Gosford Park

                All I have really wanted to watch lately is British television and movies.  I’m not sure why, but that is what has been interesting me.  There have been a lot of British TV shows and films I have watched, but one that keeps sticking in my mind is Gosford Park.  I saw the film years ago when it was released in theatres, but with so much time in between, there were a lot of details I did not remember.  One of the things I had forgotten was how many well-known actors are in the film, although many of them may not have been well-known at the time.  It was fun to think about where all those actors are now and how far they have come.          

                Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) has invited his family to his large British estate for the weekend.  As the family members arrive, they reunite with the other guests while their servants are sent downstairs to receive their accommodations.  The influx of visiting servants is a trial on the servants of the estate, but they figure it out with the housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson (Helen Mirren), taking the lead.  Upstairs, the relatives are merely trying to tolerate each other.  Constance, Countess of Trentham (Maggie Smith) loves to complain and take cracks at everything.  Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam) is an actor visiting from America who spends most of his time playing and singing at the piano, even when some people don’t want him too.  Then there is the man who has lost all his money and takes cuts at his wife, the American film producer who is always on the phone, and Sir William’s daughter who is up to something but it is not clear what.  These are just some of the upstairs characters and their storylines.  There are more I have not mentioned and it is no wonder the film is over two hours long. 

                Below stairs the servants are mainly concentrating on doing their jobs and getting along.  They’re not sure about the American film producer’s valet, Henry Denton (Ryan Phillippe), but everyone is too busy to really concern themselves with him too much.  The one most trying to concentrate on her work is Countess Constance’s maid, Mary (Kelly Macdonald).  She is new to the job and is trying to do her best, but it is hard when everyone, especially Mrs. Wilson, questions everything she does.  Mary can’t even wash a shirt without getting questions.  Fortunately, the maid Mary is sharing a room with, Elsie (Emily Watson), is kind to her, making the situation a little more bearable.

                With so many things already going on at the estate, the last thing they need is a murder.  Of course, that is exactly what happens, and it is Sir William who ends up dead.  Now everyone is stuck at the estate while Inspector Thomson (Stephen Fry) tries to figure out who the murderer is.  He has a house full of suspects, and while he believes he’ll figure out the culprit, the others are not so sure.  Even if he does, the question becomes should the truth behind the murder be something that comes out?       

                There was so much going on in this film that I had a hard time keeping people and storylines straight, but I enjoyed the film nonetheless.  I felt so bad for Mary because she tried so hard and people took advantage of her newness to the position.  Denton even tried to literally take advantage of her, but another valet, Parks (Clive Owen), came to the rescue and she was able to get away. 

               The ending was something I found really interesting. It was ambiguous as to what was going to happen. Thanks to Mary, the viewer knows who the murderer is, but the police do not. It is unclear as to whether or not the police will ever uncover the culprit. If they do, one has to wonder what will happen to the person. The reason for the murder is complicated and not clear cut. I imagine everyone watching the film will have a different take on the situation and what the punishment, if any, should be. It could lead to a very interesting debate. Hmm, yes. A viewing of Gosford Park with a discussion afterwards could be very interesting indeed.