The Remains of the Day (1993) User Reviews

Muted drama with excellent performances.

[jckruize · 8/10 · 14 July 2003]

Impeccably cast and produced in typical Merchant-Ivory manner, this understated drama features superb performances by two of the finest actors in modern cinema, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. Both an acid indictment of the British class system and an unflinching portrayal of a man who in the end cannot transcend his largely self-imposed limitations, the film is both fascinating and agonizing to watch and its cumulative emotional impact will stay with you long after it's over.

There is an exquisite moment near the finale when Thompson's character bares only slightly a hint of the feelings she has for Hopkins, an allusion to what might have been between them. And Hopkins, in his consummate skill, maintains in both facial and vocal expressions the most non-committal of replies; his face a mask of bland affability but his eyes dark with the knowledge that he is a dead man who has wasted his life. With no outward show of emotion, the scene is devastating.

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY may not be a happy film, but it is a memorable and powerful one.

The Sands of Decline...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 10 February 2023]

You're a butler who is focused, dedicated, from your birth you've become trained, domesticated, you're at the peak of your profession, it's you're life's only obsession, you're like a eunuch, but it's your soul, that's been castrated. Miss Kenton joins the staff as the Housekeeper, she speaks her mind, pleasant you find, you choose to defer; events unfold, you remain cold, she crosses Mr. Benn's threshold, and then she leaves, while you remain, just as you were. Some years later correspondence warms an ember, an opportunity that you passed, as you remember, is it too late, for a courtship, arrange in haste a short visit, to save a candle that in truth, was never lit.

Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins are immense in a tale of guarded hearts and missed opportunities.

Poignant portrait of a butler's life...dedication, restraint, and regret

[roghache · 9/10 · 19 May 2006]

This is an incredibly moving and tragic film that paints a vivid portrait of the restrained life of a butler at an English manor, and brings humanity to those in service. It examines the English class system and the relationship between master and servant, but primarily depicts a life of regret. The haunting musical score provides compelling accompaniment to this butler's unfolding tragic personal life story. The manor used to depict Darlington Hall is magnificent, the palatial rooms and luxurious furnishings spectacular, the English countryside scenery lovely.

Mr. Stevens has devoted his entire life to being the butler at Darlington Hall, currently owned by a millionaire American Senator named Lewis, who had earlier visited the manor. The film flashes back to the butler's years of loyal service and unselfish dedication to his previous employer, Lord Darlington. During that time he is shown to devote himself completely to the efficient running of this enormous household and to totally suppress his own emotions. The butler's restrained veneer is put to the test by the arrival of a new housekeeper, Miss Kenton, who is herself energetic and efficient but challenges him with her wit. The pair develop unexpressed but very obvious feelings for each other. Meanwhile, the gullible Lord Darlington becomes naively involved as a Nazi sympathizer, instrumental in British attempts to appease Hitler back in the late 1930's.

Anthony Hopkins is absolutely masterful in the role of the perfect butler, Mr. Stevens, his face a mirror of the words he cannot express. He superbly conveys this trusted servant's loyalty, dedicated efficiency, dignified service, restraint, and suppressed emotions. Emma Thompson is equally brilliant as the capable housekeeper, Miss Kenton, who does display her emotions without ever stating them directly. Other cast members include Hugh Grant as Lord Darlington's godson, and the wonderful late Christopher Reeve as Darlington Hall's present owner, Lewis. James Fox portrays the extremely misguided but never truly villainous Lord Darlington.

The butler reveals himself to be unfailingly dedicated to his household, overseeing an elaborate dinner party as his own father is dying upstairs. Mr. Stevens never expresses his political or personal opinions, regardless of whether they are solicited. He diligently performs every single duty expected of him, even awkwardly attempting to fulfill Lord Darlington's request to enlighten his godson about the birds & the bees before his marriage. Despite his own unacknowledged misgivings, at His Lordship's insistence he dismisses two maids simply because they are Jewish. As Lord Darlington's Nazi collaboration unfolds, Mr. Stevens concentrates on performing his duties, endeavours not to admit even to himself awareness of these unsettling political matters, and remains unquestioningly loyal to his aristocratic employer.

In this movie we have an undeclared romance between two mature people who never once express their feelings for each other, yet their love is blatantly apparent and absolutely compelling. The viewer gets a glimpse into the depth of unexpressed love in Mr. Stevens' heart when Miss Kenton discovers him reading a sentimental romance novel. He is painfully embarrassed at her discovery but again admits no emotion. The housekeeper's entire demeanor conveys how much she craves his love, threatening to wed another so that Mr. Stevens will finally reveal himself. When he does not, Miss Kenton marries a man she does not love. The butler's emotions are equally obvious on countless occasions, as when he gazes at the departing Miss Kenton from the window above. It is frustrating for the viewer, watching this honourable and dignified gentleman constantly put on a brave and proper outer facade while denying his own emotions, whether grief over his father or love for the housekeeper.

