'Beautiful' period drama streaming on BBC now 'better than Downton Abbey'
The film, written by Julian Fellowes, is a 'masterclass in narrative plate-spinning'
A period drama hailed as a 'masterclass' and penned by the genius behind Downton Abbey is now available for free on BBC iPlayer.
The 2001 satirical black comedy Gosford Park, directed by Robert Altman and written by Julian Fellowes, is a murder mystery inspired by Jean Renoir's French classic The Rules of the Game.
Produced on a budget of less than $20million, the film was a global box office sensation, raking in over $87million. It also received seven Academy Award nominations, including best picture and best director, with Fellowes bagging the Oscar for best original screenplay.
The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast packed with acting heavyweights such as Helen Mirren, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Bates, Richard E Grant, and Clive Owen. They are joined by Kelly Macdonald, Kristin Scott Thomas and Emily Watson, among others.
Set in the 1930s, the film gathers a group of wealthy, famous and pretentious individuals and their servants under one roof for an eventful weekend at an English country house and hunting resort - Gosford Park. When a murder takes place after a dinner party, the film explores the mosaic of characters and their varying viewpoints as each becomes a suspect, reports the Express.
Fellowes's hugely successful TV series Downton Abbey was initially intended to be a spin-off of Gosford Park, but it was later developed as a standalone property, still heavily influenced by Altman's film.
With a whopping 87 per cent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the BAFTA-winning film has been showered with praise. One critic said: "A beautifully acted, intricately made, and delightfully critical picture that nonetheless locates moments of humanity in a debased class system."
Another reviewer wrote: "The beauty of Robert Altman's Gosford Park is how it delicately balances the numerous storylines to create a wonderful mosaic of characters."
A third critic hailed it as "a masterclass in narrative plate-spinning from Robert Altman and his feast of a cast."
Yet another impressed reviewer said: "Taking advantage of a splendid cast, a sharply focused script and the fresh English setting, "Gosford Park" emerges as one of the most satisfying of Robert Altman's numerous ensemble pictures."
Audience members were equally enamoured, with one viewer writing: "Just excellent, very funny, excellent actors, brilliant writing & of course one of the best directors ever. Just maybe the best ever... and can be re-watched numerous times just for pure pleasure."
Another viewer added: "What makes this movie work so well for me is how the characters have their own personality. Their actions ring true to their motives and the drama is entirely human even with the various contrivances. The actions felt appropriate for the period and I believed this to be a story that could actually have happened. It is sincere and bittersweet."
Gosford Park can be streamed at no cost on BBC iPlayer.