-
Select media
-
Stills must not be reproduced, copied or downloaded in any way.
Film details
-
Featuring
-
Countries
United Kingdom USA
-
Year
1993
-
Genre
Period drama
-
Type
Film
-
Category
Fiction
Introduction
“Nothing that Mr Merchant, Mr Ivory and Ms Jhabvala have done before has the psychological and political scope and the spare authority of this enchantingly realized film.”
Vincent Canby, The New York Times, 1993
British cinema in the 1980s and early 1990s was defined by an American director, an Indian producer and a German-born screenwriter: James Ivory, Ismail Merchant and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala respectively. They were nearing the end of their commercial reign when they brought to the screen Kazuo Ishiguro’s story of the unexpressed affection between Mr Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) – head butler at an English stately home shortly before World War II – and housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson).
But the film finds them at the peak of their powers, the fragile almost-love between the main characters explored with heartbreaking delicacy. There’s notable support too from Peter Vaughan, who almost steals the movie as Mr Stevens’s father, a fellow butler who must work under his son.
Among the trio’s other collaborations is Howards End (1992). In 2010, Ishiguro’s novel Never Let Me Go was adapted by screenwriter Alex Garland and director Mark Romanek.
Cast & Credits
-
Cast
-
-
Stevens
-
Miss Kenton
-
Lord Darlington
-
Lewis
-
Mr Stevens Senior
-
Reginald Cardinal
-
Dupont D'Ivry
-
Benn
-
Spencer
-
Sir Leonard Bax
-
Charlie, head footman
-
Harry Smith
-
Lord Halifax
-
Lizzie
-
Baroness
-
publican
-
Doctor Carlisle
-
Sir Geoffrey Wren
-
auctioneer
-
landlady
-
Mrs Mortimer, the cook
-
George, second footman
-
housemaid
-
Canon Tufnell
-
Trimmer
-
Viscount Biggs
-
scullery boy
-
Doctor Meredith
-
postmaster
-
Elsa
-
Irma
-
Wren's friend
-
publican's wife
-
Andrews
-
prime minister
-
Foreign Office official
-
German ambassador
-
German embassy official
-
German embassy official
-
police constable
-
waitress
-
-
-
Credits
-
Unknown:
-
-
-
A Mike Nichols, John Calley, Merchant Ivory production
-
A Mike Nichols, John Calley, Merchant Ivory production
-
A Mike Nichols, John Calley, Merchant Ivory production
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Assistant to the Producer
-
Project Creative Assistant
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Based on the novel by
-
Photography
-
2nd Unit Cameraman
-
Follow Focus Cameraman
-
Clapper Loader
-
Camera Trainee
-
[Camera] Apprentice
-
-
-
Camera Grip
-
Stills Photographer
-
-
-
-
2nd Assistant Editor
-
Production Design
-
-
-
-
-
Dressing Prop
-
-
-
-
Costume Design
-
Costume Design
-
-
Wardrobe Mistress
-
Wardrobe Assistant
-
Wardrobe Assistant
-
Wardrobe Assistant
-
Chief Make-up Artist
-
-
Chief Hairdresser
-
-
Titles by
-
Opticals by
-
Processed by
-
Printed by
-
-
-
Orchestral Arrangements
-
-
Music Recording Engineer
-
-
Choreographer
-
-
-
On-set Sound Assistant
-
-
Assistant Sound Re-recording
-
Sound Re-recording at
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Assistant Adviser
-
Filmed with
-
-