The Remains of the Day

This is Merchant Ivory’s best film.

Tony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are superb.

This period drama is set in the mid to late 1930’s before the outbreakof the Second World War.

Tony Hopkins plays Mr. Stevens, a butler in the household where a hugeconference on the state of Europe and effects a war could have on itand the rest of the world takes place.

The cast including James Fox, Hugh Grant, Christopher Reeve and MichaelLonsdale give performances that stand out in this thought provokingfilm.

Fascinating. Just what goes on and interesting characters. No realsurprisesthough. Has some moral dilemmas that are very interesting. Following ordersis the central theme. Everyone pretty much stays in character. All thecharacter details seem carefully woven together.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie–I thought I would be boredbut since it had both Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in it, Idecided to watch it anyway. Their acting was superb–I felt AnthonyHopkins should have won the Oscar for best actor in thismovie–especially in the scene where his father has a heart attack inthe middle of a very important dinner with very important guests andAnthony Hopkins has to continue with his duties as head butler. Hemanages to control his emotions but his eyes tells it all–how deeplyhurt he is. No overacting here. In another scene where Emma Thompsontells him that she is leaving to get married–I have never seen suchgreat acting in my life! I could almost feel his pain–losing the onlywoman he has ever loved. While his decision to let her go is certainlyfoolish, one can only watch in wonder how flawlessly Anthony Hopkinsacted out this scene and it is repeated much later when he goes tovisit Emma Thompson at the conclusion of the film.

Great movie, great acting all the way. I could scarcely believe thatthe script was written by a Japanese–he really showed what that"British stiff upper lip" is all about…

The Remains of the Day has profound meaning that may not easilydiscerned at first. The inability to express ones feelings, is itbetter to be more objective or subjective as a person, finding meaningin your work, the wisdom and indiscretion of youth, the inability tocommunicate, the relationship between father and son related to therelationship between employer and employee and a lost love. The listgoes on. The Butler (Anthony Hopkins is truly a tragic figure whobecause of pride and upbringing cannot get himself to express his truefeelings toward Miss Clinton(Emma Thompson).

What maybe even more tragic he cannot tell his own father as his fatheris dying that he loves him. Hopkins inability to express his love forthe people in his life haunts him until the bitter end. It leaves himtrapped wanting to be free like the pigeon who flew into the wrong roomat the end of the movie and was let go. Watch the movie again.

‘Remains of the Day’ exhibits all the hallmarks of the Merchant/Ivorytrade-craft. Beautiful photography, a beautiful musical score, fineediting, excellent dialog, natural character development and exquisitesettings. And last but not least a marvelous cast of actors at the toptheir collective form. Anthony Hopkins has done nothing better. Hisrestrained portrait of the Butler, Stevens, is one of the finestattempts at the portrayal of true servitude, without suffering, that Ihave ever seen. I say, without suffering, because I don’t think Stevenssuffers. I think he is very aware of what others experience, as far asclose emotional attachments and self-expression, but does notparticularly covet those things. He is something we don’t understandanymore, someone who lives to serve, in the best sense of the word. Ialso do not think Stevens is a naive person; though perhaps shelteredby the circumstances of his career, he fully knows HOW to find outwhat’s going on the outside world, if he wanted to.

Emma Thompson’s housekeeper, Miss Kenton, is from that outside worldand attempts to broaden Mr Stevens’ horizons by forcing him to facewhat she thinks are his own self-imposed limitations. She is right, orcourse, in that Stevens does indeed impose limitations on himself, butshe also has a hidden agenda. She is in love with him. Perhaps he lovesher but that is something he has sacrificed, willingly, to perform hisjob to the best of his abilities. We might not understand this attitudenow but those were different times when the feudal spirit was stillflickering in its last days of existence in England. All gone now.

I found ‘Remains of the Day’ to be a fascinating glimpse into the dayto day activities in a great house run along the lines of ancienttraditions, and it is also an attempt to portray our struggle withourselves and our consciences; cowardice resulting from fear, breakingthe bounds of tradition, love vs. duty and honor and all that self-helpsort of thing.

