Gosford Park (2001)
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A murder at a 1932 country house gathering reveals the hidden tensions between the wealthy guests and their servants.
The story
In 1932, a group of wealthy Britons and an American film producer gather for a shooting weekend at the English country house, Gosford Park. The atmosphere of the elite gathering is disrupted when a murder occurs following a dinner party. The narrative then explores the investigation of the crime from the distinct perspectives of both the wealthy guests and the domestic servants who work within the manor's walls.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1932, Sir William McCordle and his family host a shooting party at Gosford Park, attended by various wealthy guests and their servants. Following a dinner party, a carving knife goes missing and a man is found stabbed in the library. The investigation reveals that Sir William was poisoned before being stabbed. The plot weaves through the lives of the servants, including the housekeeper Mrs. Wilson and the maid Mary, who begins to piece together the truth. It is revealed that the servant Robert Parks is the illegitimate son of Sir William. The climax reveals that Mrs. Wilson and the cook, Mrs. Croft, are sisters who both had children by Sir William; Mrs. Wilson poisoned her former master to protect her son from his fate. The film concludes with the guests departing, while the servants remain to deal with the aftermath of the crime.
- Original title
- The Other Side of the Tapestry
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 137
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States; Italy
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Altman
- Writers
- Julian Fellowes · writer
- Cast and characters
- Eileen Atkins · not specified; Bob Balaban · not specified; Alan Bates · not specified; Charles Dance · not specified; Stephen Fry · Inspector Thompson; Michael Gambon · not specified; Richard E. Grant · not specified; Derek Jacobi · not specified; Kelly Macdonald · not specified; Helen Mirren · not specified; Jeremy Northam · Ivor Novello; Clive Owen · not specified
- Genres
- satirical; black comedy; mystery
- Themes
- British class system; sexual mores; impact of the First World War; decline of the British Empire; peerage system
- Tone and mood
- satirical; black comedy
- Premise and plot tags
- whodunit; murder mystery; period piece
- Reception
- Widely acclaimed by critics, the film was a success at the box office, grossing over $87 million and being described as a masterpiece and a 'joyous and audacious achievement'.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: percentage · review count: 165; Metacritic · score: 90 · scale: 100 · review count: 34
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · won; British Academy Film Award · Best British Film · won; British Academy Film Award · Best Costume Design · won; Screen Actors Guild Award · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role · won; Screen Actors Guild Award · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture · won; Writers Guild of America Award · Best Original Screenplay · won; European Film Award · Best European Actress · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was inspired by the French classic The Rules of the Game.; The film's original title was The Other Side of the Tapestry.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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