The Remains of the Day (film)

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The Remains of the Day
Directed by James Ivory
Produced by Ismail Merchant
Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro)
Starring Anthony Hopkins
Emma Thompson
James Fox
Christopher Reeve
Peter Vaughan
Hugh Grant
Michael Lonsdale
Tim Pigott-Smith
Music by Richard Robbins
Cinematography Tony Pierce-Roberts
Editing by Andrew Marcus
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) November 5, 1993
Running time 134 min
Language English
IMDb profile
This article is about the film. For the novel on which the film was based, see The Remains of the Day.

The Remains of the Day (1993) is a Merchant Ivory Film adapted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. It was directed by James Ivory, produced by Ismail Merchant, and starred Anthony Hopkins as Stevens and Emma Thompson as Miss Kenton, with support from James Fox, Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, and Ben Chaplin.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Mr Stevens, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a butler of great skill and professionalism. The film begins in the 1950s and is told in flashback to the 1930s, when Darlington Hall was in its greatest glory. The new housekeeper, Miss Kenton, portrayed by Emma Thompson, is quite obviously attracted to Stevens, though Stevens never lets his affection show, preferring to keep his distance lest it present distractions to his work. Twenty years later, Miss Kenton has left Darlington Hall to marry but has recently been estranged from her husband, indicating in a letter that she would be willing to return to her old post of housekeeper of Darlington Hall. Stevens then embarks on a journey across the British Isle in order to persuade her to return with him. Along the trip, he reflects on his earlier life, looking back on his relationships between him and his employer, Lord Darlington and Miss Kenton, to whom he is driving toward now.

The majority of the story is set in 1930s and 1940s England. A sub-theme of the story addresses some wider issues of the time, as Lord Darlington is portrayed as a German sympathiser who flirts with fascism. As well as providing context for the story, it emphasizes that Stevens, although hugely competent in his limited milieu, struggles with larger issues outside his feudal loyalty to his master.

[edit] Settings

A number of castles and country houses were used as sets for the film, partly owing to the persuasive power of Mr. Merchant, who was able to cajole permission for the production to borrow various houses that are not open to the public. Among them was Powderham Castle, the interior of which was used for the stairway scenes.

[edit] Cast in order in appearance

[edit] Awards

The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards:

A film adaptation of the novel was originally slated to be directed by Mike Nichols, from a script by Harold Pinter. Nichols was ultimately one of the producers of the Merchant Ivory film.

[edit] External links

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