Twenty years later Mr. Stevens is filled with regret over his wasted life, his misguided sense of duty toward Lord Darlington, a man of disgraced reputation and now dead. He tries to remedy the error of his emotional suppression but alas, it is too late. Miss Kenton is unhappily married but has a grown, now pregnant daughter and her own sense of duty. Even when she broaches the topic of evening (as in the twilight of their lives), the reserved butler still does not declare his feelings. Their final farewell as she tearfully takes her leave by bus is surely one of the most restrained but sad and haunting depictions ever of two people in love parting. This is a superbly subtle, beautiful, and sensitive portrait of unfulfilled love and regret.

Yes, They Can Still Make 'Em Like They Used To

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 19 October 2005]

Wow, what a wonderful movie this turned out to be!

I didn't check this movie out until the fall of 2004 after reading a number of positive reviews, enough to pique my curiosity. I was glad I did. In fact, I was so impressed with this film that a week later I went out and bought the book, which is even better.

First of all, the film is a tremendous visual treat. There are some great interior scenes of the Darlington mansion, and great colors inside and in the surrounding outside scenery. This is simply a beautiful film.

Second, the acting of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson was spectacular. They were riveting. The way they deliver dialog and the expressions of their faces.....magnificent acting. Thompson's sad look in the back of the bus near the end of the movie is the saddest, most haunting look on a person's face I have ever seen in 50 years of movie watching.

Hopkins, one of the best actors of this generation, provides a tremendous character study of a man who has been taught that to be the best in his profession, he must suppress all emotion. In doing so, he never learns to think for himself and he misses out on what could have been the love of his life. In that regards, this is a very frustrating story.

However, this isn't just a tragic romantic story. Hopkins' character is wonderful example, too, of unselfish devotion and dignified servitude in the face of any kind of circumstance.

This is an extremely beautiful, intelligent and sensitive film. If when people tell you, "They don't make 'em like they used to," show them this film.

The greatest movie to not win an Oscar?

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 21 June 2023]

Dutiful butler Stevens serves his master Lord Darlington diligently, obediently, without question, until he realises one day that his devout duty to the natural order of things, may have been wrong.

A string of Oscar nominations, and not a single win, and then you realise what the competition was, Schindler's list, if only this film had been released a year either side, it may have done very well.

It runs for just over the two hour mark, but somehow feels longer, I don't mean that as a negative, simply because there seems to be so much content, it's so deep and absorbing.

Some may argue it's a little heavy, and I would agree, it is quite a heavy going film, but it's engrossing, and does have a few lighter moments, I'd have loved to overhear the conversation about the birds and the bees, you can only imagine.

A tour de force from the legendary Anthony Hopkins, surely one of the best performances of all time? His delivery is exquisite, there isn't a single point where you don't thoroughly believe in his character, that moment where he learns of his father's fate, but carries on with his duties, it's incredible.

Tha way the story is told is terrific, it moves backwards and forwards somewhat, but it isn't hard to keep up with, some films leave you baffled, there isn't a single sense of that here. It's a war film of sorts, but told from a very unique view point.

The cinematography is unbelievable, the visuals are striking, there's an atmosphere and an intimacy about the way it's shot, it's remarkable.

Hopkins, as I've mentioned is remarkable, but the likes of Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, James Fox and Peter Vaughan are all outstanding.

10/10.

The best story of unrequited love in cinema history.

[sdillon-1 · 10/10 · 30 July 2003]

This is, in my opinion, the finest film in the Merchant Ivory canon. And to hail it as such is to grossly undersell it. It is not only that but also the best story of unrequited love in cinema history, and a masterpiece of understated emotion. It also boasts some of the finest performances ever put on film, most notably from the peerless Anthony Hopkins.

Then again, understatement is the key to this film. Writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Director James Ivory adapt Kazuo Ishiguro's poignant novel with such delicacy that it gets under ones skin in a deeply profound way difficult to express in a few words.

The plot opens in the 1950's as meticulous and emotionally repressed butler Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) reviews a lifetime of service in Darlington Hall. The story flashes back to the 1930's where Stevens formed a close friendship with housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson). This relationship grew slowly over several years and ultimately the pair developed romantic feelings for one another, although neither admitted it. Whilst all this was happening, Steven's employer Lord Darlington (Edward Fox) gradually became a misguided Nazi sympathiser in pre-war Europe. Unfortunately, loyalty to his master caused Stevens to reject the delicate advances of Miss Kenton. History took its inevitable course, and Darlington's involvement in appeasement contributed to the outbreak of World War II. Now Stevens realises he made a mistake and wants to make amends.

