Robert J. Maxwell Enoyable sketch of biography and adventure. It's Max Ophul's first American movie and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., was recently returned from honorable service in the U.S. Navy.It's well written, acted, and directed. It's about the exiled King Charles II, Fairbanks, and his temporary refuge in Holland before being restored to the throne of England.Let me see if I've got this straight. I don't want to have to dig it up in Wikipedia. It's the early 1600s. The Roundheads, under Oliver Cromwell, have taken over England lopped off the head of Charles I, Fairbanks' father, and routed Fairbacks himself. This Cromwell had lots of passion and warts. He cleaned things up his own way, disenfranchising the Cavaliers who supported the King.Cromwell died and, as often happens when a charismatic figure disappears, there were great arguments over what would happen next, who was the next ruler of England. The true test of a government's viability comes not when one man or party is in power, but when that power must be passed on. The Sunni and Shi'ite still haven't figured it out.The Cavaliers are generally thought of as adventurous, honorable, militaristic, individual aristocrats. There were several kinds of Roundheads, ranging from the oppressive and punitive Pilgrims to the pacifistic, egalitarian and humble Quakers. The Cavaliers believed in personal achievement, the Roundheads in the community. The Roundheads settled New England (Plymouth was the last port they'd touched in England), while the Cavaliers settled the South (see Charleston or the Carolinas, named after the King).In this movie, Fairbanks' Charles II is the honorable hero who finds satisfaction as a bus boy in a Dutch Inn. (Holland was a commercial and cultural force to be reckoned with at the time.) He falls for the pretty blond who hires him knowing nothing of his background.But the Roundheads are hunting for him and they're led by Henry Daniell at his most villainous -- flat black hat, black clothes, black cape, all symbols of their difference with the more colorful and flamboyant garb of the Cavaliers. Boy, is Daniell menacing.He and the other Roundheads, bent on eliminating the throne once and for all, want to lop off Fairbanks' head too, despite his fairness and his popularity back home. They fail. There is a spectacular sword fight in and around a Dutch windmill -- exciting but not nearly as well done as those in, say, "The Mark of Zorro" or "Scaramouche." Fairbanks must give up his fair-haired Dutch girl friend when he becomes king. He loves her and wants to marry her, but she has her responsibilities back in Holland. Who will take care of her tulip garden? (The viewer is permitted a slight chuckle here.) "I will treat these memories as roses," murmurs Fairbanks, "and put them in a box. I will come to you in dreams." It sounds better in Fairbanks' reading than it looks in print.Not bad, overall. A throwback to the black-and-white studio-bound films of the 1930s, with Tyrone Power or Errol Flynn as the hero.

dbdumonteil It was the second time Ophüls had broached an historical subject .In France 1939, he filmed the tragic love story of Franz Ferdinand and Countess Sophie Chotek ,of course a misalliance,hence a Morganatic marriage.As it did not happen as Charles Stuart was concerned ,the lovers are left with memories ("I'll visit you in your dreams").If it weren't for the last minutes ,the film would not be a real Max Ophüls (spelled "Opuls") movie.The last third is a bit Curtizesque ,Douglas Faibanks Jr recalling Erroll Flynn.This is certainly a good film ,but it cannot be included in the director's best works such as "Liebelei" "La Signora Di Tutti" "Letters from an unknown woman" or "Madame De" .This is fictionalized history -whereas "De Mayerling A Sarajevo" depicted real events- where the round heads (the Puritans) ,dressed in black nicely play the parts of the villains against a noble hero dressed in white .There are good lines ;I particularly like this one "If I ever come home,I shall belong to no party" .Another good moment: "He lives in luxury and idleness" say the Puritans (a picture shows the "farm worker" plowing;"He must be ready to kill" (the man and his girl see the new-born chicks ) Maria Montez is the "star" of the film but her appearance does not exceed ten/fifteen minutes .It's Holland as we imagine it: windmills (with an impressive duel ),tulips ,canals,fair-haired girls ...

vitaleralphlouis I remember seeing the preview of THE EXILE when I was 9 years old, but never actually saw the film till last night. Reminded of this rare and all-but-forgotten picture via this website, I sought it out on the internet and purchased it for a modest price. No disappointment. A romantic adventure film set in 1660 combines real history with highly entertaining story. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was a great leading man and he plays this role with ease and vigor. The re-creation of the era was perfect and the film has not a trace of today's annoying Attention Deficit Disorder editing. They didn't make any good movies in 2005, as evidenced by the trashy 5 lefty-spin pictures nominated as Best Picture. If you want to see a classic, don't give up on it. Seek it out and with tenacity you can find it and see it. I've only failed once, but still looking for that rarity.

princehal 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.