The Remains of the Day (film)

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 James Fox, Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, and Ben Chaplin. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

A number of English country house estates were used as locations for the film, partly owing to the persuasive power of Ismail Merchant, who was able to cajole permission for the production to borrow various houses not normally open to the public. Among them was Dyrham Park for the exterior of the house and the driveway, Powderham Castle (staircase, hall, music room), the interior of which was used for the aqua-turquoise stairway scenes, Corsham Court (library and dining room), and Badminton House (servants' quarters). Luciana Arrighi, the production designer, scouted most of these locations.

Cast

John Haycraft - Auctioneer

Christopher Reeve - Jack Lewis

Anthony Hopkins - James Stevens

Emma Thompson - Mary Kenton
Caroline Hunt - Landlady
James Fox - Lord Darlington
Peter Vaughan - William Stevens
Paula Jacobs - Mrs. Mortimer, the cook

Ben Chaplin - Charlie, Head Footman
Steve Dibben - George, Second Footman

Abigail Hopkins - Housemaid (as Abigail Harrison)
Patrick Godfrey - Spencer
Peter Cellier - Sir Leonard Bax
Peter Halliday - Canon Tufnell

Hugh Grant - Reginald Cardinal
Terence Bayler - Trimmer
Jeffrey Wickham - Viscount Bigge (as Jeffry Wickham)
Hugh Sweetman - Scullery boy
Michael Lonsdale - Dupont D'Ivry
Brigitte Kahn - Baroness
John Savident - Doctor Meredith
Tony Aitken - Postmaster
Emma Lewis - Elsa
Joanna Joseph - Irma
Rupert Vansittart - Sir Geoffrey Wren
Tim Pigott-Smith - Thomas Benn
Christopher Brown - Wren's friend

Lena Headey - Lizzie
Paul Copley - Harry Smith
Ian Redford - Publican
Jo Kendall - Publican's wife
Steven Beard - Andrews
Pip Torrens - Doctor Richard Carlisle
Frank Shelley - Prime Minister
Peter Eyre - Lord Halifax
Jestyn Phillips - Foreign Office official
Wolf Kahler - German ambassador
Frank Höltje - German Embassy official
Andreas Töns - German Embassy official
Roger McKern - Police constable
Angela Newmarch - Waitress

Plot

In 1950s England, Mr. Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), the emotionally repressed butler of Darlington Hall, receives a letter from Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson), who worked with him as housekeeper during the run-up to the Second World War. Twenty years later, Lord Darlington (James Fox) has died and his stately country manor, Darlington Hall, has just been sold to the retired American Congressman Mr. Lewis (Christopher Reeve). Kenton reveals that her marriage has failed and she is nostalgic for the good old days when she worked at the house. Stevens (who is now one of the few servants left at the house) goes to visit Miss Kenton, ostensibly to persuade her to return to service.

The film flashes back to when Kenton first joins the staff as housekeeper. Darlington Hall is frequented by many politicians of the interwar period, who decide important affairs of state while there. Stevens, loyal and perfectionistic, calm and efficient, must manage the household so that the servants seem almost invisible. He clashes with Miss Kenton, but only displays an understated irritation; when his father dies, he continues his duties without pause. Kenton is equally efficient and strong-willed, but warmer and less repressed. Relations between them eventually warm, and Kenton even teases him. It becomes clear that she has fallen in love with him, and perhaps he with her, though this is left ambiguous. She tries to get through to him, but his emotional coldness is too great. When she cries in frustration, the only response he can muster is to call her attention to a domestic task. Finally, she strikes up a relationship with another man and marries him, leaving the house just before World War II breaks out.

Lord Darlington is a Nazi sympathiser, who uses his influence to broker the political arrangements now called "appeasement". But it is not clear to what extent he supports the Nazis' true agenda, or how much he is deceived by them. He irritates Congressman Lewis, one of the dignitaries at a conference, who argues in favour of the Realpolitik of professionals, rather than that of "honourable amateurs". He commands two German-Jewish servant girls to be dismissed, considering their employment inappropriate, though seemingly regretful all the same. (Miss Kenton almost resigns in protest on this occasion, fearing that the girls will have to return to Germany.)

Darlington dies a broken man, his reputation destroyed after his role in the appeasement had been exposed in the papers. Subsequently, Stevens admits to being the butler at Darlington Hall, but initially denies having served or even met Darlington. He now recognises his former master's failings, and also indicates that he has regrets about his own life, as does Miss Kenton (now Mrs. Benn). Kenton declines Stevens' offer to return to Darlington Hall, announcing instead that she wants to stay with her husband and soon-to-be-born grandchild. Stevens departs for Darlington Hall in a downpour of rain. Kenton cries, while Stevens, still unable to show any emotion or feeling toward her, simply raises his hat.

The Remains of the Day (soundtrack)

The Remains of the Day is the original soundtrack of the 1993 Academy Award-nominated film The Remains of the Day starring Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Reeve, Emma Thompson and John Haycraft. The original score is composed by Richard Robbins.

The score was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score (lost to the score of Schindler's List).

Track listing
Opening Titles, Darlington Hall - 7:27
The Keyhole And The Chinaman - 4:14
Tradition And Order - 1:51
The Conference Begins - 1:33
Sei Mir Gegrüsst - 4:13
The Cooks In The Kitchen - 1:34
Sir Geoffrey Wren And Stevens, Sr. - 2:41
You Mean A Great Deal To This House - 2:21
Loss And Separation - 6:19
Blue Moon - 4:57
Sentimental Love Story/Appeasement/In The Rain - 5:22
A Portrait Returns/Darlington Hall/End Credits - 6:54
Total Album Time: 49:26

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