To describe Anthony Hopkins as brilliant is completely redundant. His turn here goes way beyond mere acting, and it was criminal he was denied the Oscar at the 1994 Academy awards. Stevens absurdly repressed personality gently takes the audience from laughter to tears in the most emotionally devastating finale I have ever seen. Hopkin's mesmerising performance is matched by a career-best turn from Emma Thompson. The supporting cast is uniformly superb, including a pre-Four Weddings Hugh Grant and Christopher Reeve in one of his last roles before the accident that paralysed him.

Needless to say, the cinematography, music, editing and art direction are immaculate. The understated beauty of the English countryside that was so important to the book translates brilliantly to film here.

This is a lovely, melancholic film, which effortlessly embraces complex themes such as misguided loyalty, dignity, pride, wasted lives, and unrequited love. It would be all too much to bear if it weren't for the film's genuine good-humoured understanding of English culture (all the more remarkable for having been initially penned by a Japanese author). In fact, humour is an important element in the film. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, which make the tragic part of the story all the more real and poignant. All in all, The Remains of the Day is a milestone film – an unforgettable tragedy of a man who pays the terrible price of denying his own feelings.

Anthony Hopkins Brings Sheer Genius to the Role of Mr. Stevens

[writerasfilmcritic · 10/10 · 3 September 2006]

Anthony Hopkin's interpretation of the single-minded English butler, Mr. Stevens, has to be one of the most fully realized roles ever to appear on film. His interaction with the lovely and intelligent housekeeper, Miss Kenton, is so realistic that it is painful to watch. Despite his growing love and admiration for her, he keeps his feelings firmly under control, determined that they will not destabilize his carefully crafted existence. Always expecting Stevens to make the first move, Miss Kenton tries everything in her power to get under his skin or to make him jealous, but she only succeeds in torturing them both all the more. The emotional turning point of the movie takes place in Mr. Steven's private room, where he has fallen asleep in his chair while reading a novel. Enter Miss Kenton in a playful mood carrying another bunch of flowers to brighten up his quarters. Curious about his reading material, she tries to get the book away from him because he refuses to tell her what it is. She moves in close, as close as they ever will be, and as she struggles for the volume, Stevens longingly admires her lovely countenance, her soft hair, and no doubt gets a good strong whiff of her sweet fragrance, wishing he could gently kiss her and take her in his arms, but that would lead to ... what? Finally, he allows her to pull the book from his grasp and Miss Kenton finds that it is far from what she had expected, being just some sentimental old love story. This is, of course, a poignant revelation. She looks up at him, her love as obvious as their proximity, and they gaze into one another's eyes for a few brief seconds. Then Stevens simply tells her to please respect his privacy and to leave him alone. Callously rebuffed, she does just that, for the rest of his earthly days. It is the biggest mistake that Mr. Stevens has ever made, and for a very competent and exacting man, it is all too apparent that he must have made many such extremely serious errors. On her next evening off, he watches helplessly from the window as Miss Kenton rides her bicycle into town, knowing that on that very day, he has somehow all but lost her for good. The pain and anxiety on his face are palpable, if brilliantly underplayed. Stevens gets one final chance to forestall the inevitable, her impending marriage to Tom Bent, but as per usual, does nothing to stop it because duty calls.

Nearing the conclusion of the movie, when they are reunited after a generation has passed, Stevens is crestfallen to learn that Miss Kenton has changed her mind at the last minute and, following her divorce, will not be returning with him to resume her duties as housekeeper at Darlington Hall. Instead, she has chosen to remain "in the west country" in order to help bring up her granddaughter. Of course, poor sad Stevens couldn't even consider seeking employment in that locale in order to eke out a few years of bliss with Sara in what remains of his sad, lonely life. When they part company for the last time, he holds onto her hand for as long as he can, then as she tearfully rides away in the bus, he lifts his hat to the only woman he has ever loved and who has ever loved him. As if on autopilot, Stevens climbs back into the Daimler and turns over the engine. The hollow, utterly defeated look on his face belies the fact that the only thing left for him now is to face his inevitable death in a few short years. The camera does a closeup on the car's headlight and he starts back for his comfortable old rut of a life.

Stevens was the consummate professional whereas his rival, Bent, placed strict limits on what he would tolerate from his employer, one of Lord Darlingon's aristocratic and bigoted colleagues. As such, he simply resigned from "service" in order to live life on his own terms. He doesn't squander his second chance to marry Miss Kenton and easily takes her away from Stevens, who obstinately and pridefully clings to his all-consuming job as far more important than affairs of the heart. Why? Perhaps because he is very skilled at the former and extremely inept at the latter. Instead of experiencing all the tenderness that the admiring Miss Kenton wanted to give him, he chose instead the importance of his position at Darlington Hall, a world stage where matters of serious consequence were considered in the midst of vast and lush grounds set in the beautiful English countryside. At the conclusion of the movie, we follow a trapped pigeon that is released from the confines of the mansion. It flies heavenward, and as the moving score builds to crescendo, we are treated to a bird's eye view of the magnificent estate for which Stevens has given up everything to be a part. What exactly does the pigeon represent? We can only guess, but one thing is certain. "The Remains of the Day" is a beautiful and poignant movie, wonderfully acted by the two principals and effectively supported by the rest of the cast. Further, the writing, cinematography, score, and directing are nearly flawless. This has to be one of the best movies of the last several decades.

