Gosford Park

  • Review Date: May 19, 2003
  • R
  • Genre: Drama
  • 2001
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Wonderful British whodunit with some sexual content.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Gosford Park has sexual references and situations (briefly graphic), including adultery, a hint of a homosexual relationship, and an attempted molestation. There is some strong language and a character is murdered by poisoning and stabbed afterward. Accurate to the period, characters smoke and drink heavily.

  • The intelligent script reveals just how intertwined the lives of the different classes really are, despite outward appearances. The movie also explores what lengths people will go to in order to protect the ones they love.
  • No one is terribly upset when Sir William is murdered and it becomes clear why -- he used his power and class to hurt many. Before he dies visitors still suck up to him for money. The head housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson, tries hard to protect the ones she cares about.
  • A murder by poisoning and then the corpse is stabbed. You see the corpse fall over with a knife and no blood. A bullet grazes an ear in a hunting scene. One servant sexually assaults another, but is caught before it goes beyond rough kissing and groping.
  • Three affairs between servants and those they serve. Two scenes show a kitchen maid in the dark with some thrusting in the shadows barely visible. Some bawdy talk and sexual references, including mentions of illegitimate children and hints of a homosexual relationship.  
  • Language is infrequent but includes "f--king." Also: "s--t," "piss," "hell," "damn," "bloody," and "bugger all." (Note that cigarettes in Britain are called "fags.")
  • Not applicable.
  • Smoking in many, many scenes in this 1932-set movie -- cigarettes and pipes. A drunken servant is carried to bed and there's plenty of drinking of wine and whiskey at the dinner parties.

What's the story?

Set in the 1930s, GOSFORD PARK takes place at the home of Sir William (Michael Gambon) and his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas), who invite an array of guests for a weekend at their lavish country estate. Among the guests are "old money" Lady Constance (Maggie Smith), early screen idol Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam), and Hollywood film producer Morris Weisman (Bob Balaban), who tags along to take notes on the place for a Charlie Chan movie. Secrets abound amongst the upper crust, while gossip swirls in the quarters of the regimented servants (Derek Jacobi, Helen Mirren, Ryan Phillippe, Emily Watson, and Clive Owen, among others). When Sir William is murdered, what ensues is a cross between Upstairs Downstairs, an Agatha Christie murder mystery, and a game of Clue. The estate becomes the setting for intrigue, romance, ambition, betrayal, and revenge, with the many overlapping and intersecting storylines revealing a cautionary tale about class, secrets, money, sex, and love.


Is it any good?

 

As in his best movies, director Robert Altman masterfully handles a dozen overlapping and intersecting storylines. Somewhere in the midst, there is a murder, but its resolution is incidental to the many other revelations and confrontations.

The Oscar-winning script is superb, but the movie is mostly a banquet of magnificent performances by most of England's finest performers. The Collector's edition DVD has outstanding extras, including commentary by the director, production designer, producer, and screenwriter, deleted scenes, and a Q&A session with the film-makers. Strongly recommended.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about how each of the different characters fits into the overall story. Which characters do you sympathize with the most? Which do you dislike the most?

  • Who in the film actually cares about Sir William? Why?

  • Why was it so important to be the "perfect servant"? What will happen to each of the characters in 10 years?


This review of Gosford Park was written by
Teen, 14 years old
September 5, 2009
 
Wonderful for Mature Teens
Gosford Park is a beautifully rendered film. No, it isn't a 'murder mystery'. Rather, it is a deep, dark, multi-layered drama centering mainly around the servants residing in a country house full of wealthy British snobs. The first half of the film introduces you to the servants, their customs and quirks, the abuse they receive, and the various ways they cope with it. Then, halfway through the film, the owner of the house is murdered. The rest of the film deals with the initial chaos and ultimate liberation that results. The acting was nothing short of brilliant (Helen Mirren was certainly the best as the lead servant), and the cinematograpy was very unique and fascinating, almost like looking at a photorealistic painting. For an R-rated movie, Gosford Park is very tame, but a few things are worth mentioning. F-words pop up occasionally (I counted six), but most of the dialog is clean. Quite a few sexual references are present as well, but there's never any nudity, and almost everything is handled with tact. Also, just about everyone smokes casually, and a butler gets very drunk. However, most teens should be able to handle it without a problem. Hope this was helpful!
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
A masterpiece specifically for intellectual adults.

Flag as inappropriate 
Educator and Parent of
September 9, 2011
 
Robert Altman's amazing comeback...
Gosford Park is a wonderful, smart and terrifically entertaining film. Excellent performers join a very good script to create a complex portrait of flawed beings, all looking out for themselves, one way or another. If your kid likes games like Clue, and is patient enough, you should really consider allowing him to watch this film. Maggie Smith and Helen MIrren are the standouts in a star-filled cast.
What other families should know:

Flag as inappropriate 

This review of Gosford Park was written by
Topics:history
Studio:USA Films
Director:Robert Altman
Cast:Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon
Genre:Drama
Run time:137 minutes
Theatrical release date:December 26, 2001
DVD release date:October 8, 2002
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:sexual situations, language, brief violence

This review of Gosford Park was written by
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Learning Products Quick Finder