Dangerous Exile (1957)

Interesting facts

• Filmed in: Pinewood Studios

Dangerous Exile is a 1957 British historical drama film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Louis Jourdan, 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 captors.

Production

The film was based on the novel A King Reluctant by Vaughan Wilkins, 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." (Other historical spectacles made by Rank around this time included Robbery Under Arms, Campbell's Kingdom, T…

Pat Jackson said he was offered the film to direct but turned it down as "I thought it was absolutely terrible" and claims it turned out to be a "ghastly flop".

The female lead went to Belinda Lee. It was a key early performance from Anne Heywood.

The film was shot in Pinewood Studios and on location in Cornwall starting 11 March 1957. Lee was injured when her hair caught fire during a scene. Vyvyan Holland, son of Oscar Wilde, worked on the film as a historical adviser.

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