The Remains of the Day (James Ivory, 1993)
I’m not really sure how to begin my review. Sometimes it’s much easier to write about a movie that you didn’t find so rich and layered and interesting as I found
The Remains of the Day. It is a much more complex story than I originally anticipated. In my mind I had it as a simple story of unrequited, restrained, duty before the heart love story, and it is that, but not in the way I thought. I didn’t anticipate the political nature of the story and the back and forth between the present (1950’s post-war Britain) and approximately 20 years earlier. It’s a fascinating portrait of a certain time in history told through the eyes of a head butler of a large estate, Darlington Hall. Anthony Hopkins plays Mr. Stevens, he is efficient, he is detailed, he is restrained, he is unemotional, he is unoffended. He is what a butler “should” be, accommodating, nearly invisible, with no emotions or problems of his own. Even when his father is dying, he is still serving the guests of the estate. He hires Miss Kenton, played by Emma Thompson, as the head housekeeper. She is also dedicated, but she is warm and empathetic. You can tell she clearly cares for Mr. Stevens, but he doesn’t permit himself to reciprocate those feelings.
Mr. Stevens is so dedicated to his job and his employer, Lord Darlington, that while he is witness to the political happenings on his estate, primarily his employer’s attempts to influence English politicians and aristocrats on their policies regarding Germany in the years leading up to World War II, he does not express any opinions or doubts to these policies. Even when Lord Darlington had Stevens fire two newly hired housekeepers because they are Jewish, he is steadfast in his loyalty. This is a source of frustration for Kenton, as are other attempts to try and squeeze some emotion out of Mr. Stevens. It is truly heartbreaking to watch some critical scenes where all Miss Kenton wants is a flicker of understanding or emotion from Mr. Stevens, and all he can do is relay the daily duties to her.
This film begins and ends with Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Mr. Stevens. It is the best performance I’ve ever seen from him. He is so restrained and bottled up, yet everything is conveyed through his performance. His sadness, his frustration, his love, his hurt, on the surface are invisible (although perceptive guests do ask him if he isn’t feeling well at times, when we the audience, know that he has been affected by some event), but you can subtly tell how he is feeling on the inside through his tone, his posture, his eyes. It’s truly remarkable how good he is here. Much more than his showy performances, this portrayal just slayed me. He wrestles with his feelings for Miss Kenton, his everlasting loyalty to Lord Darlington, even in the aftermath of WW II, he still struggles with it. I can’t say enough about his performance.
There is a repetitiveness to the score that underplays the passage of time, the daily routines, the sparse narration that while noticeable, enhanced rather than detracted from the film. Other than that, I didn’t notice too many technical aspects of the filmmaking. It’s beautiful, for sure, as most Merchant-Ivory films are, and it didn’t overshadow the story, which is what you need in a film like this.
Oh Sandy, I loved this film so much. It broke my heart, it made me see Anthony Hopkins in a renewed light, it reaffirmed my love of Emma Thompson. I can see this finding a place in my Top 100 at some point. Thank you for giving me the push to see it.