Films: Torn Curtain & Gosford Park

Today seems to be the start of the holiday as far as TV is concerned - all week, it's been serious programming: but today saw the first carol service, and the schedule even fuller with films than it had been all week. Including, finally, two that I actually hadn't seen and wanted to watch! At lunchtime was Torn Curtain, made in 1966 and starring Paul Newman as a double agent, with Julie Andrews as his fiancee. I knew nothing else about it, but with nothing much else on the other channels, I thought I'd give it a try.

So, the basic story is that he pretends to defect to East Germany to grab a scientific formula to bring back to the West - I missed the beginning, but what seems to hinder him is when she shows up, apparently having followed him over to find out what on earth is going on! Frankly, she looks quite incongruous, and I did wonder on occasion what her function in the film was - although, I have to say, she was unexpectedly calm about everything, waiting for him to explain it to her: but then, that's Julie Andrews for you.

He's truly gorgeous to look at, from that era - and I found the plot unexpectedly compelling! Looking at it afterwards, I see it's a Hitchcock - ah well, that would explain that, then. It also explains what she was doing there - Hitch could never seem to have a film without a blonde in it. But as I say, quite a compelling film, particularly for the details - recommended, if you come across it!

Late tonight, I found myself giving Gosford Park a peek. Now, of course, this is a particular genre of film, set in an English country estate in the 1920s or 30s, and if you have an interest in such things you'll happily watch it, and if not, you probably won't. A number of guests have gathered for the weekend - but things take a dramatic turn when a murder occurs. Certainly, it's star-studded - even if you didn't know in advance, you'd quickly start recognising faces. Directed by Robert Altman, and co-written by him and Julian Fellowes, who's known for this genre, it stars the late, great Dame Maggie Smith, who always added such a caustic humour to this kind of drawing-room drama. It also has Ryan Philippe as a personal valet, Michael Gambon as the owner of the house (who I think is Maggie Smith's brother), Kristin Scott-Thomas as his wife, Charles Dance as one of the guests, Jeremy Northam, Laurence Fox, Stephen Fry as the bumbling detective, Kelly Macdonald as Maggie Smith's lady's maid, Dame Helen Mirren as the housekeeper, Eileen Atkins as the cook, Emily Watson as another maid, Alan Bates as the butler, Derek Jacobi, Richard E. Grant as another valet.. and quite possibly others I didn't recognise.

It looks gorgeous, of course - the costumes of the upper classes are delectable, the contrast with the staff is stark. A couple of Americans are thrown into the mix, for contrast, and the weekend's activities centre on hunting, fine dining, and genteel after-dinner entertainment. It's fun to watch, if you're into that sort of thing, and the plot is sufficiently convoluted that you're unlikely to guess the killer or motive before time. Plus, it's filmed in the real-life estate of Wrotham Park, so worth a look for that alone - it's not open to the public in general, but is available for hire. The servants' quarters were reconstructed on set though, as they have been modernised in the real-life property, and the upstairs bedrooms were filmed at Syon House. 

So, a good TV day - the best yet. I head back to London on the 5th, but am keeping my eye on what's coming out on New Year's Day..