Review of Gosford Park by Robert Altman

I decided to watch this movie again for at least the second time mainly because it stars Kristin Scott Thomas who I watched in The English Patient and Love Crime which I have reviewed previously in this blog. To my surprise this was Julain Fellowes first, I believe it's his first effort at film. Julian Fellowes is the creative genius behind Downton Abbey the big British costume drama that's airs on PBS on Sunday nights. I suppose it's a big hit. There have been several write ups in the times about it and it has been renewed for sebsequent seasons.

Gosford Park resembles Downton Abbey in many ways. They are both about essentially the same classes of people; British Aristocrats and the people "downstairs." It looks, visually, very much like Downton. It has the same palid, somewhat grey sky. An enormous estate, many rooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and so on. There are even several characters in Gosford Park that show up on Downton; Maggie Smith reprises her role as older, socialite collected an allowance. She plays the same gossipy Lady in Gosford as in Downton.

The plot swirls around the murder of the Lord of the house. He is knifed in his study. Perhaps it's just me, but I didn't determine that anyone way apprehended for the murder. There were several suspects, Maggie Smith, a man from downstairs, but there was no conclusive resolution. In the last scene the visitors simply drive away in their cars leaving Scott Thomas on the steps waving goodbye. I suppose that's what Fellowes wanted. Perhaps I should read the review to get my facts straight. Yet, I think I'm right, no one was arrested for the murder.

The film is a little longer then two hours. It is very dialogue heavy which is in stark contrast to many films made these days which are heavy on the visual effects and stylization. That said the costumes and hairstyles are very visually alluring. From the women's and men's hairstyles, I couldn't get over the women's bobs and how hard the men's hair was parted, to the dresses which looked very appropriate for a film set in 1932. The language was also particular for the time period. I thought to myself why don't British filmmakers make anything contemporary, then I remembered Danny Boyle's Trainspotting, and the thought passed.

Perhaps the best thing I like about Gosford Park, aside from the ability to gaze at Scott Thomas, is the very slow pacing of the film. As with Downton Abbey, the acting and action is never rushed, in fact some people would probably be turned off by the glacial like progression of the story. Yet, it works. It strikes a chord, like being rushed through the post-modern world and given a respite of a few hours to listen.

Gosford Park is a good film. I think Robert Altman was probably the director most suited to do something like it. I distinctly remember him saying in Biskind's Raging Bulls how much he hated Star Wars. Gosford Park is certainly another world from Star Wars.