Plot

Set in the 1930s, a group of pretentious rich and famous get together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.

Set in the 1930s, the story takes place in an old-fashioned English country house where a weekend shooting party is underway. The story centers on the McCordle family, particularly the man of the house, Sir William McCordle (Sir Michael Gambon). Getting on in years, William has become a benefactor to many of his relatives and friends. As the weekend goes on, secrets are revealed, and it seems that everyone, above stairs and below, wants a piece of William and his money, but how far will they go to get it?—Ashley <AMTOT@aol.com>

November, 1932. Lord and Lady McCordle, William and Sylvia in more familiar terms, are hosting a weekend gathering at their country estate, the gathering centered on a pheasant shooting party. While many of the invitees are relatives of Lady McCordle, such as her two sisters, their respective husbands, and her somewhat openly critical Aunt Constance, the guest list also does most notably include matinee idol Ivor Novello, who in turn has arranged an invitation for Hollywood producer Morris Weissman, by chance he working on a new Charlie Chan murder mystery movie that takes place at an English estate. Along with the invited guests come their own personal servants - maids and valets - who not only have to be at the beck and call of their master or mistress for the weekend, but do their jobs within the finely tuned workings of the permanent "below stairs" i.e. staff of the estate, most notably the head butler, Mr. Jennings, the head housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson, and the head cook, Mrs. Croft. There is much intrigue going on at the estate this weekend as individuals try behind the scenes to advance their own positions, this intrigue both among the "above stairs" and "below stairs", as well as between the two, with gossip prevalent among both, but which is a little more open among the below stairs despite they often being bound to secrecy if told something by their master or mistress. While two of those issues of intrigue come out into the open on their own, one by chance and one as a consequence of another development, it is a murder that occurs at the estate late on the Saturday that changes the nature of the gathering as, as the investigation by less than able Inspector Thompson ensues, those at the estate for the weekend may do their damnedest to keep his or her secret just that, regardless if they or those secrets are germane to the murder.—Huggo

Sir William McCordle (Sir Michael Gambon) is a wealthy, but uncouth industrialist-turned-aristocrat, with a large house in the English countryside, complete with staff. It is a world where everything runs in order, both upstairs, where Sir William and his much younger wife Lady Sylvia (Dame Kristen Scott Thomas) indulge in a very comfortable existence of shooting, dinners, and parties, and downstairs, where the servants work endlessly under the command of the butler Mr. Jennings (Sir Alan Bates), and the housekeeper Mrs. Wilson (Dame Helen Mirren). Whether they like it or not, everyone knows his or her place. But a shooting party will change all of that, with friends of the McCordles and their servants arriving from outside to upset the order, and so begins a complicated tale of secrets, lies, deceit, betrayal, revenge, bitterness, hatred, money, and love, and that's all before the murder.—Scott

When Sir William McCordle (Sir Michael Gambon) is found sitting at his desk with a knife in his chest, few people grieve. He and his wife Sylvia (Dame Kristen Scott Thomas) are hosting a weekend shooting party. There are a variety of guests including Sylvia's sister and her husband, Lord Raymond Stockbridge (Charles Dance) and Lady Louisa Stockbridge (Geraldine Somerville); movie star Ivor Novello (Jeremy Northam), and a Hollywood producer; an aunt who is dependent on McCordle for her allowance; and a variety of business associates all wanting something from the man. Downstairs at Gosford Park, there is a beehive of activity, but if truth be told, few amongst the servants will miss McCordle. Some of the women used to work for him in his factories and he was known to take advantage of his female employees. When the Police announce that the victim died of poisoning and was only stabbed after he was dead, there is yet another mystery to solve. Beneath the surface, everyone in the house has secrets, but which would be a motive for murder?—garykmcd

In November 1932, wealthy English industrialist Sir William McCordle, his wife Lady Sylvia, and their daughter Isobel host a weekend shooting party at their country estate, Gosford Park. The guests arrive: Sylvia's sisters Louisa and Lavinia, and their husbands Lord (Raymond) Stockbridge and Commander Anthony Meredith; her aunt Constance, Countess of Trentham; the Hon. Freddie and Mabel Nesbitt; actor Ivor Novello and American film producer Morris Weissman; and latecomers Lord Rupert Standish and Jeremy Blond. Mrs Wilson, the housekeeper, assigns the visiting servants to their rooms and takes notice of Robert Parks, Lord Stockbridge's valet, who mentions being raised in an orphanage. Head housemaid Elsie guides the inexperienced Mary MacEachran, maid to Lady Trentham, through the gathering.

Following dinner, a silver carving knife is missing. Henry Denton, Weissman's valet, raises the staff's suspicions with intrusive questions, and has a late-night sexual encounter with Lady Sylvia. Isobel asks Elsie to speak to Sir William about hiring Freddie, who is blackmailing Isobel over their affair and her aborted pregnancy. Freddie mistreats Mabel, whom he married for her money when he overestimated her wealth, while Rupert courts Isobel. Lady Trentham confides to Mary that Sylvia and Louisa cut cards to decide which of them would marry Sir William. When the men go pheasant shooting the next morning, a stray shot grazes Sir William's ear. The ladies join them for lunch, and Sir William withdraws from Anthony's business scheme, leaving the commander financially ruined.

Lady Sylvia informs her aunt that Sir William may halt Constance's allowance. During dinner, Lady Sylvia berates Sir William and Elsie comes to his defence, inadvertently exposing their affair; Elsie leaves the room disgraced while Sir William abruptly exits to the library. Mrs Wilson brings him coffee which he knocks away, demanding whisky. The guests gather in the drawing room as Novello plays the piano, with the servants listening outside; Freddie, Anthony, Robert, and footman George each slip away. One of the men, seen only by his trousers, retrieves the missing knife and enters the library, where Sir William is slumped in his chair, and stabs him.

The body is soon discovered, and the bumbling Inspector Thompson and competent Constable Dexter arrive to investigate. Henry visits Lady Sylvia for another tryst, and is revealed to be an American actor posing as Weissman's Scottish valet as research for an upcoming role. It is discovered that Sir William was poisoned before being stabbed, and Mrs Croft, the head cook, tells her staff about Sir William's history of raping his female factory workers; those who became pregnant were forced to give their babies up for adoption, or else lose their jobs. Isobel gives Freddie a cheque, which he angrily tears up when confronted by Mabel. Inspector Thompson releases the guests without interviewing most of the staff.

Mary confronts Robert, deducing that he became Lord Stockbridge's valet to gain proximity to Sir William and murder him. Robert reveals that he is the illegitimate son of Sir William, who gave him to an orphanage when his mother died shortly after his birth. He tells her he didn't poison Sir William, and she tells him he couldn't have killed him because he was poisoned to death. He and Mary share a kiss. As the guests and their servants depart, Freddie pursues a partnership with Anthony, and Isobel rejects Rupert after overhearing him discuss her inheritance. Elsie accepts a ride to London with Weissman, Novello, and Henry.

Lady Trentham and Lady Sylvia discuss Mrs Croft and Mrs Wilson's long-standing feud, leading Mary to realize Mrs Wilson is Robert's mother. She confronts Mrs Wilson, who reveals that she and Mrs Croft are sisters. They both had children fathered by Sir William while working at his factory; Mrs Croft kept her baby and lost her job, though the child died in infancy, while Mrs Wilson gave Robert up. Realizing he was her son and that he intended to kill his father, Mrs Wilson poisoned Sir William to ensure Robert's only crime would be stabbing a dead body. Mrs Croft comforts Mrs Wilson as Mary says goodbye to Robert, saying nothing about his mother or the murder, and the last guests go their separate ways.