The daily movie review

The book? Or the movie?

“The Remains of the Day” is based on Kazuo Ishiguro‘s novel, something no one would have been able to imagine as being made into a movie. I have read the book when in college (years after seeing the movie) and, contrary to The Empire of the Sun (when the book seemed just badly written, while the movie was in my opinion brilliant), in this case it’s hard for me to say which is the best. When you have two amazing actors (Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins) chances are you’re gonna see a pretty good movie.

1958. It’s been years since they’ve last seen each other. The butler and the housekeeper, two people who have spent years tending for Darlington Hall (a famous country side), while turning a blind eye on what could have been a beautiful love story. But who has the time for love, when there’s so much work to do and society itself doesn’t quite “promote” free speech when it comes to feelings and passion.

Stevens, the butler, is now driving across England to the sea, to visit Miss Kenton. Officially, he’s trying to persuade her to resume her position at Darlington Hall, under the new “master” (a retired American congressman). In fact he just wants to see her and maybe try say to her what he failed to communicate so many years. While the journey unfolds so do his memories.

They used to work together and serve Lord Darlington, to the best of their abilities. Stevens has an old father who also worked as a butler and made sure to instill in his son the same spirit or duty. Such strong these teachings are that his son will carry on with the serving, while his father is dying upstairs. Stevens knows about his duty and that’s all. Duty trumps family, duty trumps love, duty trumps everything.

Does this sound absurd? It surely does.

Let’s still remember the novel was created by a Japanese writer. I dare say Stevens is just another type of a Samurai, who has to ignore anything and everything and serve his lord. As a samurai has to draw his katana and kill his family if his lord demands this, so Stevens has got to put everything aside and do his DUTY.

Stevens does feel something for Miss Kenton but he is too focused on this job to allow himself to care. Not to mention he’s doing the mistake we all do in the end, of believing time will wait for us. Time doesn’t wait. Love doesn’t wait. People vanish from our lives, if we chose to ignore them.

The butler is not a stupid man, nor does he lack sex-appeal or some sort of personal charm. This is the reason Miss Kenton has “feelings” for him too. Still, he’s narrow-minded and too focused on the job, to allow their love to blossom.

And now, as he is driving towards her, we have to ask ourselves: is it too late?

June 26th, 2010 | Drama | No Comments »