Was vom Tage übrig blieb (1993)

Was vom Tage übrig blieb: Directed by James Ivory. With John Haycraft, Christopher Reeve, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson. A butler who sacrificed body and soul to service in the years leading up to World War II realizes too late how misguided his loyalty was to his lordly employer.

“Ishigurou0026#39;s story of duty finds career butler Mr Stevens preparing to meet Miss Kenton, once the head maid in his household. They have not seen each other for 15 years and once had an unspoken love. As he journeys down to meet her he remembers a lifetime spent in quiet, honourable service.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI donu0026#39;t like period pieces. Merchant-Ivory stuff usually feels very false and stifled to me. Here I didnu0026#39;t know what to expect but I was blown away from start to finish. To say the story is about a romance isnu0026#39;t the whole picture, to say itu0026#39;s about British-German politics pre-WW2 is not the full story. In fact the film is about it all – but the focus is Mr Stevens. He serves dinner while his father dies in an upstairs room, he puts his own opinions so far back that he doesnu0026#39;t have any, he is so focused on the proper way to serve that he never finds his own life. To describe in like this makes it sound very dull, and to some people it may be, but trust me – the story is beautifully observed and has so much going on in the background that itu0026#39;ll keep you interested. The main reason it works is a faultless central performance by Hopkins.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHopkins drives the whole film. His face and his speech reveal more about his inner feelings than anything else. It can be frustrating to see him always put on a brave face and bury his emotions, but once you get his character (a man of quiet honour, dignity and respect – any wonder he seems otherworldly by modern standards) itu0026#39;s fine. He is fantastic – I cannot say it enough. His lot in life is moving, but what is incredibly moving is that he seems content to let his life slide by. The scene where Thompsonu0026#39;s Miss Kenton confronts him about the book he is quietly reading is beautiful, truly beautiful – revealing their closeness and the depth of Stevensu0026#39; heart. Thompson is also excellent in her role but doesnu0026#39;t have as much screen time as Hopkins. Fox, Reeves and Chaplin are all excellent in their roles.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf the film has a weakness it is that it doesnu0026#39;t judge the rich – even the Nazi sympathisers. It almost seems to revere the elite – I know they are not the focus but Merchant-Ivory always seems to be obsessed with how the other half live (or maybe they are part of the other half!). The ending is also a little disappointing because itu0026#39;s quite low-key, but itu0026#39;s very, very touching.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall this is excellent – I didnu0026#39;t think it would be that good, but it totally blew me away. Sit down and let this story unfold before you, let the characters develop and ensnare you. I guarantee you will be deeply moved by Hopkins. The rather crude message of `seize the dayu0026#39; is beautifully told in a rich tapestry of one manu0026#39;s life.”