Gosford Park takes place against the backdrop of some of England’s wealthy and privileged in the early 1930s.

Soon after it first aired on British television, Downton Abbey mania quickly enveloped the world, attracting fans from all four corners of the globe.

The indirect inspiration for the hugely popular costume drama was Gosford Park, the 2001 Robert Altman film – which, like the TV show, was written by veteran English novelist, screenwriter, actor and director Julian Fellowes.

Gosford Park came into being thanks to American actor, author, producer and director Bob Balaban’s wish to work with Altman. The latter had never done a murder mystery and was keen on revisiting the Agatha Christie genre – one he would turn completely on its head.

And so Gosford Park was born. It takes place against the backdrop of some of England’s wealthy and privileged in the early 1930s – a kind of live-action Cluedo, if you will.

A kind of live-action Cluedo

Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) and his wife Lady Sylvia (Kristin Scott Thomas) invite a group of friends and relatives for a weekend shooting party, blissfully unaware that the event will bring to the fore long-simmering petty rivalries, personal vendettas and painful memories – not only in the lavish drawing rooms upstairs, but among the myriad members of staff below stairs.

It will culminate in tragedy – yet remains peppered with Fellowes’ particular brand of droll wit throughout.

The late Altman was a director who loved stories that were character-driven, often examining at close quarters the conflicting relationships between the many characters that populated his films. He had a penchant for gathering large ensemble casts, often drawing out excellent performances from each and every one of them.

Gosford Park is no exception. Listing the entire cast – which features around 35 speaking parts – would consume a great chunk of my word count, but suffice it to mention the likes of Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Dance, Stephen Fry, Gambon, Richard E Grant, Derek Jacobi, Kelly MacDonald, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan Philippe, Maggie Smith, Scott Thomas and Emily Watson – a list of the elite of British cinema if ever there was one, with an American or two thrown in for good measure.

It is therefore the perfect example of the ensemble piece, and while the British thespian community may be viewed as being somewhat cliquey, that only enhances the performances. Like the characters, many of the actors have histories with one another – and the chemistry positively sizzles; and hard though it is to pick out the best in such a distinctive talent pool, to my mind it is Mirren, MacDonald and Owen who stand tall in a group of acting giants.

Within the ensemble are myriad richly-layered characters, each of whose background we quickly get to know. Each harbours secrets from the past; agendas in the present; and ambitions for the future, and it is to the credit of Fellowes’ sharp script that each and every one has their moment to shine.

His script captures the nuances of the social hierarchy of the period – the inherent snobbery, idiosyncrasies and prejudices of those upstairs, and the loyalty, discretion and devotion of those below, and the conflicts that inevitably arise when the two groups interact.

The script is astonishing in its accuracy of the rules and regulations that applied in these households – whether in the way tables are laid, servants are dressed and other trivia – for example, the servants’ seating arrangements at dinner reflect the order of importance of their masters.

Gosford Park was fêted on its release for a plethora of reasons, not only its astonishing cast. It is visually pleasing – the film’s production designer Stephen Altman (the director’s son) capturing the essence of the film’s vast estates, period furnishings and elaborate costumes; meanwhile the cinematography by Andrew Dunn also comes in for extensive praise.

The film was almost unanimously hailed by critics, many of whom called it Altman’s best work, and it featured in many award boards’ Top 10 films of the year. It was nominated for a plethora of awards, including seven Oscars (including Best Picture and Best Director), winning one for Best Original Screenplay for Fellowes. Unsurprisingly, it won Best Film Award at the BAFTAs.

Among the many other awards won were a number of Best Ensemble Awards, the critics clearly recognising the strength of the ensemble in a film that offered tea at four; dinner at eight and murder at midnight.