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Gosford Park
UK / USA / Italy 2001
produced by Robert Altman, Bob Balaban, David Levy, Jane Barclay (executive), Sharon Harel (executive), Robert Jones (executive), Hannah Leader (executive) for USA Films, Capitol Films, Film Council, Sandcastle 5 Productions, Chicagofilms, Medusa Film
directed by Robert Altman
starring Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Watson, Camilla Rutherford, Geraldine Somerville, Tom Hollander, Natasha Wightman, James Wilby, Claudie Blakley, Laurence Fox, Trent Ford, Ron Webster, Jeremy Swift, Sophie Thompson, Meg Wynn Owen, Adrian Scarborough, Frances Low, Joanna Maude, Teresa Churcher, Sarah Flind, Finty Williams, Emma Buckley, Lucy Cohu, Laura Harling, Tilly Gerrard, Will Beer, Leo Bill, Gregor Henderson-Begg, John Atterbury, Frank Thornton, Ron Puttock
idea by Robert Altman, Bob Balaban, screenplay by Julian Fellowes, music by Patrick Doyle
review by Mike Haberfelner
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It's a perfectly ordinary and boring party with a spot of hunting at
the country manor of the McCordles somewhere in England. 1932, where
nothing exciting is supposed to happen but the rich mingle with
aristocracy, all trying to remain within one another's favour while vilely
gossiping about everyone else. But as pedestrian as the action is
upstairs, as hectic things are downstairs with the valets, butlers and
maids, as they not only work their asses of for their respective
employers, but their world it reigned just as much by jealousy and
intrigue as that of those who employ them. And then William McCordle
(Michael Gambon), master of the house, is killed - and while this is quite
a scandal of course, nobody gives too much of a shit about the good man,
as despite his facade as a benign humanitarian, his "friends"
have known him as a ruthless businessman not even advert to destroying
those close to him, and both his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas) and daughter
(Camilla Rutherford) try hard but ultimately fail to show any real
concern. Of course, the Yard investigates, but Inspector Thompson (Stephen
Fry) is as much treated as a joke by the "upper class" as he
himself looks down on the servants of the household and really comes away
with nothing, while among the servantry the truth begins to simmer
through, and it might be that the world of the masters and the world of
servants isn't nearly as separated as everybody would like to think ...
Now truth to be told, in absolute terms, Gosford Park
isn't acclaimed director Robert Altman's "best" movie, it might
lack a bit in freshness of content - but that's actually also one of the
charms of this here film, because while it might not be Altman's best, it
shows the director in top form, and it's fascinating to see him apply his
very personal style to a very "British" murder mystery, complete
with social commentary and even some funny bits here and there. And a
wonderful location which the swift camerawork makes the most out of, a
light-footed directorial approach, and of course a top notch cast,
composed of many of Britain's finest, make this a joy to watch!
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review © by Mike Haberfelner
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Robots and rats,
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