“yay I have to blog about some
boring, foreign film that I wont even understand” these were
literally the first thoughts that wove into my head when I looked at
the blog requirement sheets, little did I know, that the foreign film
I chose involved snobbish aristocrats, sneaky affairs, cover-ups,
revenge and murder. This film contrasted my first initial reaction so
much so, that I fully, whole-hardheartedly, recommend this movie to
anyone looking for a wonderful movie, foreign or not. With
actors/actresses such as Clive Owen, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott
Thomas, Ryan Phillipe and Helen Mirren, all this movie needed was a well written
story line and plot to go along with, and boy did the plot deliver.
What movie is this you ask? Well, it's none other then the British
film, Gosford Park.
The movie starts off very dark, gloomy
and rainy and almost immediately, a look at the British aristocracy
of the early 1930's is given. An elderly woman, who appears to be
very well off is sitting in the back seat of her car complaining that
she can not undo her water container. The driver stops his car and
her servant (whose name we discover later is Mary) runs out into the
pouring rain and unscrews her mistresses water container. There are
many, many more examples of insight into the British Aristocracy, but
I will provide them as I go along. We learn that the wealthy woman is
on her way, along with other guests to Sir William McCordle's estate.
Sir William, a very high class and extremely wealthy aristocrat has
called his guests, of which many are relatives of some sort to
discuss certain business matters since he acts to many, as their
beneficiary. When all of his guests arrive, they bring with them
their closest servants. Their servants are told by Sir William's head
maid, Mrs. Wilson- an extremely important character- that for the
time being they are to be called by the last names of their masters.
While the servants are busy locating their rooms in their own shabby
quarters, Sir William's servants are preparing for dinner while
gossiping about their masters and all of the spoiled aristocrats. The guests themselves do
plenty of gossip especially about each other and they are not afraid
to clarify or criticize each other on who is more wealthy,
intelligent, or in general who can have a better “come back”
remark. Now as the movie continues, we are brought into a world of
scandalous acts and twists. Men from the high aristocracy sneaking
away at night to sleep with a maid, including Sir William himself. An
American actor pretending to be a Scottish valet in order to play a
butler part in a movie. A fight between Sir William and his wife,
Sylvia who gets interrupted by an intervening maid, the lover of Sir
William. Tension between Sir William and his guests due to the fact
that he may be stopping or lessening their allowances. Then in the
midst of all this, Sir William is murdered, twice. No, don't even
think about it I am not going to explain who committed the crime and
why they did, for I want you all to watch this movie and if I gave
away the greatest mystery and secret in the movie, what kind of
blogger would I be. All you need to know is that clues will be given
to easily show that almost everyone has motive for wanting William
dead, including his wife himself, his countless mistresses and his
guests. So in order to know what really happened and see for yourself
the snobbish behavior of aristocrats, something us Americans is not
used to seeing, I encourage you to watch this movie, please do. Oh
and by all of the twists in the movie, good luck on figuring them out
before they are revealed and with that note, this discussion is
to be continued...
(well until you watch Gosford Park for
yourself and then we continue this conversation).
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