GOSFORD PARK

UK, 2001, 127 minutes, Colour.
Kristin Scott Thomas, Clive Owen, Ryan Philippe, Derek Jacobi, Maggie Smith, Alan Bates, Emily Watson, Helen Mirren, Eileen Atkins, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Northam, Laurence Fox, Kelly MacdDonald?, Richard E. Grant, Bob Balaban, Camilla Rutherford, Sophie Thomson.
Directed by Robert Altman.

This is a very elegant entertainment. For more than 30 years, American director, Robert Altman, has made a succession of impressive films, M*A*S*H, Mc Cabe and Mrs Miller, A Wedding, The Player, Short Cuts and, for me, his masterpiece, Nashville. Altman takes on projects that have a broad scope with large casts and skilfully interweaves many plotlines into a seamless whole. We usually feel that we have been immersed in the life of a range of characters and a new world has been opened up to us.

Altman has now made his first British film. He has chosen a weekend in one of the stately mansions of England, November, 1932 as his setting. He has been well served by actor-writer, Julian Fellowes, in a screenplay that is wittily satiric as well as intriguingly intricate. The large cast was also encouraged to improvise as they developed their characters.

The first years of the 1930s was a period of contradictions in England. The Depression was in its early phase but the upper classes were hanging on to their privileges despite often being forced to survive on allowances from wealthy relatives or marrying into the industrial class. They took for granted that they should be waited on and pampered by a retinue of servants. It was the final decade of elaborate 'Upstairs-Downstairs' living - brought vividly to the small screen in the series of the same name as well as in the film, The Remains of the Day.

Altman brings an egalitarian perspective on as well as a sardonic treatment of his aristocrats. He invites us to observe the goings on from the point of view of the servants who are in every scene assisting or working and gossiping below stairs. Not that there is not a great deal of hierarchical status and snobbery there as well as to who runs household or kitchen with strict demarcations. It is a slightly morbid experience for us to watch the class distinctions of seventy years ago. We find it both fascinating and repellent.

Gosford Park also pays homage to the murder mysteries of the period. One thinks of Agatha Christie. However, Altman correctly observes that this is not so much a 'whodunnit' as a 'that it was done'. There is a minimum of detection and no denouement where the cast gathers and the killer is revealed. Rather, we have to observe the solution for ourselves. Stephen Fry's rather fatuous inspector is a parody of the sleuths of the time.

What is special is the ensemble of British actors that Altman has assembled to play upstairs and downstairs. There are over twenty principal roles. This makes it hard to comment on all the performances. We will all have our favourites. Some who stood out for me were Kelly Mc Donald as the young Scots maid through whose eyes we see the action and judge the characters, Maggie Smith exquisitely biting as the snobbish Lady Constance, Emily Watson as the chief maid, Helen Mirren as Mrs Wilson who runs the household and Michael Gambon as the arrogant and murderable Sir William.

Gosford Park is a film to savour in its words, its images and its performances.

1. An entertaining comedy of manners? The background of
upstairs/downstairs traditions in British society? The tradition of the mansion in the country with the assembly of guests and the Agatha Christie-like murder mystery? Audience interest in this period of British history, the '30s?

2. The work of Robert Altmann, his style, setting a group in a particular setting, their not being there entirely of their own will, seeing what happens, the interactions? The personal interactions, social, clashes - even violence and death?

3. Julian Fellowes and his aristocratic background, being commissioned by Robert Altmann to write the screenplay? The combination of Englishman and American in their perceptions of this world? Immersing the audience in this world, offering a critique? The point of view of the screenplay from downstairs? The decision to have servants present in every scene, observing, making a comment, offering some kind of critique of what was happening? The servants critical of upstairs, yet depending on the aristocracy for their livelihood? Their strong hierarchy below stairs, mirroring the aristocrats, the importance of losing their personal names and being known by their masters' and mistresses' titles? Memories of a vanished world?

4. The 1932 setting: the mansion in the country, the family, the shooting party, the assembly of guests? The presentation of the way of life, the influence of World War One and its aftermath, inherited wealth, new wealth from factories and business? Aristocrats clinging to the past, expectations of jobs, memories of empire? The reality of the Depression and its losses? Aristocrats on allowances and dependence on the newly-rich? The traditions of service, the aristocrats' presumptions, the servants' presumptions in continuing in work that their parents did? The reasons for this dichotomy in society? The passing of the '30s, the modern era, the coming of World War Two and the shattering of this way of life?

5. The wealthy and their portrait: the opening in the rain, Mary and her having to open Lady Constance's thermos while in the downpour, Constance referring to 'breaking in the servants', her saying that she had no snobbish bone in her body - but the range of snobbery within the guests? Their rooms, clothes, their whims for washing and ironing clothes and then changing their minds, the preoccupation with food and drink? The importance of status of having servants (and the Nesbitts not having one)? Their being pampered, gossiping among themselves, gossiping with the servants? Likes and dislikes? Disdain? Dependence on rich relations? Meals and decorum, the ladies leaving the gentlemen? The protocols of the shooting party, the meal in the outdoors? Adjourning to the library, playing bridge, listening to Ivor Novello's songs? Sexual encounters and sexual liaisons? Their expectations of their way of life?

