Quite Enthralling
Gosford Park to put it very plainly is definitely worth your time. It is a brilliantly crafted piece of work.
Set in the early 1930's, The story centers around a group of guests who have gathered at their wealthy and affluent host's country estate for a brief sojourn. However, whats interesting is that it's not just the guests who are important, the servants control the plot as well to an equal if not greater extent. The movie explores the relationships that the guests have with each other as well as with their servants.
The cast is top-notch. The ever-glorious Maggie Smith who plays the role of Lady Trentham nails her character. Tart, condescending and snobbish, she revels in her role of old English gentry.
I have never seen Kelly Macdonald act before, but I was very impressed by her performance. Cast as the maid Mary Maceachran waiting on lady Trentham, she manages to portray the necessary timidity and meekness, at the same time convincing the viewer of her understated loyalty and honest simplicity.
Kristin Scott Thomas has a sizable role as Sylvia McCordle, the wife of the host. Hers I found somewhat of a complex character, for it was hard to fathom her out at once. The shades to her character were revealed very gradually over the course of the movie. But Thomas pulls it off very deftly, the transitions are smooth, and one learns about her as the story unfolds.
Ryan Phillippe, perhaps obvious in a different sense for he stands out as an American actor among largely English co-stars, of mention-ably high pedigree. All may not agree with his performance, but I felt Phillippe held his own. As the valet to Mr.Weissman, he seems from the start as the the odd one out among the rest of the servants. And this is obvious to almost everyone who works down below stairs with him. His interaction with the others is intriguing to watch as they all suspect him of hiding some secret.
Helen Mirren is another one of the fine English actresses in this film. She plays the role of Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper who essentially runs the whole show and the servants as well, much to their annoyance. She seems like a hard-hearted woman, who shuns the company of other human beings and can't abide anything other than subservient behavior from the domestics who are under her reign. All this plays out for most of the initial movie, but gradually we glimpse the cracks beneath the surface, which lead us to see that there is more to this women that meets the eye.
Also notable among the cast are Clive Owen as the valet Robert Parks, who doesn't seem to be all that interested in valeting and Emily Watson as the maid Elsie. Watson I think does a really good job playing a maid who seems to want more from life than just waiting on people, but at the same time is tied to her employer for a very different reason.
Summing it up, Gosford Park delivers. With a fine cast, crafty plot and fast-paced tempo, it makes for an enjoyable watching experience.
Set in the early 1930's, The story centers around a group of guests who have gathered at their wealthy and affluent host's country estate for a brief sojourn. However, whats interesting is that it's not just the guests who are important, the servants control the plot as well to an equal if not greater extent. The movie explores the relationships that the guests have with each other as well as with their servants.
The cast is top-notch. The ever-glorious Maggie Smith who plays the role of Lady Trentham nails her character. Tart, condescending and snobbish, she revels in her role of old English gentry.
I have never seen Kelly Macdonald act before, but I was very impressed by her performance. Cast as the maid Mary Maceachran waiting on lady Trentham, she manages to portray the necessary timidity and meekness, at the same time convincing the viewer of her understated loyalty and honest simplicity.
Kristin Scott Thomas has a sizable role as Sylvia McCordle, the wife of the host. Hers I found somewhat of a complex character, for it was hard to fathom her out at once. The shades to her character were revealed very gradually over the course of the movie. But Thomas pulls it off very deftly, the transitions are smooth, and one learns about her as the story unfolds.
Ryan Phillippe, perhaps obvious in a different sense for he stands out as an American actor among largely English co-stars, of mention-ably high pedigree. All may not agree with his performance, but I felt Phillippe held his own. As the valet to Mr.Weissman, he seems from the start as the the odd one out among the rest of the servants. And this is obvious to almost everyone who works down below stairs with him. His interaction with the others is intriguing to watch as they all suspect him of hiding some secret.
Helen Mirren is another one of the fine English actresses in this film. She plays the role of Mrs. Wilson, the housekeeper who essentially runs the whole show and the servants as well, much to their annoyance. She seems like a hard-hearted woman, who shuns the company of other human beings and can't abide anything other than subservient behavior from the domestics who are under her reign. All this plays out for most of the initial movie, but gradually we glimpse the cracks beneath the surface, which lead us to see that there is more to this women that meets the eye.
Also notable among the cast are Clive Owen as the valet Robert Parks, who doesn't seem to be all that interested in valeting and Emily Watson as the maid Elsie. Watson I think does a really good job playing a maid who seems to want more from life than just waiting on people, but at the same time is tied to her employer for a very different reason.
Summing it up, Gosford Park delivers. With a fine cast, crafty plot and fast-paced tempo, it makes for an enjoyable watching experience.
- kristyl_g
- Dec 13, 2005