The Exception
The Exception | |
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Directed by | David Leveaux |
Written by | Simon Burke |
Based on | The Kaiser's Last Kiss by Alan Judd |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Roman Osin |
Edited by | Nicolas Gaster |
Music by | Ilan Eshkeri |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
Countries |
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Language | English |
Box office | $834,580[2][3] |
The Exception is a 2016 romantic war film directed by David Leveaux (in his directorial debut) and written by Simon Burke, based on Alan Judd's 2003 novel The Kaiser's Last Kiss. The film stars Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, and Christopher Plummer.[4] The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Plummer). When a Wehrmacht officer (Courtney) is ordered to determine whether or not a British spy has infiltrated the Kaiser's residence with a view to assassinating the deposed monarch, he falls in love with one of the Kaiser's maids (James) during his investigation. The film is set in Occupied Netherlands during World War II.
In 2014, Egoli Tossell Film announced that development on a film adaptation of Judd's novel had begun. Principal photography in Belgium lasted six weeks in 2015. The film held its world premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival in the Special Presentations section.[5] The film received a limited release and video-on-demand release on 2 June 2017 through A24 and DirecTV Cinema in the United States. The film was released on 2 October 2017 in the United Kingdom through Signature Entertainment.
Plot[]
During World War II, Wehrmacht Captain Stefan Brandt is assigned to take command of the personal bodyguard of deposed German Emperor Wilhelm II at his estate of Huis Doorn, near Utrecht, Netherlands. Nazi authorities are concerned that an Allied spy may be planning to assassinate the former Kaiser.
Despite the Kaiser's adjutant, Colonel Sigurd von Ilsemann, giving Brandt strict orders not to interfere with the female servants, Brandt is immediately drawn into a passionate affair with Mieke de Jong, one of the maids, who reveals to Brandt that she is Jewish.
Gestapo Inspector Dietrich informs Brandt that the British Secret Service has an agent with a radio hidden somewhere in a nearby village and orders Brandt to identify the second agent known to be inside the ex-Kaiser's household.
Prior to a visit from SS Commander Heinrich Himmler, Brandt notices a smell of gun oil from Mieke's room. He follows Mieke when she visits the village pastor and – watching outside a window – hears her tell the pastor that she is prepared to assassinate Himmler as revenge for the SS having murdered her father and husband. The pastor responds that assassinating Himmler is not their mission.
The SS pinpoints the pastor’s radio transmissions. They arrest and savagely torture him, demanding the name of the other spy. Shortly afterward, Wilhelm's wife Hermine, jealous of Wilhelm's fondness for Mieke, tells him of Brandt and Mieke's affair. She expects her husband to dismiss Mieke and have Brandt court-martialed, but the ex-Kaiser angrily responds that even though he no longer rules Germany, he will rule his own house. In private, he reveals to the lovers that he fathered illegitimate children before and after marrying his first wife, Empress Augusta Victoria. Saying he will not be a hypocrite, the Kaiser orders the lovers to go about their duties, but to be more discreet.
During a planned house search before Himmler's arrival, Brandt himself searches Mieke's room to protect her cover. After Himmler's arrival, when Brandt learns that the tortured pastor has revealed Mieke's identity and he urges her to flee. She refuses, insisting that she has a mission.
Himmler extends to Wilhelm an invitation from Adolf Hitler to return to his former throne in Berlin. He then meets with Brandt and Dietrich, informing them that the invitation is a bluff, intended to draw out and execute anti-Nazi monarchists. Hermine is overjoyed at the thought of finally becoming Empress of Germany but Wilhelm, troubled by Himmler's boasts about the euthanasia of disabled children, remains unsure – even when Colonel von Ilsemann speaks to him of how Wilhelm can become "a restraining influence."
When Brandt asks von Ilsemann whether an officer can serve something other than his country, the Colonel replies, "First you must decide what is your country and if it even still exists." Brandt pauses, then tells von Ilsemann of Himmler's plans for the Kaiser's supporters.
Mieke completes her mission by delivering to Wilhelm a message from Winston Churchill, offering the Kaiser political asylum in Great Britain and the throne of a defeated Germany after the war. Wilhelm refuses, having decided that he is finally at peace with the loss of his throne.
As the Gestapo closes in on Mieke, Brandt devises an escape plan. Wilhelm, Mieke, and Brandt escape in a van as the Kaiser pretends to have a heart attack. In the process, Brandt kills Dietrich and another SS officer. Mieke asks Brandt to flee with her, fearing he will be executed for the murders. Brandt insists that he has a duty to Germany and has a good alibi. As Mieke departs, Brandt asks Mieke to marry him. She tells Brandt yes and to find her after the war, then she flees into the woods.
