''Dangerous Exile'' is a 1957 British

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

drama film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring

Louis Jourdan Louis Jourdan (born Louis Robert Gendre; 19 June 1921 – 14 February 2015) was a French film and television actor. He was known for his suave roles in several Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock's ''The Paradine Case'' (1947), '' Lette ...

, Belinda Lee, Anne Heywood and Richard O'Sullivan. It concerns the fate of Louis XVII, who died in 1795 as a boy, yet was popularly believed to have escaped from his

French revolutionary The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are consider ...

captors.

Plot

In 1795, the Duke Philippe de Beauvais smuggles his own son into the prison cell where Louis XVII is kept. Thus Louis XVII can escape unnoticed to England. Unfortunately the

aerostat An aerostat (, via French) is a lighter-than-air aircraft that gains its lift through the use of a buoyant gas. Aerostats include unpowered balloons and powered airships. A balloon may be free-flying or tethered. The average density of the cra ...

, steered by Duke Philippe de Beauvais, lands accidentally on a remote island. There an American spinster, Virginia Traill, takes care of the strange child. She finds the dauphin profoundly traumatised and not interested in becoming a king. Meanwhile, Louis' uncle in Vienna has declared himself the new French king. In order to safeguard his claim on the throne, he sends assassins who shall murder the dauphin. Being unaware of the exchange, he has Richard de Beauvais killed. But now the dauphin's torturers recognise that they have been deceived. Informed by a message of an English spy they send a ship to the island where the real dauphin hides. They attack the house of Virginia Traill and stop at nothing to detect the dauphin's hiding-place.

Cast

as the Duke Philippe de Beauvais * Belinda Lee as Virginia Traill * Keith Michell as Colonel Saint-Gérard * Richard O'Sullivan as Louis XVII/Richard de Beauvais * Martita Hunt as Lady Lydia Fell *

Finlay Currie William Finlay Currie (20 January 1878 – 9 May 1968) was a Scottish actor of stage, screen, and television.McFarlane, Brian (28 February 2014). ''The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition''. Oxford University Press. pp. 175-176; He re ...

as Monsieur Patient * Anne Heywood as Glynis * Jean Mercure as the police chef *

Jacques Brunius __NOTOC__ Jacques B. Brunius (born Jacques Henri Cottance, 16 September 1906 – 24 April 1967) was a French actor, director and writer, who was born in Paris and died in Exeter, UK. He was cremated in Sidmouth, with a tribute by Mesens. Assista ...

as De Chassagne *

Jean Claudio Jean Claudio (28 March 1927 – 11 January 1992) was a French actor. Biography He began his acting career in the cinema at the age of ten, playing the role of the Tsarevich, son of Tsar Nicolas II in The Imperial Tragedy. In 1938, at t ...

as De Castres, the comrade of Philippe à Paris * Terence Longdon : Colonel Sir Frederick Venner

Production

The film was based on the novel ''

A King Reluctant ''A King Reluctant'' is a 1952 historical adventure novel by the British writer Vaughan Wilkins. The plot revolves around the idea that the young Louis XVII, successor to his executed father, survived the French Revolution and turns up at Tenby o ...

'' by

Vaughan Wilkins William Vaughan Wilkins (March 6, 1890 – February 1959) was an English historical novelist and journalist.Stanley Kunitz and H. W. Wilson ''Twentieth Century Authors: A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature. Supplement, Volume 1''. New Yor ...

, which was published in 1952. The ''New York Times'' called it "a rousing, colourful tale and historically convincing." In February 1956 Rank announced ''A King Reluctant'' would be their expensive historical picture for the year with location filming to be done in Italy, Spain and the West Indies. Sir John Davis of Rank said "We cannot copy Hollywood's spectacular epics but we can provide good stories well-made - that is the answer to television competition." The female lead went to Belinda Lee. The film was shot in

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to te ...

and on location in Cornwall in April 1957. Lee was injured when her hair caught fire during a scene. Vyvyan Holland, son of

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

, worked on the film as a historical adviser.

Reception

The ''

Manchester Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' called the film "monstrous twaddle" with "just one merit - its beautifully colored photography". '' Variety'' called it "a historical,

cloak and dagger "Cloak and dagger" was a fighting style common in the Renaissance involving a knife hidden beneath a cloak. The term later came into use as a metaphor, referring to situations involving intrigue, secrecy, espionage, or mystery. Overview In "The ...

meller with all the typical excitements, absurdities, confusions, flashbacks, swordplay and general trimmings which invariably rear their cliche-ridden heads in such pictures. It won’t stand out in the memory of patrons as one of the best pix this year, but it will provide safe entertain¬ment at most British cinemas." '' The New York Times'' called it "a beautifully mounted tale" which "rarely comes to life, except in the superb, effectively colored period settings... Under Brian Desmond Hurst's rather unimaginative direction, the action simply lacks sustained suspense, instead of crawling with it... The lavish, meticulous castle interiors, the sweeping, azure-tinted coastal landscapes, and the murkiness of the Paris dungeons — all these have been woven into a striking background tapestry by Jack Maxsted, the art director."Review of film
at '' The New York Times''

References

External links

*
''Dangerous Exile''
at TCMDB
''Dangerous Exile''
at Monsieur.louisjourdan.net
New York Times review of film

at the website dedicated to Brian Desmond Hurst {{Brian Desmond Hurst 1957 films Films set in 1795 French Revolution films British historical drama films Films about princes Films set in France Films shot in Cornwall Films shot at Pinewood Studios 1950s historical drama films Films scored by Georges Auric Cultural depictions of Louis XVI Cultural depictions of Louis XVII 1957 drama films Films with screenplays by Patrick Kirwan Films based on British novels 1950s English-language films Films directed by Brian Desmond Hurst 1950s British films