'Tis What Remains Unsaid

First of all, let me get this out of the way. As one Epinions member so directly pointed out in a comment on my Top 10 British Films opinion, "We have found an Anthony Hopkins fan." You have indeed, and although it may seem that I have been paid off by Sir Anthony himself, all my praise of this man is sincere, and I believe, well-deserved.

On with the movie. "The Remains of the Day" beautifully chronicles the life of Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), an austere and proper butler under the employment of a rich English man who thinks of himself as a diplomat. It so happens that Lord Darlington (Stevens' employer) is a Nazi sympathizer. Enter Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson), a housekeeper with "excellent references" as Stevens puts it. Kenton and Stevens form a friendship and a romance that neither party will attest to. Over many years, Miss Kenton attempts to reach Stevens who will not allow himself to show any emotion, always adhering to the strict code of conduct any good English butler must follow. Throughout the years people pass in and out of Stevens life, including an American Senator (Christopher Reeve) concerned with Darlington's sympathy toward Germany, and Darlington's godson, Cardinal (Hugh Grant).

I think the power of this film lies in simplicity on one level. Simplicity in the sense that Stevens tries to make everything as simple as possible. There is work to be done and he must do it. Do not get romantically involved with anyone on the staff at Darlington Hall. The butler is to have no opinion, nor is to listen to the conversations of his master or his guests.

Stevens attempts to regiment his entire life and always remain proper as he believes he should be. And the viewer develops a sort of critical attitude toward Stevens whilst also feeling pity. Take, for instance, the repeated times he tells Miss Kenton off or scolds her for bothering him. Granted he was not doing this out of spite, but rather, he was guarding himself from her and from his feelings for her. This would, of course, impede his work. Even when she is weeping, Stevens notifies her that a piece of furniture in the dining room has not been dusted. But then at the death of his father, Stevens cannot even grieve because he must tend to the convention his master is holding downstairs. His only explanation to continue working: "Miss Kenton, my father would have wanted me to carry on with my work," or something to that effect. One must feel pity for a man who cannot bring himself to express the most basic human emotions and at such a terrible time as the death of a father.

The heart of the movie, however, is the romance between Stevens and Miss Kenton. He is always on guard, ready to deny love at every crossroads. But at the very least, he and Kenton strike up a friendship, if nothing else, during her years at Darlington Hall. They exchange words so as to challenge eachother. Stevens about her work and Kenton about his thoughts and feelings. Not to copy of off Tallgent's opinion on this (read that, it's excellent), but the best line in the movie comes where Stevens simply says to Miss Kenton. "Do you know what I'm doing right now? I'm placing my thoughts elsewhere while you chatter away."

"The Remains of the Day" also has a few tender and funny parts to it. For instance, the scene in which Stevens attempts to explain to the young Mr. Cardinal about the "birds and the bees" in the pretext of the magnificent changes that occur in spring. I found it one of the best scenes in the movie, lo and behold, Stevens seems to know something about human life, but alas is still unable to convey it to another. His delivery of the lines is also masterful. I hope, if you watch this film, that this scene hits you as powerfully as it did me.

The film, in essence, is a tragedy. Not in the sense that Miss Kenton and Stevens do not come together, but in the sense that Stevens can never even tell her of his love. He wants to, every time he sees her, but that would be to deny his duty as a butler. A great deal of tragedy also lies in Stevens' inability to admit to himself that he has emotions. He seems to hide from that fact, to run from it as if it would be his undoing to cry or show sorrow. Even to have a good laugh.

Which brings me to my next point and the reason for the title of my opinion. All that is left unsaid, speaks volumes more than what is said. The subtle looks that Stevens gives Miss Kenton when she is not looking. That look of desperate longing. Every small movement by Stevens that shows he is uncomfortable when speaking on a personal level. Every distant gaze that Stevens casts speaks of his sadness and ultimate wonder of what a normal life would be like, or his desire to tell all everything he had ever thought or felt. In the hands of any other actor, Stevens would not have these dimensions. Hopkins plays perhaps one of the hardest roles one can play: complete repression while showing faint flashes of humanity.

Emma Thompson handles her part wonderfully as well. She longs for Stevens to say what he feels. She constantly badgers him and pushes him to open up to the point where her challenges and thoughts toward him are said to his face, whether he would think them offensive or not. I've seen Thompson in "Howards End", "Primary Colors", and "Much Ado About Nothing", and I must say her performance here outshines any of those. (Thompson fans, feel free to suggest a few movies that I should see besides Sense and Sensibility.)

And at last we come to James Ivory. Wonderful direction on his part, making Darlington Hall seem extravagently lavish in its prime and then a bit bleak and empty near the finish of the film. Because, after all, the film takes place over at least 30 years and sees Darlington Hall change from an international hub of sorts for diplomats to the home of a broken noble to the residence of an American trying to start the place back up again. And Stevens sees it all. Ivory's sweeping use of the camera at the end gave the film a grand finale as Stevens releases a pigeon out the window and watches it fly away. He can watch everyone escape but himself. 'Tis what remains unsaid.


CAST:
ANTHONY HOPKINS - Mr. Stevens
EMMA THOMPSON - Miss Kenton
CHRISTOPHER REEVE - Senator
HUGH GRANT - Mr. Cardinal

DIRECTED BY: James Ivory


IF YOU LIKE "THE REMAINS OF THE DAY:

HOWARDS END *** - anthony hopkins, emma thompson, helena bonham carter
dir. James Ivory

84 CHARING CROSS ROAD ***** - anthony hopkins, anne bancroft, judi dench

THE ELEPHANT MAN **** - anthony hopkins, john hurt, anne bancroft, john gielguld

THE WINGS OF THE DOVE *** - helena bonham carter, linus roache

DRIVING MISS DAISY ***** - jessica tandy, morgan freeman, esther rolle

THE END OF THE AFFAIR **** - ralph fiennes, julianne moore, stephen rea, ian hart, jason isaacs
dir. Niel Jordan

LEGENDS OF THE FALL **** - brad pitt, anthony hopkins, aidan quinn, julia ormond, henry thomas
dir. Edward Zwick

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING **** - kenneth branagh, emma thompson, denzel washington, keanu reeves, michael keaton
dir. Kenneth Branagh