Remains of the Day (DVD, 2001)

In the "Upstairs-Downstairs"​; tradition, this 1993 movie tells multiple stories, but the main theme revolves around the dedication of the head butler to the lord of a huge mansion in England during the 1930s.

Mr. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) is the ideal servant in the English tradition. He serves his employer Lord Darlington (James Fox) to the utmost and demands and gets perfection from his staff. The ideal housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) arrives at a particularly stressful time when meetings about the future of Germany are being held at the manor. Stevens is totally oblivious about the nature of the meetings and is absolutely involved in meeting the needs of the guests and Lord Darlington.

Never mind that his aging father, Mr. Stevens Sr., as the under-butler is making BIG mistakes and that two good Jewish employees have to be fired as Lord Darlington demands, Stevens ignores all the personal details of the job--even the fact that Miss Kenton is falling in love with him and is oh-so-emotional about wanting a commitment from him.

And Lord Darlington is making BIG mistakes too. He has a German friend who was so humiliated by the Treaty of Versailles after WWI that he committed suicide. Lord Darlington therefore is trying to create an alliance with Nazi Germany to make up for the inequities of the treaty. Through flashbacks from the 1950s, we learn that Darlington was later accused of treason and so humiliated lost Darlington Hall to an American congressman, Mr. Lewis (Christopher Reeve), who has retired to England.

This movie was nominated for many Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (Hopkins), Best Actress (Thompson), Best Director (James Ivory), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala). It won none.

It was wonderful to see Christopher Reeve in what must have been his last performance before his tragic accident. Although he has only a supporting role, seeing him well helped erase my memories of what happened to him.

This DVD provides lots of Special Features and Subtitles in many languages--a real plus in my book.

The title of this movie is very mistifying unless you look deep under the surface. It is never a quote from the movie nor is it a simple truism that we know. All that I can gather is that Regret is the Remains of the Day. So sad! But a truly great movie in the British fashion!

PLOT: 3 stories merge in this gem of a tale about the perfect Butler Stevens (Hopkins) and the Pro Nazi Engish Lord (James Fox ) and house keeper Emma Thompson. excellent all around~

1930S JUST BEFORE WORLD WAR 2~ AND ENGLISHMAN~ Lord Darlington (James Fox) is has very pro Nazi VIEWS where the Germans are busy attempting to use him to pacify England while Germany heads to war~ running his lovely home is is the perfect butler~ Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) who keeps his emotions and thoughts to himself. He finally meets his match in the pretty and outspoken house keeper (Emma Thompson) as the horror OF watching the Lord (Fox) being duped by the Nazis, Stevens continues running the house perfectly always reflecting THAT devotion and duty to his master Lording Darling. The Passion between house keeper and butler comes in the form of verbal altercations which keep this more than entertaining. a wonderful support cast includes Christopher Reeve and Hugh Grant. The story unfolds in reflections by Stevens and as he finally meets Thompson 20 years later he finally has the chance to show her how much she really meant to him~
Classy, excellent script and costumes, lovely homes and scenery~ add to the wonderful story of private lives of the aristoracy and the people who keep their lives running so well~ at 2 hours 14 minutes~ it goes on a bit too long~but still we are glued to see how this exellent story ends.
I GIVE IT 5 OUT OF 5~

IF YOU FOUND THIS REVIEW HELPFUL PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE~

This movie speaks to the very sad loss of potential in human existentialism with the destruction of the capacities to care in a truly open and giving manner on the part of so many who feel too tortured by the demand of everyday existing in an environment so attuned to the needs of decorum and observation of rituals in denial of the needs of genuine human emotion in a truly caring sense that needs genuine empathy and sensitivity in order to survive and in fact thrive. Emma Thompson is unforgettable as a gal who does not get her fair due in this environment and is unable to leave it given all her ties to the system which has given her so much in the way of articulation prowess and the ability to think with supreme intelligence. That all said, she is a frustrated individual who needs some real care and warmth that goes beyond polite civilities which last for moments at a time with vary degrees of nourishment to her spirit. Anthony Hopkins is a man of some great intellect and despite having some anachronistic ideas of his place in the world, is a true gentleman in that he seeks to serve that which is good and worthwhile at the end of the day. This movie should be in every public library and in every home.

This is one of the Greats! I am a big British Film Buff and I can tell you that if anyone wanted to teach British Film, This is the movie to use. Whoeever decided to ask Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson & Christopher Reeves to play their parts was a genius. Great!!!!!!

The characters I really started to care for them. I would buy this movie because it is worth watching over and over again. Each time you watch the movie you will like it more. The main reason to buy this movie is to watch Anthony Hopkins act he is in top form in this great movie. I really love this movie it goes by fast and it's a lot of fun to watch. The actors were beyond good in this movie. I have told all of my friends to see this movie. They also fell in love with it. So go and get one of the best movies ever made!