Did you tell the police any of that stuff you knew?
- I did not. Sorry if I shock you, but the plain fact is he only got what he deserved.
GOSFORD PARK (2001) dir. Robert Altman
SUBLIME CINEMA #291 - GOSFORD PARK
Gosford Park was one of many masterpieces by Robert Altman, one of the greatest of all directors. He almost never made a straight drama and his films were hard to pin down, often they were sprawling, warm and comedic, with Altman acting as conductor over loose ensembles like Duke Ellington conducted jazz, but with such tight control over the proceedings that we are never sure if moments were a result of happenstance or his steady hand. Actors lined up to work with the guy, and he treated them all like family.
He pioneered a lot of techniques, and stuck with them, particularly his use of sound mixing; how he would capture all of the small offhand moments in a room full of people without anything feeling overwhelming or drowned out.
Episode 156: Gosford Park
This week, Morgan and Gavia revisit an old favorite: Robert Altman’s 2001 masterpiece Gosford Park. They admire the film’s depiction of interwar Britain; praise its sprawling cast of legendary actors including Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, and Clive Owen; and compare it to the less politically astute Downton Abbey, also written by screenwriter Julian Fellowes.
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Links
“Julian Fellowes Addresses Monte Hellman’s ‘Gosford Park’ Claim, ‘Downton Abbey’s’ Shocking Scene,” Tim Appelo, The Hollywood Reporter
Previous episodes: Episode 26: Nashville, Episode 149: Knives Out
Gosford Park might be the preeminent Manor House Murder Movie in my heart. I’m a little uncertain about giving it this title because I dearly, deeply love Clue and the recent BBC miniseries of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, but Gosford Park manages to combine several elements of both of them, plus only the best bits of Downton Abbey. It’s a standout in the field.
Hey let’s keep an interwar period / Ivor Novello theme going with Gosford Park, why not.