6. The contrast with the servants, their status, comparative poverty, yet their security with their masters, the security in the rituals? The details of work below stairs, ironing, washing, shoe-polishing, cooking, menus, clothes and dress? Their attachment to their work and to their employers?

7. Ivor Novello as the only actual character in the film? His ordinary background, the theatre and film? Lady Constance and her reference to flops? His comment that he made his living out of impersonating the aristocracy? Amusing, an observer, the range of his songs, the medley and the disdain, especially by Constance? Yet the servants wanting to listen and coming upstairs to enjoy the songs? Mary and her idol-worship of him?

8. The American as out of place in this context, brought with permission, brought by Novello? The producer, wanting to understand the English, puzzled by their manners and attitudes? The discussions about the movies, producing Charlie Chan? Their comment that most of them would not see the film? His homosexual relationship with Henry? Using Henry for observing upstairs and downstairs? His being on the phone all the time, doing the deals, the American way contrasted with British reserve?

9. Henry Denton, the Scot with the odd accent, his aloof manner, wandering around downstairs, observing, learning the rubrics of the servants? His relationship with the producer, the homosexual liaison? Yet his aggression towards Mary and her rejection of him? Lady Sylvia, his being a gigolo, coming with the milk? His later spurning her? The reaction when it was revealed that he was an actor, upstairs and downstairs spurning him, yet his being able to move freely still and observe? The audience observing through him?

10. Sir William and his manner, roughness? His relationship with the maid? His brusque manner, with the dog and petting it, the food? Constance and her allowance? The brittle marriage to Sylvia, his daughter? The relatives, the background of World War One and his not being involved, his money? The shooting and his not being good at it, his injury? The callousness of his background, the truth about the factories, the women and the children? His death? Sylvia and the cutting of cards with her sister as to who was to be his wife, her acceptance of wealth, her loose relationship with her daughter, her sisters, Henry and the sexual liaison, callous after her husband's death? The aftermath and seeing the guests off?

11. The military man and his wife, snobbish attitudes, his performance in the war, a shooter, attitudes and behaviour? His relationship with his wife, the relationship with Sir William, with Sylvia?

12. Tony as the up and coming young man, his place in the household, his wife and relationship? His desperately wanting the business deal in the Sudan? The contempt of Sir William? Humiliating him at dinner? The failure and the exasperation - and his potential for killing Sir William?

13. The Nesbitts, Mabel as wealthy, her husband marrying her, having no money, his brutality towards his wife, humiliating her in public, the servants observing the humiliation in the room, his constant comment on her manners, her dress? Not having a servant? His blackmailing Sir William's daughter and putting the pressure on her? Offering to mediate for the Sudan job? Callous? His wife, background, humiliated, listening to Novello, her final exasperation with her husband?

14. The younger generation, Rupert coming and wanting to marry Sir William's daughter, his hopes, bringing his friend, their coming late, playing billiards, allowed to come in to the meal? The friend and the sex with the maids downstairs? A future and the future generations?

15. Lady Constance and her relationship with Sir William and Sylvia? Dependent on the allowance, trying to bring it up at the meal table? Her being snubbed? Gossiping with Mary, trying to break her in, her snobbery and callous attitudes, to the American, to Ivor Novello's singing? Her comment on food, the bought marmalade? Her relationship with Mary, not wanting to testify in the murder and the truth about her dependency coming out?

16. Mary and her perspective, audience identifying with her? The opening humiliation in the rain, her mistakes in the corridors, Constance wanting gossip, her friendship with the head maid, the wise advice, sharing the friendship? Her interest in Parkes, his kissing her, her working out the truth? Wanting to help, cover-up? The discussions with Mrs Wilson and Mrs Croft?

17. Life below stairs and its detail, the interactions of the servants? Altmann keeping this world in continual motion except when they were hierarchically seated at the table?

18. Mrs Wilson and her running the household, her hierarchical attitude, her efficiency and knowledge, the contrast with Mrs Croft? Her interactions, seeing the photo, the truth about Parkes, her final disdain of Sir William, killing him? Her weeping, losing her son, the bond with Mrs Croft? Sisters with similar but different histories? Mrs Croft and her running the kitchen, making do with the menus?

19. Parkes, aloof, choosing to be in service, his being his own man, his mother and the story about the orphanage? At the hunt? Reading, attracted to Mary, kissing her? The truth about the killing?

20. The butler and his running of the household upstairs, prim, severe? The maid and her infatuation with him? His appreciation of Ivor Novello? His drinking, the interrogation, the story of his conscientious objection? Sir William's servant, his place in the household, devotion to Sir William, even after his death?

21. The head maid, her knowledge of the household, sharing the room with Mary, helping her and discussing things with her? Work, her relationship with Sir William? The insult at the table, her faux pas in naming him? Her being humiliated, sacked? Her leaving the household - and getting the lift to London and the possibilities of the movies?

22. The women servants, below stairs, their work, gossip, sexual encounters? The range of menservants and their observations, interactions, gossip?

23. The death in the library, Altmann not treating it as the focus of attention, his reliance on audience knowledge of this kind of story? Stephen Fry as the inspector and the spoof of the Poirot-style self-assurance? The assistant and the interrogations? The range of questions, the inspector missing all the clues? The reaction of the aristocrats to being questioned?

24. The solution to the murder mystery, the police failure, Mary understanding what happened? The departures, the effect of the weekend on the guests, the servants - and the audience?