James Ivory directs Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Christopher Reeves in this period drama following the life of an overly dedicated butler before and after WWII.

As unrequited romances go this makes Brief Encounter feel like Basic Instinct. The stunted restraint between Hopkins and Thompson is heartbreaking. She certainly gives her best performance. The fascist and appeasement subplots are nestled well in the mid ground making this feel more like a full fat drama rather than “just a silly little romance.” A film that is not immediately of my tastes but grows on me with each revisit.

7

Perfect Double Bill: 84 Charing Cross Road (1987)

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