Synopsis
A rule bound head butler's world of manners and decorum in the household he maintains is tested by the arrival of a housekeeper who falls in love with him in post-WWI Britain. The possibility of romance and his master's cultivation of ties with the Nazi cause challenge his carefully maintained veneer of servitude.
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Cast
- Anthony HopkinsJames Stevens
- Emma ThompsonMiss Kenton
- James FoxLord Darlington
- Christopher ReeveJack Lewis
- Hugh GrantReginald Cardinal
- Peter VaughanWilliam Stevens
- Ben ChaplinCharlie, Head Footman
- Paula JacobsMrs. Mortimer, the cook
- Patrick GodfreySpencer
- Michael LonsdaleDupont D'Ivry
Recommendations
- 100
The New York Times
Looks grand without being overdressed, it is full of feeling without being sentimental. Here’s a film for adults. It’s also about time to recognize that Mr. Ivory is one of our finest directors. [5 November 1993, p. C1] - 100
Washington Post
A classically polished drama about repressed emotions, self delusion and protracted heartbreak, this Merchant/Ivory movie is one of the most affecting experiences of the year. - 90
Rolling Stone
Detractors will see the usual parade of repressed feelings in a Masterpiece Theatre setting. Those who look closer will find one of the best films of the year. - 88
Chicago Sun-Times
The whole movie is quiet, introspective, thoughtful. - 88
ReelViews
An engaging and powerful motion picture, every bit the equal of Merchant Ivory's best work, and certainly the most emotionally-wrenching tale they have brought to the screen. - 80
Variety
All the meticulousness, intelligence, taste and superior This curious, cloistered piece... is continuously absorbing but lacks the emotional resonance that would have made it completely satisfying. - 78
Austin Chronicle
Gorgeously lensed and delightfully structured, however, this is, in a word, wonderful. - 70
Chicago Reader
The actors keep this interesting, but as a story it drifts and rambles.
