The Remains of the Day (1993)

This impeccable adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel stars Anthony Hopkins as the emotionally repressed butler and Emma Thompson as the housekeeper he possibly loves. It is as much a study in power and politics as it is Hopkins's blinkered view of the world, with immaculately staged 1930s and 40s settings and direction alive to every nuance.

The film is another perfectly crafted Merchant-Ivory production that excels as both an upstairs-downstairs drama with political undertones and a quiet tragedy of repressed emotion. Hopkins gives a remarkable, wonder-evoking performance as the dutiful butler.

The film is a moving, carefully modulated picture that overcomes stodginess with miraculous acting from Hopkins and Thompson. It presents a melancholy romance between characters bound by professional codes, making the tandem performances the highlight.

The critic praises the subtle, thoughtful adaptation that explores a butler's repressed emotions and blindness to political realities in pre-WWII Britain, highlighting the performances and the theme of duty over personal happiness.

The critic praises the film as bound for box-office glory and Oscar honors, highlighting Anthony Hopkins' colossal performance as the duty-bound butler Stevens. The uniformly excellent cast and James Ivory's direction of the technical team are singled out for praise.

The critic praises the film as a spellbinding tragi-comedy with psychological and political scope, an exquisite work that stands out among Merchant-Ivory productions. The adaptation captures the novel's metaphoric depth through the butler's story of honor and duty.

The critic praises James Ivory’s 1993 adaptation as a masterful reworking that captures heartbreaking personal stories against historical backdrops. They highlight the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as the repressed butler and housekeeper whose thwarted relationship drives the tragicomic tale of duty and unlived possibilities.

The film is a parable of excess control and professional pride taken to extremes, with the movie doing the novel proud in its clunky way. Hopkins delivers a performance full of thought and afterthought that never bores.

The film succeeds thanks to Anthony Hopkins's astonishing performance as the devoted butler, but it is Emma Thompson's character the viewer feels for most. The scenes of polite repartee between them finally bring the film to life.

The meticulousness, intelligence, taste and superior acting expected from Merchant Ivory are present, making the film continuously absorbing. It lacks the emotional resonance that would make it completely satisfying, though top performances ensure it is a class entry.

The critic finds the film overly deliberate and undermined by intrusive music that telegraphs emotions the restrained characters cannot express. Hopkins delivers a meticulously controlled performance as the butler whose devotion to duty masks profound personal loss.

The critic calls the film Merchant Ivory's finest hour and praises its crisp, unfussy direction by James Ivory, intelligent script by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and impeccable central performances by Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, especially a devastatingly sad confrontation scene.