Review of Gosford Park (2001) by Charles James I — 05 Aug 2009

A very interesting piece of work, created by Robert Altman.

The way this film was shot, makes for a very unique perspective. We are given the opportunity to just sort of float between conversations throughout the house as if we are a ghost. The movie takes place essentially as a giant conversation. We travel around as a social poltergeist butterfly throughout Syon House, renamed in the movie to Gosford Park. What's interesting about this method, is that the same scene will be filmed usually from two separate angles, to create several different scenes with simultaneous dialogue going on. Kind of a trip, considering how hard it would to be to direct the actors. Luckily, an all star cast was thrown together to make this technique seamless.

So, we have a story about the British class system, about these aristocratic, snobbish, English pricks and their lowly servants. The contrast between the two classes is as obvious as it was in the slavery days of early American history. We learn of the storyline by means of rumors and gossip spread around by the servants. In the "making of" documentary, Altman mentions that you never are in a room of the upper class people, unless the servants are present. So the entire story, is in a way told through the perspective of the servants. The idea, according to Altman, was to show how these servants essentially 'lived' through their masters.

The location for filming at the Syon House was perfect. A huge, and old, antique English manor. Awesome wardrobe. Everyone is dressed so snobbishly... I think what I liked the best, was the wardrobe for the hunting scene. I liked the tweed plaid, with the high socks. Fantastic look on a man.

This was a fun one to watch, because it took me so far out of my normal element, into a rare look at a life that still exists today, yet a mere glimpse of this specific point in time. If this movie was recreated to modern times, it would be the exact same, just different wardrobe.