hunting party gathers at the country estate, no one is aware that before the weekend is over, someone will be murdered - twice! The police are baffled but the all-seeing, all-hearing servants know that almost everyone had a motive. This critically-acclaimed murder mystery features a who's who of celebrated actors. With a diverse cast of characters - all with something to hide - it'll keep you guessing right to the surprising end. Gosford Park proves that murder can be such an inconvenience. Reader Reviews Robert Altman's 2001 Academy Award-winning "Gosford Park" defies easy characterization. Nominally a closed house English murder mystery taking place during a 1930's weekend shooting party at a country estate, it features a huge cast of developed characters, a variety of colliding subplots, and highly detailed period sets. Shot in typical Altman style, the camera ranges upstairs among the aristocrats and downstairs among the servants. There is so much going on that the actual murder almost gets lost in the near chaos. Each of the guests gathering at Sir William McCorkle's (Michael Gambon) estate for the weekend shooting party has an agenda. Many are financially dependent to one degree or another on the coarse and selfish McCorkle. Rivalries are fought out in politely understated but often vicious conversations. Much of the story is told through the eyes of the servants below stairs, headed by Alan Bates as the head butler and Helen Mirren in a magnificent turn as the housekeeper. Each of the servants has his or her stoutly defended place in the hierarchy of the house, and his or her own secrets, which are suspensefully doled out over the course of the film. Clive Owen, a valet with an attitude, will turn out to have both a leading role and surprising connections with several members of the household. Kelly McDonald, as a young lady's maid learning her trade serving a waspish but financially needy Countess played by Maggie Smith, provides an innocent viewpoint on much of the goings-on. The murder itself is something of an afterthought, ineptly investigated by a pompous police inspector (in a typically humorous performance by Stephen Fry). Its solution will play out among members of the household in unexpected ways that have little to do with law enforcement. This is a challenging film to watch. Viewers will want to take advantage of the extra features on this DVD for more insight into what is going and how "Gosford Park" was put together. It is in the end a highly entertaining movie, most apt to appeal to fans of Robert Altman's unique movie-making style and to fans of ensemble British movies.

Gosford Park Available from Amazon Price: $9.49 Updated on 10-31-2008.

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