No, John, it’s not the best movie ever made. That honor belongs to the Third Man, and nothing else comes close. That said, The Shooting Party is absolutely wonderful. Autumnal, elegiac, and run through with a keen sense of the futility of, well, just about everything. Throw in James Mason and John Gielgud on top form, and it comes pretty close to perfection.

And if you’re looking for a companion piece, try Colonel Redl. You won’t regret it.