Outstanding in Every Possible Area

[tfrizzell · 9 January 2001]

Excellent film that was overlooked in 1993 due to the dominance of "Schindler's List", "The Remains of the Day" is an exquisite film which examines the relationship between two servants in England (Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, both Oscar-nominated). They both definitely have feelings for each other, but both seem to be bound by duty, honor, and society. Hopkins is not the type of person who shares his inner-most feelings with anyone and Thompson wants to share her hidden love for Hopkins, but is frightened for various reasons. The fact that the film is told during flashbacks which took place just before the involvement of England in World War II just makes everything that much more interesting and heart-wrenching. During the present-day of the movie it appears that Hopkins and Thompson will finally proclaim their love for one another, but in the end that is not even a real certainty. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's adaptation of the novel is exceptional and James Ivory's direction has rarely been better or more focused. With all this said, it is Hopkins and Thompson that dominate the action and make "The Remains of the Day" one of the best films of the 1990s. 5 stars out of 5.

Great acting but what's the point?

[erikbojesson · 6/10 · 16 February 2020]

Well.. this is not a bad movie.

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are some of the finest actors ever and they deliver at their usual high standards here. It's also a pleasure to watch Christopher Reeve in a major supporting role.

But as much as I adore their performances it's hard to really enjoy a movie which so completely lacks a climax of any kind.. especially Stevens gets on with his boring life without ever doing anything about it.

I get the psychological aspect and his inability to give her anything back emotionally but that leads us to that basically nothing happens for 2 hours..

Still, both of the leads are Oscar-worthy for their performances and those alone make me give the movie an average rating.. but to be enjoyable it requires more. Any sort of climax would have made the movie a much more memorable one. Now it's (except for the acting) a very forgettable one.

Diamond in the Rough

[glgioia · 10/10 · 27 August 2003]

Very deliberate but marvelous study of a lifetime butler in an English noble household. The film does a wonderful parallel examination of the man's life set against the tumult of the 1930s that effectively did away with the British Empire and made him and others like him, as people curiously obsolete.

An extremely rare example of sanity when dealing with the subject of War. Most films as we know too well, concentrate on the futility and bottom line cost in humanity, which is to be expected since generally speaking, an artist will always present this point of view. However in most cases, it's an incomplete and wildly immature handling of the topic. This film addresses if you can believe it, the folly of avoiding War thru appeasement, and hammers home what might have been avoided if the British had called Hitler to the carpet early on, instead of playing chess with him. This is the backdrop; the main story is that of the butler, Stevens, an ostensibly simple character played with unimaginable complexity, by Hopkins. The fascinating examination of one man's sense of duty, a devotion that transcends all other obligations and aspirations in his life has never been so poignantly or expertly presented to an audience. Everything about the film, the supporting cast in particular is a rousing triumph. I cannot overly recommend this.

Feels a bit forced at times

[bregund · 7/10 · 4 March 2019]

I've been a huge fan of this film since it was released and have watched it several times over the years, but as I'm fond of saying in my reviews sometimes as you get older your tastes change. It's hard to fault this film's meticulous attention to detail or the clever way the larger events of the story are counterbalanced with Mr. Stevens's personal life or Anthony Hopkins's razor-sharp performance or the soul-crushing expression on Emma Thompson's face as the bus pulls away at the end, but at times the film feels a bit forced. I never really noticed until a recent viewing that several times throughout the story, from various characters, Mr. Stevens is repeatedly pressed for his personal opinions to the point it becomes annoying. He is harassed by no less than five otherwise polite british people about his views on various issues, which certainly seems rude and intrusive in contemporary times, not to mention the 1930s through the 1950s. I'm left wondering why all these people are treating Mr. Stevens as some sort of freak that they can't quite figure out, scratching their heads in astonishment as they realize that he is, gasp, an introvert who prefers to keep his head down and do his job. No other character in the film is subject to this degree of scrutiny, and the story as a result is top-heavy. Who cares what the butler thinks, leave him alone. I get this is supposed to be a story of unrequited love, but it comes at the expense of a willing suspension of disbelief, and unfortunately this major flaw continues to the very end.

