The Remains Of The Day (1992)

As he drives to the West Country in England to visit a former colleague, a butler (Anthony Hopkins) reflects back to the pre WWII years when he was in service to a Nazi sympathizer (James Fox) and his relationship with the estate's housekeeper (Emma Thompson). Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by James Ivory (HOWARDS END). Perhaps the jewel in the crown of the Merchant/Ivory filmography, this impeccably rendered portrait of a man whose entire life is unquestionably devoted to loyal service yet limiting his emotional response to human contact is a moving and tender film. In one of his greatest performances, Anthony Hopkins bring a quiet dignity to his proud surface yet we're still able to see the subtle nuances of a conflict buried below the exterior. He's matched by the superior work of Thompson and Fox. It's a literate film yet despite the period setting, it's not D.O.A. like so many of those stuffy Masterpiece Theatre type literary adaptations. Hats off to Tony Pierce Roberts' (A ROOM WITH A VIEW) exemplary wide screen lensing and Richard Robbins' rich underscore. With Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, Michael Lonsdale, Ben Chaplin, Tim Pigott Smith and Lena Headey.