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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Omaha Public Library.
Mar 25, 2017LovieBooker rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This is one of those instances in which I'm glad I saw the movie first. I love the story. It's about an era I've always had a great interest in, the time between the two world wars. The movie was a precursor to Downtown Abbey. It starred Sir Anthony Hopkins, who is, in my opinion, the greatest dramatic actor ever, period. And, he starred with Emma Thompson, who I also love. I could possibly be that my appreciation for Sir Anthony's portrayal kept Stevens from coming across as completely devoid of human feelings. I had little sympathy for him until the final chapters when things suddenly become clear to him. I honestly think having seen the movie made it easier for me to enjoy the book. In the book, the events are told from recall, with Stevens' complete insouciance of emotion providing commentary. In the movie, while Sir Anthony can deadpan better than most actors, he did manage to convey basic emotions.