If you have a normal 21st century attention span, you won't get it

[Fred-S · 10/10 · 18 April 2007]

I am disappointed to see reviewers refer to this movie as anti-war or a story of unrequited love or Lord Darlington as a Nazi or WWII as a nuclear holocaust. I think that perhaps these comments reflect both the lack of an adequate attention span and a lack of a proper knowledge and perspective of the times. "The Remains of the Day" requires both. I found it to be an interesting movie with many facets, each of which could be used as the sole theme of a movie. It is a movie that has great acting, is beautifully filmed in and around one of England's great mansions, and tells a fascinating and complex story as well.

It is true that the movie is about, in part, what many in the audience would believe is a romance that never has a chance because of Mr. Stevens' devotion to and pride in the occupation he has chosen. It is important to recognize that it is the job of his choosing, not one that has been forced upon him. It is tempting to write the job off as no more than servant of the wealthy, but it is actually the equivalent of presidency of a small company. Stevens is in charge of seeing that the large staff serving Darlington gets all of the many jobs in the household done - to perfection - every day of the week. I doubt that the White House has standards that approach those of Lord Darlington. So, each viewer can decide for himself or herself whether there could have ever been a woman in Stevens' life to whom he could give husband-like devotion.

Darlington is not a Nazi sympathizer. He is a man who exhibits the ideals of 20th century Britain: honor, fairness, and full devotion to what is right. He believes, most would say correctly, that the Treaty of Versailles was unduly harsh in its treatment of post-WWI Germany. Unfortunately, he fails to recognize, as many Americans do now, that unfairness in the past cannot be rectified by stupid policies in the present. So, by seeking what he considers fairness for Germany in the 1930's, when Hitler's evil and expansionist aims should have been clearly evident, he and others set the stage for a world-wide conflict that cost 60 million lives, of which the lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki constitute less than one-half of one percent.

One of my tests of a movie is how far into it I start looking at my watch. In this case I began looking at my watch not to see how much more I had to sit through: rather, I was hoping to assure myself that there was enough movie left to provide a satisfactory ending. There was: however, I could have enjoyed much more of the talent and story I was seeing.

Not so much carefully nuanced as it is carefully contrived...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 17 April 2014]

A former U.S. Congressman--now a multimillionaire (!)--purchases an English estate in the 1950s which was due to be demolished after the previous Lord of the manor passed on; in retaining the butler of the house, the new owner is persuaded to rehire the former housekeeper, who shares a complex history with the butler dating back to WWII. It's difficult to watch a James Ivory film and not feel contempt for the agonizing pace he sets and for his hoked-up sentimentality (as if human repression really needed to be romanticized). The facetious comparisons between Americans and the British (and the British attitude towards the Germans) are due to screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's faithfully embalmed adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's book, though leads Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson (he of the stiff-upper-lip school, she a chatterbox) do manage to carve out characters from stock. Ornate production reveals a scene or two of true, honest feeling, while the finale is amusingly sparse. **1/2 from ****

NOTHING happens in this movie

[ioana-hreninciuc · 5/10 · 28 December 2013]

I expected the story would take its time but then again that's all this movie does.

Let me say it again: NOTHING happens. People stare at each other and that's about it.

It's not unpleasant, but it's not good either. It just passes by.

Best part about the movie: Athony Hopkins and Emma Thomson do give great performances - they seem to be very good at staring at each other and other people. That's about it.

Watch it on a lazy Sunday afternoon or late night when you can't sleep. It should fix it.

An excellent adaptation

[RachelLone · 22 February 2004]

In the WWII era, Mr Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is a well experienced, dedicated butler who's loyal to his pro-Nazi master. He is always placid and graceful. Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) is a new housekeeper and her liveliness and wit somehow touches Mr Stevens' very soul. But he conceals his feeling towards her, and she can never unlock that closed door of his heart.

Mr Stevens looks back on all this while on a road trip for meeting Miss Kenton after twenty years. He now serves a new master, Lewis (Christopher Reeve) who was once one of the guests of his formal master back in the 1940s. On the way his memory slowly flows back to him (and he also realises that his formal master was not an impeccable man after all)...when Mr Stevens and Miss Kenton bid farewell again, she looks into his eyes while her tears roll down her cheeks...a very sad scene.

'The Remains of the Day' is about love that is never obtained...love that is never verbally expressed...love of which you finally has to let go...having read the book (which is finely written), I realise that this film is a wonderfully successful adaptation. Anyone who's into love stories should watch this.

Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and unrequited love equals a truly wondrous film

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 1 March 2010]

I saw "The Remains of the Day" for the first time in two years. I loved it then, I love it even better now. If you want an impeccably acted, beautifully filmed and an altogether poignant study on unrequited love, watch "The Remains of the Day". It is not only poignant, but surprisingly intelligent and somewhat thought provoking. Not to mention it is so beautiful to watch.

