The Exile (1947)

Charles II, the King of England, finds himself in exile in Holland, where he falls in love with a beautiful farm-girl.

Director:

Max Ophüls (as Max Opuls)

Writers:

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Cosmo Hamilton (novel)

Stars:

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Maria Montez, Rita Corday

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Charles Stuart (Charles II)
Maria Montez	...	Countess Anbella de Courteuil
Rita Corday	...	Katie (as Paule Croset)
Henry Daniell	...	Colonel Ingram
Nigel Bruce	...	Sir Edward Hyde
Robert Coote	...	Dick Pinner
Otto Waldis	...	Jan
Eldon Gorst	...	Seymour
Milton Owen	...	Wilcox (as Milton A. Owen)
Colin Keith-Johnston	...	Captain Bristol
Ben Wright	...	Milbanke (as Ben H. Wright)
Colin Kenny	...	Ross
Peter Shaw	...	Higson
Will Stanton	...	Tucket
Ramsay Hill	...	Cavalier Officer (as C.S. Ramsey-Hill)

Storyline

Maria Montez was accorded top billing in this film by contractual agreement, although she is in the picture only long enough to take a bath in a tricky 17th century bathtub while sipping coffee with Charles Stuart and delivering dialogue in a barely-understandable French-accent. This is the second major film released within a short period with King Charles II as a primary character, and Charles here and Charles (George Sanders) in "Forever Amber" are two very varied approaches to the same character. This one takes place prior to the beginning of "Forever Amber" when Charles II and his followers are hiding out in Holland from Oliver Cromwell's puritan Round Heads. Being temporarily at liberty (or unemployed), Charles takes a day job at the farm/estate of Katie, and falls in love with her. Meanwhile he eludes his enemies by agility, enterprise and sword play, some of the latter performed while riding the blades of a Dutch windmill. He is summoned back to the throne and has to leave ...

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Plot Keywords:

king | windmill | feast | sword fight | secret identity | 

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Taglines:

In Magnificent Sepiatone

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Genres:

Adventure | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 October 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

De banneling

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fairbanks Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because of contractual requirements, Maria Montez receives star billing even though her role only demands she be on screen for about ten minutes, 40 minutes into the film, after which she is never seen again. Although the film was not produced by Universal, it was released by that studio and concluded Montez's contract with the studio.

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Alternate Versions

Director Max Ophuls's original ending was changed prior to the American release. In the original ending, there is an unbroken shot that starts with Nigel Bruce's character waiting outside the door and goes on to follow Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (in his regal garb) as he descends the stairs and walks out into the crowd. Katie (Rita Corday) prays and leaves her room. Two men enter the now-empty inn and discuss the placement of a commemorative plaque for the site. As they go over the wording for the plaque (about Charles II's loyal supporters, etc.), they notice Katie exiting in the background and dismiss her as unimportant. As they continue reading, the screen dissolves to a shot of the plaque (seen earlier in the film), closing in on the engraved image of Charles II's head in profile at the bottom. (In the American release ending, a quick shot of Katie leaving her room breaks up the shot of Fairbanks descending the stairs. After the king exits, the film cuts to the plaque and the engraved image.) The original ending may have been seen on international prints of the film. Turner Classic Movies has, on occasion, shown the alternate ending as a bonus after airing the American version of the film.

User Reviews

Sublime!

This is probably the least appreciated of the series of masterpieces Max Ophüls made in his too-short stay in Hollywood. Superficially it is a fairly silly, light-hearted historical romp, and it is enjoyable enough on that level. But this only throws into sharper relief the expressive mastery of Ophüls' style - by the end of the movie a single elegant camera move is enough to turn the mood to high tragedy. This is sublime filmmaking.