Gosford Park

November 1932 - Gosford Park is the magnificent Estate of the unhappily married Sir William Cordle and Lady Sylvia. Immersed in an upper-class world of frippery, fine manners and nasty natures, various friends and associates gather for a weekend shooting party; when murder occurs, suspicious ulterior motives are revealed. But this narrative, largely related from the perspective of the servants, is less of a mystery than it is a comedy centering on the politics and mores of aristocratic society, the ‘upstairs’ shenanigans of which are mirrored by the equally fascinating world of footmen, butlers, valets, maids and cooks, who vehemently adhere to the below stairs strictures. With labyrinthine systems of etiquette and appropriate behaviours, these ‘downstairs’ caretakers are bland observers of their employers’ lives, who thrive on gossip and rumour, feeding off lascivious details and intricacies, whilst observing the treachery and mixed fortunes of their masters’ lives. Presenting over a score of well-defined players, it is a testament to Altman’s skill that none are mere ciphers, but rather sustain complex characterisations, creating a fascinating tableau of class politics, societal mores, perfidious interpersonal relationships and a cohesive panorama of human behaviour. Stellar cast includes: Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hollander, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Phillippe, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emily Watson and James Wilby.