O Exilado

Douglas Fairbanks Jr starred as Charles II, the eponymous role in this swashbuckler and produced as well. It says much for his modesty, that he appears last in the end credits though he is undoubtedly the star. As a swordsman and acrobat he turns in a performance that his father would have been proud of and also brings wit and charm to the table. His romantic relationship with a Dutch girl, played by Paule Croset (later to become more famous under the name of Rita Corday), however is just ok. Maria Montez is much more fun as a coquettish countess and seems to have more chemistry with Fairbanks. Director Max Ophuls presides over a beautifully shot film with impressive mise en Scene and there is superb editing when we cross cut several times between the Netherlands where Fairbanks and Croset work and play, and England where the machinations of the puritans to catch or kill the king are brewing. The music in Holland is playful whilst being militaristic and sinister in England, during this sequence; stirring stuff! And speaking of the Puritans, Henry Daniell is perfectly and icily cast as a Roundhead Colonel. He arrives in The Netherlands like a black hatted western gun slinger on the trail of our hero and is compelling in his fanaticism. It feels like he and Fairbanks are fated to meet, by destiny and only one will survive. The duel between the two backs this up more than somewhat and Daniell steals the film in the process. In the supporting cast, Robert Coote is a hoot as an impoverished actor, dishonestly masquerading as Charles II himself in order to obtain free food and lodging and Nigel Bruce plays it straight to good effect as the real king's right hand man and confidant, impressing us with his raspy voice of experience and touching us with his devotion to his monarch and friend.

In one of his BEST acting roles, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s second stint as a movie producer--and his first as a writer--is an ambitious attempt to dramatize the tale of the restoration of Charles II to the throne of England. An avowed Anglophile, Fairbanks has a strong sense of the history of his adoptive land. (He was born in New York City.) Fortunately, the drama and excitement of the pursuit of Charles Stuart (Fairbanks) after his return from self-imposed exile in Holland by Oliver Cromwell's Puritans is lushly displayed by the producer-author-star's insistence on a deliberate, poetic pace for the story. Much of the film is concerned with Fairbanks' trysting with the luscious Croset--later Paula Corday--in her first starring role, as a Royalist who conceals the fugitive king on her estate. Despite a strong supporting cast and an interesting concept, the film is a forgotten charmer!

The costuming for this film must bring a smile to the face of anyone familiar with fashions of the 17th century. The film's action occurs in 1660, but Fairbanks and his colleagues wear jerkins fitted to the waist, stylish about 1620-1630, but apparently considered more dashing than the loose smocks and petticoat breeches of 1660. Then Maria Montez arrives, wearing a gown clearly from the 1880 Wild West costume rack in the Wardrobe Department. To atone, her second frock is only a century out of kilter, something from about 1750.

I found the sound-stage exteriors very claustrophobic and phony, and I noted only 3 instances when I felt the "Ophüls touch," for example when the shutter blew open and closed, alternately revealing and concealing the lovers as they approach their first kiss. I'm also puzzled why Max Ophüls is listed as "Opuls" in the credits, but perhaps that is a phonetic rendering to eliminate the umlaut?

When Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. started his career in silent screen he did not go for the swashbuckling roles that his famous father did. My guess is he wanted to be judged on his own as a player. In fact it was his mother who when Fairbanks, Sr. was slow with the child support who got him into film in the first place, hoping to capitalize on the name. Later as he got older and was established in his own right, Fairbanks made claim to the legacy of his father in such films as The Exile.

In fact Fairbanks both wrote the screenplay and produced this film and got European director Max Ophuls for the piloting. He plays a most famous exile, Charles Stuart, Charles II of Great Britain who is exiled in the Netherlands and poised to reclaim his own in 1660.

The story is based on a historical novel by British writer Cosmo Hamilton and it tells of that brief interregnum in British history between the sudden death of Oliver Cromwell and the restoration of Charles II. Charles Stuart had narrowly escaped from his country after the Puritan takeover and was living in exile in somewhat humble circumstances wherever in Europe he could find shelter. In 1660 it was the Netherlands.

Historians have debated long about the collapse of the military dictatorship of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. He had things pretty much his own way and when he died his son Richard wasn't up to the job he inherited. It was a close run thing that the United Kingdom did not break apart into civil war again at this time.

By 1660 just about everybody except the most committed of Puritans felt that only a Stuart Restoration would keep the country united. But some of those most committed Puritans had a big vested interest in seeing that the Restoration did not occur. Therein lies the tale of this film.

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. is a perfect Charles Stuart, in fact he looks quite a bit like him. As in real life sharing his exile is Lord Clarendon who is played here by Nigel Bruce. When Charles reclaimed his throne, Lord Clarendon became his first minister. In the film as in life Clarendon was constantly reminding him of his duty and not to spend all his time on frivolity and chasing skirts. In real life after the action of this film, Charles got rid of Clarendon, but with a decent pension for loyalty and services rendered.

As petitions come from various folks over in Great Britain to resume the monarchy, Charles plays coy all the time dodging Puritan agents. Several have come to the town where he's staying and Charles has a bit of sport with them by just pretending he's a penniless exile. He even takes a job as a laborer on Paula Corday's farm. He even falls for her as he did with MANY women.

But a most cunning and ruthless Puritan in the person of Henry Daniell arrives to take over the hunt and kill the king before he can set sail back to his realm. This is one of Daniell's finest performances on screen, you can believe he's one cold and merciless killer and a true believer in the Puritan Revolution. Fairbanks and Daniell have a duel in a Dutch mill that's the equal of the one Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone had in Robin Hood.

As per her contract Maria Montez got top billing as a French countess who finds Charles Stuart as a farm hand and delivers a message of support from his cousin Louis XIV of France. Robert Coote has a very funny part as an unemployed actor who is passing himself off as Charles Stuart and who the Puritans nearly kill for such a good performance. Fairbanks uses Coote to his own end to further his deception, but steps in when Daniell's about to run him through.

The Exile is one of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s finest films and he really does the part in a way that would have made Dad proud.

Maria Montez plays a French Countess in this film and headlines the show. She's barely in the film, for goodness sake! Her role could have been completely written out - it has no relevance to the story whatsoever. She must have been very important. Can someone explain?

The story is set in Holland during the exile of England's King Charles II in 1660. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. plays the king and spends the film wooing farm girl Rita Corday (Katie). He, of course, is undercover. An interesting sub-plot is introduced when Robert Coote shows up at the farm claiming to be King Charles II and demanding food and lodgings. Cue humour. Unfortunately, there is too much humour in this film - it exists in nearly every scene which is not what I was wanting. I hoped for some actual historical fact so if you expect any truth you will be disappointed. It's basically a love story with some sword fighting. It could be set anywhere. However, I am glad that the Cavaliers won. I am a Cavalier as defined by my boys school changing-room etiquette. You showed your willy and that put you in either the Roundhead or Cavalier camp. We were only 5 years old and there were no teachers involved!