Be warned. The latest production from the team of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory doesn't follow the beaten path.

Adapted from the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day strays as far as possible from modern-adult romance fluff such as Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally.

Instead, The Remains of the Day is a gentle, understated love story with no steamy sex scenes, no nudity . . . and not a whole lot of love.

This film is obstinate and unpredictable. It defies the formulas that have become Hollywood standards. There is not a rose or a love letter in sight, and audiences will be hard pressed to find a happy ending. Remains is a love story that is, sadly, much more realistic.

The plot centers around the quietly turbulent relationship between Stevens (Anthony Hopkins), a stodgy English butler, and his co-worker, Ms. Kenton (Emma Thompson).

Although Remains cuts between two eras -- the glory of pre-WWII England and the decline of that nation in the postwar years -- the film centers mainly on life in prewar England. And it is here, surrounded by the pro-Nazi sympathies of Lord Darlington and in the turmoil surrounding the traitorous lord, that the relationship between Stevens and Ms. Kenton unfolds.

Set mainly at Darlington Hall (although actually shot at a combination of stately English manor houses), the film chronicles the pair's tensions, triumphs and despair as they struggle with emotions that churn beneath calm demeanors.

With service and discipline as his personal mantras, Stevens fills his days by ordering servants around and by sparring with Ms. Kenton about the affairs of the household. That sparring soon becomes velvet lined as Ms. Kenton cracks Stevens' veneer and both realize a mutual attraction.

In one defining moment, the two are brought together in Stevens' pantry, where a curious Ms. Kenton tries to pry a book out of the butler's hands. Their hands meet, their eyes lock and Stevens -- who has been literally backed into a corner -- lets the spark die.

Twenty years later, Darlington Hall is under new ownership after the death of Lord Darlington; an American, Senator Lewis (Christopher Reeve), has taken up residence. Faced with the task of reorganizing the household, Stevens is off to reclaim the recently divorced Ms. Kenton.

Like the English countryside that surrounds Darlington Hall, this film possesses both a quiet beauty and a stormy intensity. Both Hopkins and Thompson play their roles with marvelous restraint. Thompson is perfect as the lonely and occasionally flustered Ms. Kenton; she breathes life and charm into the stately house.

It is Hopkins, however, who is the film's shining star. He brings the blindness of Stevens' devotion to his master into light with amazing clarity. He also evokes a whole range of emotion -- from disgust to pity -- in his refusal to come to terms with his love for Ms. Kenton.

In a role that calls for understatement and discipline, Hopkins transforms his character's stubborn refusal to change into his own personal crucifixion. And after his performance, it is easy to see why Hopkins has received critical acclaim for his role in this quiet masterpiece.