Gosford Park

Director : Robert Altman

Cast : Kristin Scott Thomas, Dame Maggie Smith, Clive Owen, Emily Watson, Dame Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Ryan Phillippe, Jeremy Northam, Stephen Fry, Alan Bates

With career spanning decades (his first direction in 1951) with about 88 pieces of movies under his direction belt, Robert Altman deserved the Oscar Honorary Award he received in 2006 and I remembered it was presented by Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, both working on his last film, A Praire Home Companion (APHC). He passed away later that year.

Admittedly I haven't watch any of his works besides Gosford Park (GP) and APHC. I remembered the poster of Pret-a-Porter when I was in pubescent age but never watched it. Of course, I heard the name of some of his more reknowned works such as M.A.S.H., Nashville, Short Cuts and The Player but never watch any of those mentioned.

Just comparing the 2 that I watched, I think he's quite a versatile director in terms of theme and genre. APHC is very US-like with the setting around cowboy-country but GP is centred in the aristocrate society in Britain during the most turbulent time with wars and the disintegration of the monarch.

Tea at Four

Dinner at Eight

Murder at Midnight

But GP is NOT a who-dunnit movie. Yes, the plot circling around the murder of one of the character but Altman chose to delve more on the different social class existing in the society at that time. I like the 2 world segregation created by him; the rich and classy ones up on the floor and the servants and maids under the floor.

Helen Mirren is totally different here, especially when her image now is more regal and associated with the royalties following her Oscar-winning portrayal in The Queen (another movie in my film roll waiting...). She is brilliant as the chief maid with hidden tragic stories under her stern expressionless face. Smith is funny and sharp as usual in a bitchy old Countess who's broke, a role too easy and frequent for her, Watson is brilliant (when she's not?) as the edgy maid with an affair which changed the tune of the plot, and lots of other actors churned out notable performance.

Love the intertwined story lines among the large number of characters, a signature of Altman's movie, as in APHC. What's next? Gotta search his older movies...

Watch this when you have time and dun rush. Pay attention to the dialogues and also small little gestures and facial expression of the actors as the Brits are real good! Of course the Brit accent is sexy too.

RECOMMENDED