The only truly false and ridiculous note in the film is when LordDarlington asks his butler to explain the facts of life to Darlington’sGod-son, Hugh Grant, a young man in his twenties. This was totallyabsurd and I doubt if the most empty-headed, negligent peer ever knownto man, whoever he might have been, would have given the facts of lifea second thought. Most schoolboys learned about sex at a very early agewithin the English public school system and by other more sophisticatedmeans at their disposal. I suggest reading books by Evelyn Waugh andGraham Greene for the real skinny on that topic.

I also found Congressman Lewis (Christopher Reeve) to be a highlyfictional creation. America did not give a damn about World War 2 untilwell into the fighting action, and France and most of the Continent hadfallen to Hitler’s army, only then did F.D.R. come to the aid ofEngland. In the mid 1930s when this film takes place, America was notconcerned with German aggression. In fact our Ambassador to the courtof St James, Joseph Kennedy Sr, was an admirer of Hitler, resulting inF.D.R. calling him back to Washington and giving him other work to do.He was an embarrassment but still America did not act in the interestsof England to cut Germany off at the pass BEFORE a war was started.Reeves’ speech, therefore, at the great dinner is completely bogus andthe creation of a modern author looking back and using his creativeimagination to put forth an anti-aristocracy diatribe out of the mouthof Congressman Lewis.

The other historical figure shown in this film is Sir Oswald Mosley,though under the name of "Sir Geoffrey" something or other. He isportrayed as a grim-lipped monster, quite unlike the true personalityof Mosley, the founder of the British Union of Fascists, aka BlackShirts. Mosley had a large following among average British citizens ofthe day and it wasn’t until the press and the communists put him intheir sights that he was arrested and imprisoned for the balance of thewar. Prior to the formation of the B.U.F. Mosley was widely consideredone of the most brilliant politicians in Parliament and was oftenconsidered as a possible Prime Minister. This aspect of the truth wasentirely ignored in the portrayal of "Sir Geoffrey" who was simplyshown as a nasty little vegetarian bully spouting Hitlarian epithets,something Oswald Mosley never did. This isn’t to defend Mosley or hisB.U.F but simply to highlight the interpretation of history that hasbeen put into the script.

So why do I like this film? I’m not sure. I love the house and itsfurnishings and the activities of the below-stairs staff. The chemistrybetween Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins is fascinating.

In the end I enjoy it is a glorified house-tour wrapped up in awell-written dialogue. I don’t see this film as being particularlytragic, or about thwarted love, on the part of Stevens anyway. As MissKenton comments upon getting hold of a book Stevens is reading in hisroom…"It’s just a sentimental old love story." That would describethis film from Miss Kenton’s point of view, but not from
Stevens’ Ithink. He would have viewed this film as a tale of all the underminingpolitical forces that brought about the downfall of an ancient andnoble tradition in England, and he would not have liked it at all. Amelancholy and often touching film which is beautiful to watch, andlittle more.

I give this film a 6 out of 10.

I have seen this film many times and every time the subtleness of thecharacters comes to mind. Is it a story about missed opportunities?Decisions one would like to undo? About love and duty? About the secondworld war and its aftermath? The acting is absolute superb, and it isThompson and Hopkins at their best. The "bookscene" is unforgettable,and assumes growing importance when seeing this film more often.

SPOILER The only drawback may be that America was, historically seen,not much interested in the second world war, which is contrary to theAmerican character in the film, who seems to be very much involved inEuropean politics at that time.

But apart from that one can only applaud the producer, director, scripteditor and actors of making such a beautiful product.

Reading through the comments on this movie I find the people who didn'tlike it, found it to be "terribly slow, no romance, unbearably stuffy,no one could possibly be so blindly loyal, etc." The entire premise ofthe story, the basis for the story, is exactly what they do not like.This is quite sad. Anyone who enjoys history can follow the meetingsthat go on at the house. Anyone can understand the butler's feelingsthat he is below these talks and not informed well enough to passjudgment on his peers, nor why he would NEVER pass judgment on themeven if he were in fact informed enough. That he can not warm to thecare of another is also understandable when you see the totalcommitment he has to his position. There is, in fact, a very tenderlove story here. You have to look for it. I found movie totallybeautiful and superbly portrayed. It is too bad there aren't any beingmade today to match it.

