The inhabitants — upstairs guests as well as downstairs servants — of an English country house at a 1932 shooting party are profiled against a backdrop of secrets, rumors and murder.

Of the all-star cast that includes Charles Dance, Michael Gambon, Kristin Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith, Slate magazine asks, "Is there anyone but Altman who could have pulled off such an effervescent mix of satire, affection and devastating rebuke? And attracted such an ensemble? And let everyone work at this high level? And kept the action in perfect focus? And made it all so damned entertaining?"