Rating- * * * * * (5/5)
I am glad that this movie was nominated for Best Picture because I honestly would not have seen it otherwise. This movie is the latest from the prolific director Robert Altman (M*A*S*H, Nashville) who is known for making films with huge ensemble casts whose characters all tie together throughout the course of the story. Gosford Park is no exception, with almost 30 speaking roles played by some of the best contemporary British actors, including Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren, whose performances earned Oscar nominations. The story involves a weekend gathering between a group of wealthy English people at a country mansion called Gosford Park. As is customary is in the early twentieth century, all of these wealthy people bring along their paid servants, who live downstairs. The contrast between the world of the upstairs and the downstairs is made quite clear; upstairs, the men spend all day hunting and the women get out of bed around 4 in the afternoon, just in time for a glorious full course dinner; downstairs, the paint peels off the walls and the servants smoke, drink and let loose all their inhibitions. The weekend goes awry when the owner of the house is murdered and an investigation begins to find out who the killer could be. There are so many people that have the opportunity and the motivation to have committed the murder that almost everyone in the house is a suspect. The murder mystery is delightfully entertaining but the real depth of the film lies in the story about the injustice of the class system and the feelings of the characters about their social positions. This is one of the most entertaining social commentary films I have ever seen and whether or not you agree with the politics of the movie, you will certainly enjoy the light-hearted humor and the intriguing mystery.