Robert Altman's "Gosford Park" is the director's finest film in
years, yet it fails to completely satisfy and impresses more with its
cast than with its story. You'll walk away appreciating it without
loving it.
The setting is November 1932 at a majestic country estate in England. Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife, Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas) are hosting a shooting party with an eclectic group of people from all over the globe.
Guests include Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban), an American film producer, who attends with British film star and cousin of Sir William, Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam); Constance, Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith), who is also Lady Sylvia's aunt; Raymond, Lord Stockbridge (Charles Dance), Lady Sylvia's brother-in-law; and Isobel McCordle (Camilla Rutherford), daughter of Sir William and Lady Sylvia.
These people are "above stairs" at the estate. As we are introduced to them, we also meet the servants, known as "below stairs."
Jennings (Alan Bates) is a butler and head manservant of the house; Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren) is the housekeeper; Mrs. Croft (Eileen Atkins) is the cook; Probert (Derek Jacobi) is Sir William's valet; Elsie (Emily Watson) is head housemaid; George (Richard E. Grant) is first footman; Mary (Kelly Macdonald) is Constance's maid; Robert (Clive Owen) is Raymond's valet; and Henry (Ryan Phillippe) is Morris Weissman's valet.
{INSERT_RELATED}Altman and screenwriter Julian Fellowes do a masterful job of introducing both sets of people. They cut back and forth between the upstairs and downstairs almost effortlessly and let the audience know the importance of the differences between the groups.
The story itself is juxtaposition of the two levels and also the weaving of the two. The above stairs gossip with each other, as do the below stairs, and they mix their gossip as well. The same goes for romance. Couples form (or are already formed) in secret (or so they hope). To say the least, there is a lot going on here.
Initially, despite an abundance of characters, everything runs smoothly. The blend of comedy and drama meshes well and it's highly entertaining. The cast certainly doesn't hurt either. There isn't a weak performance in the film.
But things take a turn for the worse once someone is murdered. Everyone is a suspect and a bumbling policeman (played by Stephen Fry) comes to investigate. The mystery is never mysterious and it's hard to care about who did it and the victim. It's just not very involving, and the last hour is slow and a tad dull.
When all is said and done, "Gosford Park" is easy to admire but difficult to enjoy. The cast is spectacular, and Altman is at the top of his game, handling the large cast with ease. But ultimately it's much ado about nothing.
The cast alone makes the movie worth seeing, and it definitely has its assets. Still, it's hard not to feel a little disappointed with the end result. It's a good movie that could have been great.
"Gosford Park" opens on Fri., Jan. 11 at Landmark's Downer Theatre. Click here for showtimes.
