Set on a richly appointed English estate in 1932 Gosford Park is superficially an historical costume drama-turned-whodunit. As it unravels, however, Robert Altman's latest becomes a satire of the English class system caught between two World Wars. Luckily it also shows a deft touch with in-jokes about motion pictures and an often-sharp portrait of the differences between Americans and their British cousins.

As friends and family gather at the McCordle estate for a weekend getaway, a clean divide is sketched between houseguests and their staff. Fantastically wealthy Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) provides for an extended family and employs a huge number of servants, all of whom have secrets to conceal.

Over the course of decadent meals, outdoor activities and shallow salon conversation, McCordle's weekend guests are eventually treated to his murder. When given the many relationships riddling the comforts of his ample home, it's anyone's guest who could've killed him. More important to the proceedings, however, is the underlying reason why. Motives abound, revelations are made and, in the end, the perpetrator is never discovered despite the bumbling efforts of two investigators.

Of course the dramedy's meat potatoes is really the silent skirmish occurring between houseguests and their staff. Aristocratic habits, tastes and sexual proclivities are laid bare running in parallel to the similar fashions of the no less randy and ambitions servants below the estate's main quarters.

Written by Julian Fellows¸ Gosford Park is an enjoyable talking picture with good observations and an all-star cast including Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Richard Grant, Alan Bates, Helen Mirren and Emily Watson. Characters are balanced and the dialogue is carefully orchestrated to drift between groups producing distilled chaos. Such complexity is an Altman trait but it is confusing and should be remembered in advance of feeling stupid as a spectator struggling to keep up.

Throughout the production design by Stephen Altman is terrific. Sets by Anna Pinnock or superb, costumes by Jenny Beavan are wonderful and the entire picture is lovingly photographed by Andrew Dunn. For fans of movies with broad social commentary, morally ambiguous characters and a purposeful lack of special effects, this film is a breath of fresh air.

With heavy Oscar consideration being given to the prestige projects of 2001, however, I can only say that Gosford Park is a fine film though not a great one. Still, it's enjoyable to see Altman's latest, all the more so when considering his age and the limited number of future projects. Unfortunately this picture doesn't attain the level of genius seen in his previous work including Short Cuts, The Player, McCabe and Mrs. Miller and M*A*S*H even if it's a worthy entry into his notable filmography, if not as a mainstream hit.