Please don't spend money on this.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A great film, one of the few which can be seen many times, in which an Agatha Christie-like thriller mixes with personal drama, both above and below stairs, in a well-observed and authentically reproduced period setting.The only false note -- but a jarring one -- is in the miscasting of Steven Fry, that bonne à tout faire (do accept this expression, it's French, but international, you see, and appropriate for other reasons) of the entertainment industry, as Inspector Thompson. Fry seems to think he's in a kind of music hall gag, where he plays a caricature of a bumbling police inspector, half Clouseau and half English class distinction (milk into teacup after, not before, tea), and keeps reminding everyone of his name, as a tired joke. Watching performers such as Maggie Smith, or the excellent Eileen Atkins, as well as many other distinguished members of the cast, is always rewarding, but Fry's appearances are best glossed over as quickly as possible, as they reduce the film's quality. How Altman could have made this mistake is hard to understand.

Usually i like most movies in one degree or another,, but this,, well yikes! I felt like yelling SOMETHING HAPPEN!!! This movie is like watching a stage play but it was filmed. There is a paradigm in movie making for a reason - thirty minutes in, there is a plot twist for a reason. This just doesn't get off the ground. "Oh, were is my jewellry" is the most exciting thing in the first half. Although I will admit it is well acted and beautifully photographed, the story just drags and drags and drags. I kept wondering if I was watching a movie or a made for TV drama adapted from the play for public television or something. Definitely won't watch it again.

I was looking forward to this, and bought the DVD and when it arrived was full of excitement to see it, because it had such great reviews. Perhaps i was spoilt as i had not long binge watched, downton abbey, upstairs downstairs 1976 and the recent one in 2010 set in the same period as Gosford Park. I found the beginning so confusing. It took me a little while to understand what was going on and ages to realise that Sir William had a daughter it got kind of lost in confusion, the only saving grace for me was Maggie Smith. The plot slowly and agonisingly started to develop BUT 3/4 way in i wondered what I was watching. Was it meant to be serious? The same old banal issues with upstairs downstairs servants v masters etc. I likened it to:Downton Abbey Upstairs Downstairs 13 for Dinner by Agatha Christie Nancy Drew (the young maid worked it out) Inspector Clouseau (the bungling inspector played by Colin Fry)I did giggle at Colin Fry.I struggled to believe a maid would get a blouse dry if washed by hand at midnight so she could witness the randy maid with a member of aristocracy making nooky over a kitchen table.Since when did Americans have Valets Henry Denton was obviously playing a part? Lady Sylvia has an assignation with him and a glass of hot milk, yawn. I am sorry I really didn't enjoy it, it was so drawn out and confusing it did not keep my attention, and when Sir William was killed i thought oh goody something has happened. Its only then we find out that Sir William was a profiteer in the war and made woopee with the workers and had numerous children one of whom was a valet to one of the visitors at the shoot, and it turned out although he thought his mother had died she was actually Mrs Wilson the housekeeper who saw the photo of herself when she was young, and realised he was her son, but didn't bother to reveal herself. The only saving grace was Mary who worked for the countess of trentham (Maggie Smith) and Elise. I really did try to like this but alas it just made me switch off my brain. I think its because I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be, serious, funny, mystery it never seemed to find its place.

*Upstairs* daughters of the Earl of Carton and their husbands: Sylvia & William McCordle Louisa & Raymond Stockbridge Lavinia & Anthony MeredithIsobel McCordle Mabel & Freddie NesbittIvor Novello (William McCordle's second cousin) Morris Weissman Henry Denton (disguised as Morris Weissman's valet)Constance TrenthamRupert Standish Jeremy Blond*Downstairs* Robert Parks (Raymond Stockbridge's valet, Ivor Novello's casual valet) Sarah (Lavinia Meredith's maid) Barnes (Anthony Meredith's valet) Mary Maceachran (Constance Trentham's maid)Jennings (butler) Probert (William McCordle's valet) George (first footman, Rupert Standish's casual valet) Arthur (footman, Jeremy Blond and Morris Weissman's casual valet) Strutt (keeper)Mrs. Wilson (housekeeper) Mrs. Croft (cook) Lewis (Sylvia McCordle's maid) Elsie (head housemaid, Mabel Nesbitt's casual maid) Dorothy (still room maid) Bertha (kitchen maid)