Visually, "The Remains of the Day" is absolutely splendid. The insides of the Darlington mansion were beautifully furnished, the period settings were wonderful and the outside scenery was gorgeous. All captured seamlessly by the fluid cinematography. Then the music is stunning, beautiful mostly, but haunting in others. Then there is the quality of the script, part of the reason why the film is so intelligent, so well interwoven and really makes you think.

The story is a lovely, if melancholic one. One of the strong points of this film is the depiction of unrequited love, so effectively done. There are also some interesting and complex themes introduced such as dignity, pride and loyalty(shown here as misguided). People may be put off by this film, it is very nuanced and not exactly fast paced, but is riveting thanks to the impeccable performances, sensitive direction and the perfect balance of genuine good humour and tragedy, shown in a really poignant way in this film.

The direction was sensitive and as one review I read(not on IMDb) said alive to every nuance, that I agree with wholeheartedly. What made this already superb film was the acting. James Fox, Christopher Reeve, Tim Piggott-Smith and Peter Vaughan all turn in solid supporting performances, but the lead performances were superb, and that's putting it mildly. Anthony Hopkins is simply mesmerising as Stevens, the emotionally repressed butler with an unwavering sense of duty who embarks on an intense relationship with the housekeeper Miss Kenton. I loved him in "The Elephant Man" and "Shadowlands"(both of them fantastic films) but his performance here was so good it is by far away in the top 5 of his best performances. As Miss Kenton, Emma Thompson is riveting and really attractive, her delivery is so convincing as are her facial expressions she was so compelling to watch. The look on her face at the bus stop is not only sad, it is truly haunting and it never fails to make me tear up. it stays with you forever, it really shows what a wonderful actress Thompson is.

Overall, a wondrous film, and a must see! 10/10 Bethany Cox

Excellent drama

[perfectbond · 8/10 · 7 November 2003]

Anthony Hopkins as Mr. Stevens in The Remains of the Day made for truly excellent drama. His portrayal of the dedicated butler was picture perfect. He conveyed all the controlled subtleties of his character with great conviction. Stevens' dedication to his profession above all other considerations was both admirable and sad. All his interactions felt genuine and his personal journey was set wonderfully against the historical setting of World War II era Europe. Even the Nazi angle was considered with a more even hand than it is usually treated with. The practical considerations of the politicians of the time added a great sense of realism. The high profile supporting cast was also in top form though make no mistake this is Hopkins' film. Strongly recommended, 9/10.

The Sadness of Time, Lost

[nycritic · 10/10 · 30 April 2007]

How can a romance succeed when it never even begins? This is the question that lies at the center of this intricate tale that parallels the goings-on at Darlington Hall within the servants and the diplomats who convene there where Mr. Stevens, the butler who Anthony Hopkins brings to deeper focus, works at -- work being a mild operative, since he has forgone any external manifestation of emotion and personality in lieu of becoming the "perfect servant". This, needless to say, is the very trait that ruins his life and locks him up in the gilded cage where he is doomed to continue on even when the world has moved on, without him no doubt. In many ways, this could be a gentler, more touching variation of what Robert Altman would produce in 2001 as GOSFORD PARK with the crucial difference that where Altman's film focuses on a murder mystery and paintbrushes light strokes of colour over a large ensemble, Merchant-Ivory's REMAINS OF THE DAY is a romance tainted with darker, political overtones, the tie being solely the period where England was inching delicately towards war and the old society -- tradition -- was about to collapse to make way to the new way.

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's novel of the same name, REMAINS OF THE DAY's plot is deceptively simple: it presents an older Stevens who is on his way to reconnect with an old friend and former co-worker, Mrs. Benn (Emma Thompson), nee Kenton, Darlington Hall's housekeeper. Through a series of vignettes we get to see how it was "in the old days", how Mrs. Kenton came to Darlington Hall, how she and Stevens initially did not get along due to the fact that Stevens' father was a sick man under Stevens' employ and was beginning to falter in his duties as the under-butler. However, as time went by, they would become quite a working team, and through subtle hints both suggest there may be more, however under-developed. We also get to see how Lord Darlington (James Fox), a somewhat pompous man, was progressively revealed to be a Nazi sympathizer and would make some ruining mistakes of his own -- a thing not lost on the American congressman Lewis (Christopher Reeve) who one evening, as a toast to Lord Darlington, calls the European diplomats "amateurs" because they are operating on goodwill and not practicality.

