Gosford Park Page #2

Imagine having a film star

in the family.

- Lady Sylvia must be thrilled.

- Oh, I don't think.

Why wouldn't she be?

'Cause she's a snobbish cow.

'Cause she...

She looks down on anyone who got

to the top with brains and hard work.

Just like she looks down on her husband,

except when it's time to foot the bills.

And then she's got

her hand out, all right.

- What was her family, then'?

- What'd you expect, really?

Toffee-nosed and useless.

Her father was

the Earl of Carton.

Sounds good, except

he didn't have a pot to piss in.

- What's she like to work for?

- She's horrible. But he's...

He's okay. Come on.

We better get cracking.

- Hello, I'm Ivor.

- I know who you are.

- Mabel Nesbitt.

- Hello, Mabel.

- How are you?

- Very well, thank you.

Oh! I don't smoke.

Thank you.

Mrs. Nesbitt's only got one dress with her.

Says her husband rushed her when she was packing.

Do you always look after visitors

if they haven't got a maid?

Sometimes Dorothy helps,

though why Mrs. Wilson...

makes the still room maid

do it beats me.

I think she only does it

to annoy Mrs. Croft.

- Which one does Dorothy answer to?

- Both. That's the problem.

She's rushed off her feet as it is.

Are you nearly done there?

- Yes.

- Here she is... Miss Bossy.

Tell me, what was Greta Garbo

really like'?

- Did you get to know her?

- Yes, I did, actually.

She's coming to stay

with me next month.

Tell me, how much longer are you

going to go on... making films?

I suppose that rather depends on how much

longer the public want to see me in them.

Yes, it must be hard to know,

when it's time to throw in the towel.

What a pity about

that last one of yours.

What-What was it called?

- The Dodger.

- The Lodger.

The Lodger.

And it must be so disappointing...

when something just, you know,

flops like that.

Yes, it is...

rather disappointing.

Look at this.

Machine-made lace.

- Hark at her.

- Well, I hate cheap clothes.

They're twice the work,

and they never look as good.

I'll murder that dog one day.

Look at that. All over his waistcoat.

What do you expect from a woman

without her own maid?

Lady Lavinia says a woman who travels

with no maid has lost her self-respect.

- She calls it "giving in."

- I don't have a maid. I haven't given in.

- That's different.

- Why?

- What's your name?

- I think here I'm called Trentham.

No, I meant your real name.

Oh. Mary.

Mary Maceachran.

Blimey. What does

Her Ladyship call you?

Well, she should call me Maceachran,

now I'm a lady's maid.

That's what my mother says.

But Her Ladyship can't pronounce it,

so she calls me Mary.

I don't blame her.

Sylvia.

I'm serious.

There mustn't be any more nonsense.

I don't know what

you're talking about.

Done much shooting this year?

Quite a lot.

- Hello.

- Does Louisa always go out with you?

- Usually.

- It's very good of her.

- Do you have a minute?

- Don't do that! That's bad for him!

Put him down.

Yeah. Bores me stiff.

- All right, Pip.

- I just wondered...

William's such a rotten shot. I usually try

and duck out of it, particularly in Scotland.

I'm rather fond of Scotland.

All right,

get on with your work. Yes?

- Ah, Mr. Weissman. There you are.

- I'm dealing with this.

- What is it, Mr. Weissman'?

- Well, to start with, my name is Denton.

- Henry Denton.

- You're here as valet to Mr. Weissman.

That means you'll be known as Mr. Weissman

below stairs for the duration of your stay.

We stick to the old customs here.

It saves confusion.

- It's about Mr. Weissman's diet.

- Yes?

- He's a vegetarian.

- A what? - A vegetarian.

He doesn't eat meat.

He eats fish, but not meat.

Well, I never!

Doesn't eat meat?

He's coming for a shooting party,

and he doesn't eat meat.

Mr. Weissman doesn't

intend to shoot.

I think he just wants to walk

out with them, get a bit of air.

Get a bit of air?

Yes, thank you.

We'll make the necessary arrangements.

Now I suggest you get one of

the servants to take you upstairs.

Mr. Weissman is in the Green bedroom, and you'll

be sharing with Lord Stockbridge's valet...

Robert Parks.

He's very full of himself, I must say.

"Doesn't eat meat."

Now, now, Mrs. Croft. We don't want

to be thought unsophisticated, do we?

Mr. Weissman's an American.

They do things differently there.

Good boy, now.

Give Louisa a kiss from me.

Darling, I'm sorry about that.

- I should have made it clear that Morris just doesn't shoot.

- Don't worry.

William's just making a fuss.

He has this ridiculous idea...

that Americans all sleep

with guns under their pillows.

They do, but they're more for

each other than for killing birds.

Remind me.

How are you related to William exactly?

Our mothers were first cousins.

Don't believe

I ever met William's mother.

Didn't she do something

rather original?

Well, she was a teacher.

And so was mine.

- That's marvelous, isn't it?

- Sylvia is so clever.

She always finds

such wonderful servants.

- I don't know how she manages.

- I'm breaking in a new maid.

I'm simply worn out with it.

Actually, there's nothing

more exhausting, is there?

- I don't have a lady's maid.

- Oh. Hello.

I was just telling dear Mabel here

about my new maid.

Honestly, the amount I have to do

for her, she should be paying me.

She does seem rather young.

Well, of course, what she is,

my dear, is wonderfully cheap.

You've no right to pull me away

in mid-conversation.

Mabel, where are you going?

The room's this way.

Why the hell did you have to mention

you don't have a maid?

Why would you mention you didn't

have a maid, for God's sake?

You'd find it a lot easier to clean

them if you put the trees in first.

I was just about to do that.

- Are these Mr. Novello's shoes?

- Yes.

- Do you really live in Hollywood'?

- I do.

Hmm. How did you get there?

Where did you start from?

Where else do you think?

Scotland.

Were you always in service?

Did you ever think of trying to

get into films while you were there?

I wanted to be an actor once...

when I was little.

I suppose old Mother Trentham...

will have her begging bowl out

while she's here.

She won't be bothering

your employers, that's certain.

- Why not?

- Because Lady Lavinia Meredith...

- hasn't got a penny to bless herself with.

- And whose fault is that?

There's nothing wrong

with the commander.

He's just been a bit unfortunate.

I'll say.

I think he's pathetic.

Then why don't you

hand in your notice?

Well, the other two sisters

fell on their feet.

Of course, it helps

that they're both good-looking.

- Lady Sylvia's lovely.

- You think so?

- She might have done a bit better for herself, really.

- I beg your pardon.

Lord Carton was determined to have Sir

William for either of the two eldest.

I was told he could have

had his pick.

- Why was Lord Carton so keen?

- Why do you think?

Who do you suppose pays for him to swan

around Biarritz for six months of the year?

Come to that, who keeps Ma Trentham

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