AmateurMovieReviews.com

By Simon Woodhouse

I do like movies with a theme. If there's a coherent thread running through the story, something that ties it together in the subtlest way, then it elevates the film to a new level of greatness. Themes might not be obvious at first. It may take a bit of work to wheedle out exactly what the film makers are getting at. But once you see the connection between all things in a movie, it adds an extra layer of enjoyment.

The theme within The Remains Of The Day runs through not only the story and the characters, but the title as well. Everything is evening. It's twilight, the day is ending, people are aging. Old ways are being brushed aside, things that were once important aren't so anymore. It's about change and then the end. This may sound a bit bleak, but the movie is actually full of life. However, if you're prone to shedding a tear or two when things get sad, you'll want to have a couple of tissues handy.

Though the movie features several sub plots, its main focus is the character of Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), a butler in a large stately home in England. The timeline within the film switches back and forth between the late 1930s and the mid 50s. These two eras show Stevens at his best, and then as he's quite a bit older. To say he's a complex character is a bit of an understatement. But many of his facets are hidden beneath an outer layer of reserved British decorum. And it's this that makes him so interesting. Stevens is a man dedicated to his job, and devoted to his employer, Lord Darlington (James Fox). When Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson), joins the staff of the stately home as housekeeper, Stevens treats her with the same aloofness as he does everyone else. But as time goes by an unspoken bond develops, despite Stevens' best efforts to resist.

There's no romance between them, but it's just bubbling below the surface. As the film progresses, you find yourself willing Stevens to let his guard down for just one second, and tell Miss Kenton how he really feels. There are several scenes where he seems to come very close to doing so, but never quite crosses the line. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are a joy to watch. The scenes where they are together, whether arguing or coming oh-so-close to romance, are the films highlights. In fact, if some of the subplots could have been left aside and the movie concentrated more on this relationship, it wouldn't have suffered.

The interplay between Stevens and Miss Kenton is set against a backdrop of political intrigue. Lord Darlington is a man of conscience, and feels very badly about the way Germany was treated after WWI. In light of this, he wants to try and help the nation recover. But by doing so he unwittingly starts to assist the Nazis. Though Stevens witnesses all of this, he never passes comment. His devotion to Lord Darlington is such that he can never criticize his beloved employer.

All the intrigue involving Lord Darlington, and exchanges between Stevens and Miss Kenton, take place in the 1930s. In the parts of the film set twenty years later, Lord Darlington is dead and Stevens is working for a new employer, an American businessman called Lewis (Christopher Reeve) who's retired to England. During these segments, Stevens has the opportunity to reacquaint himself with Miss Kenton. He never says as much, but it's obvious he regrets having never taken things further when they both worked together all those years ago. The 1950s scenes also contain some of the most poignant moments. Before his death, Lord Darlington was accused of being a traitor by the British press. When Stevens mentions where he works, people bring up the fact that his former employer was a Nazi sympathizer. When faced with such situations, Stevens denies having known Lord Darlington. This in no way makes him seem cowardly, but rather he can't bear to hear anyone talk about Lord Darlington in such a way.

The final few scenes all take place in the 1950s, and this is where the film really pulls at the heartstrings. Stevens meets Miss Kenton for the first time in twenty years. As they take tea together by the English seaside, they seem like the perfect match. I won't spoil the ending, but this is where you'll need to be ready to wipe away a tear or two.

For some people, the thought of sitting through a period drama such as The Remains Of The Day has all the appeal of watching paint dry. But there's nothing dreary about the film. It moves along at a cracking pace, and bristles with no end of fine performances. The subplots and the flashbacks blend together perfectly, and the story is neither confusing nor dull. If you like movies that feature characters with real depth, first class acting, intriguing storylines and a glimpse of life how it used to be, The Remains Of The Day is the film for you.