REMAINS OF THE DAY seems to be lacking in plot because in fact, it moves at its own pace much in the style of Merchant-Ivory movies. However, there is quite a bit happening here -- it's just not that evident at first glance. Because at its core, it's a story of people caught in a microcosm of the mundane as veiled, sinister events not to their full understanding are insinuating themselves at the very edges of the frame, there are times when it seems the story dwells too long on mediations of characters tics -- for example, the spat between Mrs. Kenton and Mr. Stevens about Mr. Stevens, Senior's forgetfulness over a Chinaman bobble head, itself a rung on the ladder of Mr. Stevens, Senior's eventual demotion. However, this is exactly the way two co-workers would go about in any other circumstance. It just so happens that theirs is the repetitive task of running a castle to the point that their presence is invisible, making the Hall seem as though it ran itself.

However the movie is rife with subtext. Hugh Grant has a small part as the apparently clueless Cardinal who is in fact quite aware of his uncle's relation to the Germans and seems to represent an England of the future. He, and Reeve as the American businessman who will eventually succeed in owning Darlington Hall, are vastly different from the traditionalists that Mrs. Kenton, Mr. Stevens, and Lord Darlington are at heart -- even when Mrs. Kenton has a little extra that separates her from the two men, but even she is clamped down by her passivity towards an injustice committed to two German girls (whose final destiny remains unsolved, leading one to believe they may have met a horrible end) which mirrors her inability to truly take control of her life. Where the actual remains of the day would indicate that things would get better, the fact that Mrs. Kenton and Mr. Stevens are unable, maybe even unwilling (at this late point in their life) to truly confess what she had initiated at trying to unveil his inner life through a romance novel, represents the elegant devastation that overwhelms its presence which drowns the movie in regret. Regret for what never even had a chance in the first place even when it had enormous potential, and that makes it the more imploding.

A masterpiece

[satin-48250 · 10/10 · 13 January 2022]

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are beyond excellent here. The whole cast is excellent tbh. But those two actors a shining here.

The multi-layered story is excellent as well. The story of two beings, bound by their duties (years later, In the mood for love would also explore this kind of relationship with as much finesse). And the big story, the temptation of some in UK (Edward VII but not only him) to join the nazi Germany.

I've first watched this movie many years ago and it still comes back regularly to my memory. Hopkins' acting is amazing. His way of conveying (suppressed) emotions through the slightest change to his eyelids is fascinating.

A must see.

impeccable

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 3 January 2015]

The movie starts in 1950s England. Darlington Hall is being sold after Lord Darlington (James Fox) died in disgrace as a Nazi sympathizer. American Trent Lewis (Christopher Reeve) is the new owner and he keeps Mr. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) as the butler. The movie flashes back to the 1936 when Darlington invites an international group including Lewis who was a Congressman at the time to discuss helping Germany. His godson Reginald Cardinal(Hugh Grant) tries to caution him. Lewis is the only one who opposes. Stevens holds his views very private. Miss Sally Kenton (Emma Thompson) is the new head housekeeper. Stevens gets his elderly father work with Darlington despite his failing mental and physical health. Over the years, Darlington continues to help the Germans.

At the start, I would have preferred the movie to be more explicit. It would be great to spend a little time showing how low Darlington had fallen. Also I would like to have the date shown. They're very little things that eases the audience into the movie. The other minor problem is that I didn't root for Stevens and Miss Kenton. I kept hoping she forget him and quickly. However there is no telling about love. The acting is impeccable. There are a few sections that could be cut short to quicken the pace. It's a great movie but just a bit of a downer.

Seamless - Effortless - Masterpiece.

[onewhoseesme · 10/10 · 19 April 2009]

This is the Quintessential period piece! The flow of it is so seamless, that like classical music or a beautiful piece of art - you never tire of it. It marks the end of the expansion of prosperity, change and invention of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, that for the first time in history, brought into existence a large, educated middle class. It is the span of this society and it's events that were both passed on to us as a nation, and have had a greater influence on our modern day than any other period. As they were the beginning of the modern era. By the 1930's we come to the end of the rigid class system that had evolved during these periods. This story is in fact all about the servants and is seen from their perspective. Regular working class people, their lives and loves - they are it's real champions. I believe it to be the finest film ever made on the subject, and one of the finest films period.

Easy on both the eyes and the mind, it is effortless to watch. And one of only 3 films that I find myself returning to over and over again, more than any others. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson who have so many great performances, do their best work here. Here in cinema is a display of excellence in the ordinary, and a celebration of both understatement, and unrequited love. We are only observers here in the sense that there is nothing to figure out, and what we observe is the perfect Servant. One who applies himself wholeheartedly to his craft, and finds contentment in doing his job well. A rarity in both life and cinema. I find it very telling that perhaps the finest English film was a collaboration of men from two former colonies - India and the U.S., a Japanese author, a Celt in the male lead, and a screenwriter from Germany married to an Indian, who has spent most of her life in India and America. These are the people that school us in the culture that birthed our own, and so much of modern western civilization. None of them are English.

