While Julian Fellowes is best known for creatingDownton Abbey, the hit show was predated by an even better period murder-mystery withGosford Park. Fellowes createdtheDownton Abbeyfranchise, which began with the series debuting in 2010. The show went on to become one of the most popular British costume dramas of all time and won multiple Emmys in its run. Its small-screen success was followed by two movies, as well as thethirdDownton Abbeymovieon its way, which will conclude the franchise.
Downton Abbeyexplores the lives and drama of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants in the early 1900s in England. It is subject matter that Fellowes already proved capable of handling, as he won an Oscar for his debut screenplay for Gosford Park. The brilliant murder-mystery was directed by legendaryfilmmaker Robert Altmanand starred the likes of Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Clive Owen, and many more. Despite being nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars,Gosford Parkremains a forgotten masterpiece that more people need to see, especially fans ofDownton Abbey.
Julian Fellowes' Gosford Park Is One Of The Best Period Mystery Movies Of All Time
The Layered Mystery Holds Up Decades Later
Gosford Parkis a clever and completely satisfyingmurder-mystery movie, but like the best movies in that genre, it is so much more than a whodunnit. The period movie takes place in 1932 at a country estate of a wealthy aristocratic family, hosting a shooting party for a variety of guests. When a prominent figure in the household is killed, multiple suspects emerge with tensions brewing among the wealthy guests and the overlooked servants. However,Julian Fellowes and Robert Altman use the murder mystery to explore class dynamics.
With there only being one possible murderer, the other characters are still made to have rich and important arcs even when they are proven to be innocent.
ThroughoutGosford Park, the movie juxtaposes the lives of the wealthy people “upstairs” and the people who are at their beck and call “downstairs”. The movie explores the way these servants are disregarded, the way they are seen as property, as well as the way they are relied on so heavily by their employers. Meanwhile, the wealthy characters experience lives filled with money concerns, broken marriages, and scandal.
These aspects of the movie only enrich the intriguing murder-mystery aspect. When the body turns up,Gosford Parkhas already established viable motivations for a number of characters. However, with there only being one possible murderer, the other characters are still made to have rich and important arcs even when they are proven to be innocent. The answer to the mystery is satisfying and surprisingly emotional, butGosford Parkis the kind of movie you can watch over and over and still be entertained by, despite knowing who the murderer is.
Gosford Park & Downton Abbey Have Plenty Of Connective Tissue
Maggie Smith Plays Two Very Similar Characters
Considering the premise ofGosford Park, it’s easy for fans to draw connections between it andDownton Abbey. The British period drama gets a lot of its stories from that dynamic between the wealthy aristocrats and their servants. However,Gosford Parkdeals with that relationship in a much harsher way thanDownton Abbey.The Crawley family inDownton Abbeyis mostly depicted as good and caring people who treat their servants well.Gosford Parkshows the degrading way these workers can be treated, or at best, not considered as fellow human beings. However, the connections go beyond the premise.
Downton Abbeyoriginally started as a spinoff ofGosford Park. Julian Fellowes was approached with the idea of writing a TV version of the movie that explored the lives of aristocrats and their servants. However, as the series was being developed, it was decided that it would be its own standalone story set decades earlier, despite sharing similar themes.
Of course, one notable bit of casting further connected the two projects.Maggie Smith’sDownton Abbeyrole as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, is iconic and won her three Emmys over the course of the series. However,years earlier, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Constance, Dowager Countess of Trentham, inGosford Park. Obviously, the roles are very similar, but reflect the different tones of the two projects. Both characters are blunt and hilarious older women, but Violet is much more independent and proud, while Constance is judgmental but vulnerable.
Why Gosford Park Isn’t Spoken About More In 2025
People Are Mistaking The Brilliant Murder-Mystery For A Stuffy Costume Drama
When it was released in 2001,Gosford Parkbecame a considerable hit. Along with its seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, it made nearly $90 million on a budget of around $20 million (viaBox Office Mojo). Despite all the success,Gosford Parkhas become something of a forgotten gem all these years later. In many ways,instead of the popularity ofDownton AbbeymakingGosford Parkmore relevant again, it seemed to overshadow the movie.
Downton Abbeyis a more palatable take on this kind of story with more likable characters and a happier tone. Its soap opera storytelling also feeds into this type of British costume drama. By contrast,Gosford Parkis almost a satire of those kinds of stories, looking at the unromantic reality of these worlds. Therefore, it may turn off those who are looking for something more similar toDownton Abbey, but also turn off those who aren’t fans of costume dramas under the assumption that it is allGosford Parkis.
Indeed, the surge in murder-mystery movies in the wake of the success of the Knives Out movies and others, it would seem likeGosford Parkwould experience some sort of resurgence. However,the murder-mystery aspects of the movie are not often discussed in regard toGosford Park. It is like a hidden aspect of the movie that takes the viewers by surprise, but makes it something of a lost gem in the genre. However, forDownton Abbeyfans and murder-mystery fans alike,Gosford Parkis just waiting to be rediscovered.