Some time later, Brandt is working at a desk in Berlin. He is delivered a package, which contains a book of Friedrich Nietzsche's writings that Mieke had once shown him. Inside is written a London address. In London, Mieke is seated on a park bench when she is informed that Churchill is ready to see her. Rising, Mieke puts her hand on her belly, revealing that she is pregnant. In Utrecht, Colonel von Ilsemann informs Wilhelm that Brandt has called from Berlin with wonderful news. Realizing this means Mieke has escaped to Britain, Wilhelm is overjoyed.
Cast[]
- Lily James as Mieke de Jong
- Jai Courtney as Captain Stefan Brandt
- Janet McTeer as Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz
- Christopher Plummer as Kaiser Wilhelm II
- Eddie Marsan as Heinrich Himmler
- Ben Daniels as Colonel
- Mark Dexter as Dietrich
- Kris Cuppens as Pastor Hendriks
- Anton Lesser as General Falkenberg
- Lucas Tavernier as SS-Colonel Meyer
Production[]
Pre-production[]
Christopher Plummer's longtime manager and one of the film's lead producers, Lou Pitt, was recommended Alan Judd's novel The Kaiser's Last Kiss. Pitt said, "The first time I heard about the novel was from Chris who liked the character and setting quite a lot as did I after reading it ... this would have been around 2005 or 2006. At the time, the book was under option, but for good reason, we kept an eye on it.”[6]
On 21 May 2014, Egoli Tossell Film and its parent company Film House Germany revealed that a film adaptation of Judd's novel was in development.[7] At the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, Lotus Entertainment handled international sales for the film, previously titled The Kaiser's Last Kiss.[8]
Casting[]
On 12 May 2015, it was announced that Lily James would play the character Mieke de Jong.[9] On 7 July 2015, Jai Courtney was cast in the leading role as Captain Stefan Brandt.[10] On 11 September 2015, Janet McTeer and Eddie Marsan joined the cast of The Kaiser's Last Kiss as Princess Hermine Reuss of Greiz and Heinrich Himmler, respectively.[11]
Filming[]
On 11 September 2015, it was confirmed that principal photography was underway in Belgium,[11] The film was shot in 33 days over six weeks in various locations in Belgium in 2015.[12] The scenes were filmed inside Leeuwergem Castle, Flanders.[citation needed]
Release[]
In October 2016, A24 and DirecTV Cinema acquired U.S distribution rights to the film.[13] The film was released on 2 June 2017.[14] The film was the closing-night selection of the 2017 Newport Beach Film Festival, where Lily James' performance was referred to as "a true breakout" by Festival co-founder and chief executive officer Gregg Schwenk.[15] It was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the U.S. by Lionsgate on 8 August 2017.[16]
Critical response[]
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Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 73% based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Exception (The Kaiser's Last Kiss) elegantly blends well-dressed period romance and war drama into a solidly crafted story further elevated by Christopher Plummer's excellent work and the efforts of a talented supporting cast."[17] Metacritic gives the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on reviews from 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[18]
References[]
- ^ "The Exception (2016)". British Board of Film Classification. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ "The Exception (2017)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "The Exception (2017)". The Numbers. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ "The Exception". The British Council. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ^ "Toronto: Christian Bale-Starrer 'The Promise,' Richard Gere-Starrer 'Norman' Get Gala Screenings". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ^ "THE EXCEPTION PRESS NOTES Official Selection - Toronto Int'l Film Festival 2016" (PDF). Tribecafilm.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas. "Egoli Tossell readies bold slate". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ Ford, Rebecca. "Cannes: Lotus Entertainment Blooms With Bustling Business (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ McNary, Dave. "Cannes: Lily James Starring in Thriller 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". Variety. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ Jafaar, Ali. "Jai Courtney To Star Opposite Lily James In 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Galuppo, Mia. "Janet McTeer Joins Jai Courtney, Lily James in 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
- ^ "Christopher Plummer & Lily James Are 'The Exception'; Zoe Lister-Jones Directs 'Band Aid': Specialty Preview". Deadline Hollywood. 1 June 2017.
- ^ Siegel, Tatiana (4 October 2016). "Lily James-Jai Courtney World War II Drama 'The Exception' Nabbed by A24 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ "The Exception". a24films.com. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ Clement, Nick (20 April 2017). "Newport Beach Film Festival Showcases International and Local Films in Resort Setting by the Sea". Variety. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "The Exception". Amazon. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ "The Exception (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ "The Exception reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
External links[]
- 2016 films
- English-language films
- 2016 drama films
- 2010s romantic drama films
- 2010s spy films
- 2016 directorial debut films
- American films
- American romantic drama films
- American spy films
- British films
- British romantic drama films
- British spy films
- World War II spy films
- Films set in the Netherlands
- A24 (company) films
- Cultural depictions of Heinrich Himmler
- Cultural depictions of Wilhelm II