The perfect fit that I think James Ivory often reaches for is achieved here. It is a movie without sex, violence, or bad language, which are often added from a lack of strength, not as proof of it. This movie is a tribute to everything good that is England. Merchant and Ivory couldn't have done better.

http://fullgrownministry.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/true-faith/

Immaculately constructed but never emotionally connects

[spencergrande6 · 7/10 · 22 April 2017]

This film truly envelopes you in its world. It is immaculately constructed and warms you in an atmosphere of such a specific time and place you feel wholly part of it. I just wish I felt the same way about the "romance" at the center of this.

It's not that I didn't buy it I just never felt it and I get that Hopkins (who gives a greatly restrained and impassioned performance) is supposed to be withholding but I didn't get the fierce devotion that seemingly developed between him and Thompson. There are some gorgeously composed and affecting scenes at the end but they feel separate from the whole.

A profound lesson on life and the living of it

[constantimarina · 10/10 · 5 November 2022]

The Remains of the Day is cunningly disguised as a period drama but is in fact a profound tragedy, as well as an excursion into a dark chapter in British history.

We join Mr Stevens, a lifelong butler at Darlington Hall, just as the tradition of "service" in large country houses is fading fast in the wake of World War Two.

Mr Stevens reflects on his years of duty to Lord Darlington, a well-meaning but naive and foolish man who in an attempt to broker friendship with Germany after their humiliation in World War One, finds himself becoming sympathetic to their insidious anti-Semitism and a seemingly unwitting pawn in their sinister machinations.

Nazi sympathisers were a real feature of the English aristocracy on the eve of World War Two.

Through his memories of his dutiful and selfless (and often senseless) service at the house during these years, we are educated in lessons about work, sacrifice, loyalty, missed opportunities, misplaced trust, disappointment, regret and how we choose to spend our lives, and on whom.

Some of this from the script, but more from what is only half-said, or goes unsaid.

It is a reminder of how a moment's hesitation, a seemingly minor error of judgement, a missed chance in an everyday human relationship, and often blind stubbornness, can transform our destinies.

We all live with these shadows in our lives. At each juncture, we turn away from a thousand paths, a thousand opportunities. That is what this film is about.

There is a deep sadness in this and it will resonate with you for a long time.

The acting talent is also exceptional, particularly James Fox, who is perfectly cast as Lord Darlington.

Truly a life-enhancing film.

Strangled

[diand_ · 6/10 · 5 July 2005]

This movie seems to confirm that the British class system can best be understood by 'outsiders' looking in: We have the novel of Kazuo Ishigiro (Japanese descent but born and raised in Britain), the adaptation for screen by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (Born in Germany, but lived some time in Britain) and direction by James Ivory (American). Of course Scorsese made The Age of Innocence, Ang Lee Sense and Sensibility and Altman Gosford Park.

This is very well written for the screen. It shows that social layering and ranking is always present under the direct surface (although outsiders usually are ignorant of this). What's of interest is not the social niceties, but what isn't said and only implicitly pointed to. When Stevens' father tells Stevens he's been a good father there is no response. The whole Platonian love relation between Stevens and Miss Kenton follows this path and the tragedy being that lack of communication is strangling their lives. In this way it's also an indictment of the class system itself. To make this point stronger their relation is the core of the story but is told against the backdrop of other events in the house.

A parallel can be drawn between the bad choices of Darlington as homeowner and Stevens as butler. But while Darlington seems merely ignorant, Stevens is not but pretends to be (hence all the lies when his car breaks down). When Lewis (American) takes over the house a final opportunity comes to set things right and Stevens is 'freed' (the pigeon sequence).

Hopkins not only plays Stevens, he is Stevens. For the ones who doubted about the acting capabilities of the late Christopher Reeve this is necessary viewing.

Too many sideways in the story make no sense in telling the main story. Part of this is to blame by the choice to tell it as a back story. Also the politics of appeasement to Hitler in Britain could be brought stronger and with more impact. So it is somewhat strangled by its own constructional choices. But the choice to tell this with flashbacks is basically a good one.

Bartleby the butler

[onepotato2 · 5/10 · 25 September 2009]

Somewhat frustrating, oh-so-literate character piece that takes the self-repression of the servant class to its nth degree. The social negotiations, and battle of wills are the more interesting parts of this movie. But its central storyline of Hopkins stunted emotional life is so hopelessly obvious that one waits in vain for a complication of any sort. Nothing more has been said when the credits roll, than when we first observed his characters issue. I don't need a happy ending or momentous developments, but please leave me an inch or two ahead of where the story began. 'Being There' covers a similarly stunted character much more thoughtfully. Uncomfortably, the image of a preternaturally calm Hopkins standing inches from an occasionally irksome Emma Thompson, makes viewers anxious about Lector-like face chomping. Christopher Reeve who never did much with any role, again does very little with his role. The cinematography is the standard "tastefulness equals art" Merchant Ivory deal.