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Friday, March 18, 2011

Friday night film selection: Gosford Park

A superb all star ensemble cast drama. The story is set in a 1930 country manor with a large number of guests arriving for a shooting party. This movie offers a wonderful glimpse into the privileged society of that time. The intrigue, scandal and mystery are depicted wonderfully.
All of the characters are deliciously quirky. The script is supreme, there are no words to describe it. Though this is a drama there are numerous comedic inserts in the true upper class English humour style. Maggie Smith was simply made for the role of Lady Constance Trentham. She is a true upper class snob.



As the story progresses, a murder is committed. But make no mistake, this is not a classic Christie-esque whodunit movie. The why and who of the murder aspect is completely unimportant to this story. It's the where and when that really matter. So don't expect a witty detective whose keen observational skills solve a cunning murder mystery. The real value of the movie is in watching how the characters react to the news of a murder, how does their social position come into play and a myriad of other little details.

3 comments:

  1. Great film choice, hope you enjoyed your night. I am a lover of all stories Agatha Christie, glad to find you!
    Deb x

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  2. Dear Deb, I'm so glad to finally find another Christie fan! Have a lovely Monday!

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  3. I have never seen this movie. It was on as we flew to Paris when I was 18, but I fell asleep. However, thank you for reminding me about it, because I love that time period and have been meaning to add it to my list!

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