The british class system is very unique, the distinction between master andservant existed very long in Great Britian, maybe even longer than in everyother country in the world. Oddly enough few films have taken a closer lookat that special environment. This insightful film did it and that withinsight and great success.

The movie starts in the 1950’s. Darlington Hall had been sold to a richAmerican politician (Christopher Reeve), the old Lord has died without anheir. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), the butler stays still in contact with aformer housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson), for she might return to runthe house. In flashbacks their story is told.

In the 30’s Lord Darlington (James Fox) is a fierce supporter of Hitler,believing that the Nazis will rebuilt Germany and make it a proud nationonce again. To find supporters for his cause he invites several diplomatsfrom different nations. This shows that the there were great sympathies forthe Nazis all over the world (something those countries like to ignore orforget). In these turbulent days, Stevens serves his master without everdoubting him. Even when he finally is alarmed (Lord Darlington insists ondismissing two maids because they are Jews), he does what he was told. Loveblossoms between him and Miss Kenton, though he cannot admit it. He’sextraordinary stiff and suppresses his feelings, unable to show any form ofemotion. She desperately tries to get an emotional response from him,fighting with him, shouting at him over some nonsense. But she cannot reachhim emotionally. Finally she agrees to marry a man she doesn’t love to forceStevens to finally admit his feelings for her. But he doesn’t and shemarries and leaves Darlington Hall.

This is one of my personal favourite Merchant-Ivory production, beautifullycrafted, this story of unfulfilled love is deeply touching. It’s aboutinability to find happiness and the choices we make and the result thatremain of these choices. It’s about trust and loyalty without ever trying tothink for yourself. Stevens realizes to late, that his master has done wrongand in the end he’s embarrassed and ashamed that he didn’t have the strengthto think for himself.

After their first pairing together in `Howards End’ Emma Thompson andAnthony Hopkins once again are on screen. They are brilliant, never strikinga wrong note, absolutely perfect. Together they create more chemistry andsexual tension (yes, they do) than some couples in Hollywoodmovies.

They are supported by a terrific cast, the wonderful James Fox, ChristopherReeve, Lena Headey, Ben Chaplin and (in a pre-romantic comedy part) HughGrant.

This is one of my all time favourite films and I’ll never tire ofwatching it. You are drawn into the film and actually feel like you areseeing this world of appeasement and stately homes through eachindividual actor’s eyes. You can see the passion in the butler’s eyes,never-mind how much he tries to hide it. You sense the housekeepersdespair at ever reaching the butler through his ‘unseeing’? eyes. Eachtime I watch it I feel a new intensity and the film proffers many morequestions. The acting? Ludicrously excellent all round, with Hopkinsand Thompson digging gold. Making you believe that they really don’tknow what awaits the world around the corner.

I had seen this movie before, but it was on television (one of the "ondemand free movies" we get with our cable company)and I remembered thatI liked it, so I watched again. I was almost immediately drawn in tothis fascinating story, engrossed in the intricacies of the plot. Thisreminded me of Gosford Park, in that there is a lot of food for thoughthere. Emma Thompson is excellent, as is Anthony Hopkins. What fineperformances from both of them! I had forgotten that Hugh Grant was inthis. His performance was also well done, and understated. ChristopherReeve also had what amounted to a cameo; this movie was made a coupleof years before his accident. It’s hard to describe the plot, as thereis so much going on. Hopkins plays a butler; his goal is to be thefinest butler he can be, and one of the best qualities a butler canhave is loyalty. Yet, he slowly (very very slowly) realizes thatperhaps loyalty, when displaced, is not actually a virtue. Thompsonplays the young housekeeper who is very good at what she does, yet sheis (by the character’s own admission) a coward. The main storylineconcerns the butler’s unrequited love for the housekeeper, and it isheartbreaking! This is not a film that everyone will enjoy, but thesubtleties made it one that I’ll most definitely watch again. I highlyrecommend it, with the caveat that if you’d rather watch an actionpicture, this won’t be for you.