The Exception

The Exception
Theatrical release poster
Directed by David Leveaux
Produced by
  • Lou Pitt
  • Judy Tossell
Written by Simon Burke
Based on The Kaiser's Last Kiss
by Alan Judd
Starring
Music by Ilan Eshkeri
Cinematography Roman Osin
Edited by Nicolas Gaster
Production
company
  • Egoli Tossell Film
  • Ostar Productions
  • Alton Road Productions
  • Silver Reel
  • Lotus Entertainment
  • Umedia
  • Film House Germany
  • Screen Flanders
Distributed by
  • A24 (United States)
  • Signature Entertainment (United Kingdom)
Release date
  • 12 September 2016 (2016-09-12) (TIFF)
  • 2 June 2017 (2017-06-02) (United States)
  • 2 October 2017 (2017-10-02) (United Kingdom)
Running time
 107 minutes[1]
Country
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
Language English
Box office US$803,571[2][3]

The Exception is a 2016 romantic war drama 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 last few days in the life of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Plummer), when a German soldier (Courtney) tries to determine whether or not a British spy has infiltrated the Kaiser's home in the Netherlands during the onset of World War II. He falls for a young Jewish Dutch woman (James) during his investigation.

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, Captain Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) is sent to head the personal bodyguard of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer) at his Huis Doorn home in Utrecht, Netherlands. Following the invasion of the Netherlands, Nazi authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be watching Wilhelm.

Upon arriving at the residence, Brandt is drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke de Jong (Lily James), one of the maids. Mieke soon reveals to Brandt that she is secretly Jewish.

Gestapo Inspector Dietrich (Mark Dexter) informs Brandt that the British Secret Service has an agent in a nearby village. In addition to keeping an eye on the Kaiser, Brandt is ordered to determine and report the identity of the agent. It turns out to be Mieke, who reports to a pastor at the local church on events at the Kaiser's home. When SS Commander Heinrich Himmler (Eddie Marsan) decides to visit with a large SS platoon, Brandt is forced to choose between following the Nazi party agenda and protecting Mieke.

As his involvement with Mieke continues, Brandt notices a smell of gun oil from her room. He later sees Mieke leaving the residence grounds and follows her. Mieke again visits the pastor and, unaware that Brandt is watching outside a window, tells the pastor that she is prepared to assassinate Himmler as revenge for the SS' killing her father and husband.

The SS then intercepts the pastor’s radio transmissions to Britain. They arrest and mercilessly beat the pastor. Shortly afterward, Wilhelm's wife Hermine (Janet McTeer) discovers the lovers' affair and notifies Wilhelm, expecting him to dismiss Mieke and discipline Brandt. Wilhelm, however, supports the relationship. In private, he reveals to the lovers that he fathered illegitimate children prior to meeting Hermine.

When the time comes to have the house searched before Himmler's arrival, Brandt himself searches Mieke's room to protect her ruse.

After Himmler's arrival, Brandt learns that the pastor has revealed Mieke's identity as the British agent. He locates her and urges her to flee. She refuses, insisting that she has a duty.

Meanwhile, Himmler extends to Wilhelm an invitation from Adolf Hitler to return to Berlin. He then meets with Brandt and Dietrich, informing them of the gesture and its intention as a trap to expose and eradicate supporters of the monarchy restoration. Against orders, Brandt passes the information along to Wilhelm’s adjutant, Colonel Sigurd von Ilsemann (Ben Daniels).

Mieke does her duty and imparts to Wilhelm a message from the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Wilhelm is offered asylum in Great Britain and restoration to the German throne after the defeat of the Nazis. He refuses, preferring not to leave Utrecht.

As the Gestapo closes in on the mansion, searching for Mieke, Brandt devises an escape plan. Wilhelm, Mieke, and Brandt escape in a van with Wilhelm pretending to have had a heart attack. Brandt kills Dietrich and another suspicious officer in the process.

Deep in the woods, Mieke decides to flee and asks Brandt to join her. She fears if he stays, he will be executed for the murders. Brandt, however, insists that he has a duty to Germany and a protective alibi (he brought Wilhelm to hospital, while Mieke killed the officers and escaped).

As Mieke departs, Brandt repeats a marriage proposal that Mieke had earlier refused in fear. This time, she tells Brandt to find her after the war and disappears into the woods.

Some time later, Brandt is seen at a desk in a Berlin office. He is delivered a package, which contains a book of Friedrich Nietzsche's writings that Mieke had shown him. Inside is written a London address. In London, Mieke is seated on a park bench when she is informed that the prime minister is ready to see her. Rising, Mieke puts her hand on her belly, clearly indicating that she is pregnant.

In Brandt's office, an air raid siren sounds. While others evacuate, Brandt remains seated, reading Mieke's book. A plane is heard flying overhead as the screen cuts to black.

Cast

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.

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 execitive 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

Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 74% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. 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

  1. ↑ "The Exception (2016)". British Board of Film Classification. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "The Exception (2017)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Exception (2017)". The Numbers. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Exception". The British Council. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Toronto: Christian Bale-Starrer 'The Promise,' Richard Gere-Starrer 'Norman' Get Gala Screenings". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "THE EXCEPTION PRESS NOTES Official Selection - Toronto Int'l Film Festival 2016" (PDF). Tribecafilm.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  7. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas. "Egoli Tossell readies bold slate". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Ford, Rebecca. "Cannes: Lotus Entertainment Blooms With Bustling Business (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  9. ↑ McNary, Dave. "Cannes: Lily James Starring in Thriller 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". Variety. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Jafaar, Ali. "Jai Courtney To Star Opposite Lily James In 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  11. 1 2 Galuppo, Mia. "Janet McTeer Joins Jai Courtney, Lily James in 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  12. ↑ "Christopher Plummer & Lily James Are 'The Exception'; Zoe Lister-Jones Directs 'Band Aid': Specialty Preview". Deadline Hollywood. 1 June 2017.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ "The Exception". a24films.com. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "The Exception". Amazon. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "The Exception (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  18. ↑ "The Exception reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
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