Gosford Park (2002)
Drama | Mystery

Tagline: Tea At Four. Dinner At Eight. Murder At Midnight.

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.

It is November 1932. Gosford Park is the magnificent country estate to which Sir William McCordle and his wife, Lady Sylvia, gather relations and friends for a weekend shooting party. They have invited an eclectic group including a countess, a World War I hero, the British matinee idol Ivor Novello and an American film producer who makes Charlie Chan movies. As the guests assemble in the gilded drawing rooms above, their personal maids and valets swell the ranks of the house servants in the teeming kitchens and corridors below-stairs. But all is not as it seems: neither amongst the bejeweled guests lunching and dining at their enormous leisure, nor in the attic bedrooms and stark work stations where the servants labor for the comfort of their employers. In this luxurious setting, we're made witness to a series of events which bridge generations, class, sex, tragic personal history-- and culminate in a murder... (or is it two murders?).

Storyline: Set in the 1930's the story takes place in an old fashioned English country house where a family has invited many of their friends up for a weekend shooting party. The story centers around the McCordle family, particularly the man of the house, William McCordle. Getting on in years William has become benefactor to many of his relatives and friends. As the weekend goes on and secrets are revealed, it seems everyone, above stairs and below, wants a piece of William and his money, but how far will they go to get it?

User Comment: yue_iv from Edina, Minnesota, 10 August 2004 • The reason why many viewers strongly dislike or even hate the movie "Gosford Park" is because they misunderstand the point trying to be made. Gosford Park wasn't made to focus on whodunit (if it was, why would they tell you who did). If viewers think that Gosford Park is "boring" or "confusing" or even "the worst movie ever", it may be that you're not willing to see what really is portrayed: the authenticity and its story. The authenticity of Gosford Park is as close as it can get to real life as it was back then as it can get. Experts who were maids, butlers, or cooks themselves were constantly at the scene criticizing the actors behavior and moves. Another main focus is the story behind it. The brilliant story as well as excellent character development are like no other: only Robert Altman could do a film such as this. So, next time you see it (which I highly recommend that you do), be PATIENT and actually be WILLING the enjoy the differences in film-making, not just the kind of films you like.

Summary: Whodunit Ain't the Focus -- The mystery aspect slows the pace but the film is best during the class tension and interrelationships.

[CSW] -3.4- This movie turns the tired old Agatha Christie-genre movie on its ear, takes aim at the English class system and hits the mark dead on. Many think that you really need to see this more than once and I agree. There's such a lot going on and it's easy to miss things amid the overlapping chatter, multiple sub-plots and sorting out the huge ensemble cast. More than holding her own among them is Kelly MacDonald as the maid who solves the crime in a wow of a performance. All of the cast give tremendous performances, making this a fascinating movie. If you are a bit of a voyeur and a mystery lover you will enjoy peaking in on the complex inner workings of this multiple storylined drama set in 1932, showing the lives of upstairs guest and downstairs servants at a party in a country house in England.

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