Updates, Live: The Remains of the Day (1993)

(http://uashome.alaska.edu/~dfgriffin/website/remains.htm)

After several years I watched again The Remains of the Day, the movie made in 1993 by James Ivory. A sad story: after a life of total dedication to your work, you realize that it wasn't worth. During all your life you suppressed your self to leave the room for the job only. And now it is too late. All you have from now on will be the remains of the day, walked through by recurring ghosts: loves that you have ignored, all those occasions to be just yourself that you have passed over.

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Remains-Day-Kazuo-Ishiguro/dp/0571225381)

The novel of Kazuo Ishiguro embeds this story in an elegant wrapping: the action takes place at the estate of a British aristocrat, noble guests come to participate at hunting parties, to attend great dinners, to discuss international affairs. It is the beginning of the thirties, the master of the place is actually a sympathizer of Nazi Germany, advocating for them, while his butler is simply too loyal, too committed to his work, to make a judgment.

Based on the novel, James Ivory made a movie that is exquisite. The director is considered as being influenced in his style by the works of Satyajit Ray and Jean Renoir. He had great masters!

The two main characters are flawlessly played by Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. The butler, as perfect as a Swiss watch, as perfect and as inhuman. And the maid, trying to discover the hidden humanity behind his cold perfection, fighting with him to pull out his secret kindness that he is not aware of. And giving up after too many years .

The two of them are surrounded by an impeccable cast: James Fox, Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, Michael Lonsdale, among others.

(http://www.thebigbookreview.jki2.co.uk/?p=150)

There is an interesting scene at the end. A pigeon is suddenly emerging from the chimney, aimlessly flying through the large room. They will eventually leave it outside. It was a pure coincidence: the pigeon appeared while they were shooting and the director decided on the spot to use it. It is to meditate if there can be actually coincidences in this world! The flight of the pigeon inside the room like in a gigantic cage, an unexpected symbol for what the life of the butler has been. Or a reminder maybe, of the maid, with her attempts to make him human and get his love. Or a message, about what their lives could have been.