Review of the film "The Remains of the Day"

“The Remains of the Day”, a movie remake of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, is an amazing yet very sad story of blind loyalty and submission, suppressed love and ambitions.  It is a story about a person who dedicates his entire life to obeying and serving his master and is not courageous enough to open up his heart for personal feelings and love.  

Mr. Stevens, the main character of the film, brilliantly played by Anthony Hopkins, is a British butler who has been serving his master Lord Darlington, a British aristocrat, for many years.  He is so faithful to his master that he completely ignores his own life; in fact he doesn’t have his own life because his everyday existence consists of regularly pleasing his master.  He is so carried away with his servant duties that he suppresses any feelings that are going to interrupt his daily serving routine.  His father passes away, the housekeeper (played by Emma Thompson), who clearly arouses feelings of attraction in Stevens, makes a decision to marry another man as Stevens shows no signs of interest in her.  But nothing can prevent Stevens from abandoning his duties, nothing in this world can make him stop and think about himself and his fate.

Steven’s unhappy story goes parallel with the narrative of his master Lord Darlington, who took sides with ruthless ideals of Nazi Germany and supported their decision to persecute Jewish people. His sympathy for Nazis is evident in the scene where Lord Darlington chooses to fire two Jewish house servants from Germany even though they will most likely be deported to Germany and be forced to meet their fatal destiny.  Mr. Stevens seems not to notice what really is happening during numerous meetings his master was holding. He is so buried in his work that he doesn’t even understand why his master was called a traitor and died a broken man. 

When the new owner of the house, a wealthy American businessman, moves to England and becomes his new master, Stevens submissively starts serving him. Now he found another person to serve, another person to offer his silent duties to, another life to substitute his own with. I don’t think he is ever going to break this eternal circle and unlock his own heart and start living his own life. In the final scene of the movie when his new master lets the lost dove fly away out of the window, Stevens looks at it with quiet envy as he is closing the window. The bird can get out of this house, but he can’t and never will. He is a prisoner locked willingly in the cage of someone else’s life.     

In my opinion, Mr. Stevens uses his sense of loyalty to Lord Darlington to cover up his fear to face his inner emotions and to take responsibility in his own destiny. It is much easier for him to ignore his personal opinions and feelings and just swim with the current. It is easier to obey somebody than to make your own choices, it is trouble-free to occupy your life with monotonous work that doesn’t involve thinking than to analyze your life and take actions.

Mr. Stevens’ total compliance brings somewhat mixed emotions in my heart.  On the one hand, I don’t feel pity at all for such absolute servitude and think that it is his own fault that he can’t stand up for his feelings and acknowledge his inner self. On the other hand, I sympathize with his character and sometimes even admire his determination and sense of responsibility.  

His character reminds me of the “little people” theme developed in Russian literature in the 19 th century.  Nikolai Gogol, a great Russian writer, used this interesting theme in one of his famous short stories “The Overcoat”, where the main character Akakiy Akakievich, an impoverished government clerk, spends all his time on working and saving money for a new winter coat. After he finally purchases the new garment, it is stolen and without getting any responses for his calls for help, Akakiy Akakievich gets sick and dies from a fever.  He spends nearly his entire life working hard to buy a new overcoat. When his coat is stolen, he realizes that now he won’t be able to come to work every day as his old coat is worn out and useless. He loses the desire to live, gets ill and dies.

Yes, “little people” waste their lives for their work and their masters. “Little people” don’t have lives; they just fulfill their duties day after day until they die. “Little people” are everywhere. They can be found in any city, any society, any office. They can be seen among your friends, relatives and even inside your own home…