“I don't think I've ever seen the British class system of the 1930s so artfully dissected. It's all the more remarkable when you consider that Altman is a 76-year-old American -- albeit a Southern gent. A huge, huge treat.” - Roger Clarke, Independent
“Five stars don't do it justice.” - Neil Smith, BBC
“Abounds in scenes to savor. It's a feast, and one of Altman's best.” - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Wednesday, August 20, 6:00 p.m. & Saturday, August 23, 2:00 p.m. | Step aside, Agatha Christie. Julian Fellowes’ (later of Downton Abbey fame) delicious dissection of the British class structure is brought to lavish life in Altman’s late career whodunit. Set in 1930s England, a group of aristocrats (Kristin Scott Thomas, Michael Gambon, Tom Hollander, Maggie Smith) gather at a grand estate for a weekend of hunting, as their maids, butlers, and valets (Hellen Mirren, Clive Owen, Kelly Macdonald, Emily Watson) assemble to serve them. Simmering tensions, clandestine conversations, and multi-course dinners are disrupted when a member of the ruling class is murdered (twice!), and everyone—both upstairs and down—is a suspect. Garnering Altman his fifth Best Director Academy Award nomination, a nomination for Best Picture, and a Best Original Screenplay win for Fellowes (as well as Best Supporting Actress noms for both Smith and Mirren), GOSFORD PARK proved that no one can do “Altmanesque” better than Altman.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Best Original Screenplay, Academy Awards
Nominee - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Helen Mirren), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Maggie Smith), Academy Awards
Winner - Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Helen Mirren), Screen Actors Guild Awards
Robert Altman Centennial | June–August 2025
Robert Altman (1925–2006) is one of the rare directors whose name alone conjures his style. Say a film is “Altmanesque” and you’ll get nods of understanding—most cinephiles know the auteur’s calling cards: large ensemble casts; overlapping dialogue; a roving camera, and a subtle critique of the American Dream. Altman was prolific (a hardworking midwesterner), directing 36 feature films, and well over 100 episodes of television. Nominated for five Best Director Academy Awards, Altman was presented with an Honorary Academy Award in 2006—and he passed away nine months later, at the age of 81. When asked by Playboy Magazine in 1976, “When you look into your future, what do you want to have accomplished?” Altman answered, “All I want is to do what I'm doing. What else would I do?”
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu