Michael Lown
BartoWhy Gosford Park?
March 14th 2008 03:05
In attempting to explain my top 5 selections as previously listed in Greatest Hits, why not start at the top of the table with my favourite film of all time. I often struggle internally to sort out the order of the other four, but there has never been any question about number one. Gosford Park with a bullet.
As a lover of Agatha Christie and all things murder mystery the plot instantly appealed to me. Watching the filmmaker set up a motivation for practically every character in town is delightful. And what characters! Upstairs and downstairs the universe Altman creates is so fully realized, the viewer can’t help but become immersed.
The cast list is mind-blowing. Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander, Jeremy Northam, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Richard E Grant, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald and Stephen Fry are the names I remember off the top of my head. They are all given room to move and beautiful character moments that enlighten the audience.
Somehow recognizing almost every actor in the ensemble doesn’t even take away from your ability to believe. This is because the universe it occurs in is so complete. Every actor was wearing a microphone for every scene, and told their audio could be used at any time. Maggie Smith may be out of shot half the time in the lounge room, but you never fail to hear Constance’s cutting remarks aimed at anyone in sight. It puts you right in that living room.
The film even overcomes the casting of Ryan Phillipe, who I can not stand in any other movie he has ever been in. That is an iron clad tick of quality, perhaps even a marker by which a picture can establish its street cred. Cast a ridiculously overrated, naturally irritating, young actor trying to be taken seriously and see if the movie can rise above it. Running with this theory for a moment, Katie Holmes in Thank You For Smoking comes to mind. Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings, Emmy Rossum (to a lesser degree) in Mystic River, Josh Lucas in A Beautiful Mind and Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass (a particularly note-worthy feat considering he plays the main character).
Finally of course we come to the man at the helm. The late Robert Altman was a brilliant director whose oeuvre features several fantastic films. I put it to you that this is his best. The Player is great, its satire is so sharp it carves straight into Hollywood, and Nashville is absolutely stunning (the only reason it is not in my top 5 is because I felt other directors should get a chance). But Gosford Park is extraordinary, as this quintessentially American director who has nailed American society absolutely harpoons this little piece of England and its class system of the time. All the other key Altman elements are there, the cast are given room to move and improvise, and Altman gives us a striking set of visuals.
Clint Eastwood is a good director because he gets a good script and a decent cast and sets them up in front of the camera. Robert Altman is a great director because he uses stylized camera work to bring the setting to life. The camera isn’t a window, it’s like an extra servant on the set, and it wanders through rooms, hallways and stairs, using the mansion to full effect. It slowly reveals tiny details that may be significant, may just serve to add to this real world we have just stepped into, or might just help you solve a murder mystery.
As a lover of Agatha Christie and all things murder mystery the plot instantly appealed to me. Watching the filmmaker set up a motivation for practically every character in town is delightful. And what characters! Upstairs and downstairs the universe Altman creates is so fully realized, the viewer can’t help but become immersed.
The cast list is mind-blowing. Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander, Jeremy Northam, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Richard E Grant, Clive Owen, Derek Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald and Stephen Fry are the names I remember off the top of my head. They are all given room to move and beautiful character moments that enlighten the audience.
Somehow recognizing almost every actor in the ensemble doesn’t even take away from your ability to believe. This is because the universe it occurs in is so complete. Every actor was wearing a microphone for every scene, and told their audio could be used at any time. Maggie Smith may be out of shot half the time in the lounge room, but you never fail to hear Constance’s cutting remarks aimed at anyone in sight. It puts you right in that living room.
The film even overcomes the casting of Ryan Phillipe, who I can not stand in any other movie he has ever been in. That is an iron clad tick of quality, perhaps even a marker by which a picture can establish its street cred. Cast a ridiculously overrated, naturally irritating, young actor trying to be taken seriously and see if the movie can rise above it. Running with this theory for a moment, Katie Holmes in Thank You For Smoking comes to mind. Orlando Bloom in Lord of the Rings, Emmy Rossum (to a lesser degree) in Mystic River, Josh Lucas in A Beautiful Mind and Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass (a particularly note-worthy feat considering he plays the main character).
Finally of course we come to the man at the helm. The late Robert Altman was a brilliant director whose oeuvre features several fantastic films. I put it to you that this is his best. The Player is great, its satire is so sharp it carves straight into Hollywood, and Nashville is absolutely stunning (the only reason it is not in my top 5 is because I felt other directors should get a chance). But Gosford Park is extraordinary, as this quintessentially American director who has nailed American society absolutely harpoons this little piece of England and its class system of the time. All the other key Altman elements are there, the cast are given room to move and improvise, and Altman gives us a striking set of visuals.
Clint Eastwood is a good director because he gets a good script and a decent cast and sets them up in front of the camera. Robert Altman is a great director because he uses stylized camera work to bring the setting to life. The camera isn’t a window, it’s like an extra servant on the set, and it wanders through rooms, hallways and stairs, using the mansion to full effect. It slowly reveals tiny details that may be significant, may just serve to add to this real world we have just stepped into, or might just help you solve a murder mystery.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I wouldn't cite Gosford Park as my favourite Altman film, but it is a quality flick for sure.
I loved how it made the murder mystery part of the story irrelevant by the final scene and instead became a study of class and character.
If your interested I did a post on Robert Altman's career last year that you can read HERe
Comment by Jess Paine
So true - the murder is the MacGuffin that allowed Altman to delve even further.
I think it's my Miss Marple love that puts Gosford Park over the line as my favourite of his films. Another feature he always used that I adore is the ensemble.
Thanks for the link, it was a good read.
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