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The Exception

The Exception is a 2016 British-German romantic directed by David Leveaux in his feature-length directorial debut and written by , adapted from Alan Judd's 2003 . The plot centers on Stefan Brandt, a disgraced captain played by , dispatched in 1940 to the exiled II's residence in occupied to root out suspected spies, where he engages in an illicit affair with maid Mieke de Jong (), whose ties to the complicate his mission. Featuring as the , who harbors reservations about Nazi ideology, the film blends espionage thriller elements with period romance, examining personal loyalties against the backdrop of authoritarianism. Premiering at the on September 11, 2016, it earned a 75% approval rating from critics on for its acting and production values, though some reviews highlighted tonal shifts between sensuality and suspense, and questioned the fictionalized portrayal of historical figures like the Kaiser, whose real-life antisemitic statements contrast with the character's relative nuance. Despite limited commercial success, Plummer's performance received particular acclaim for conveying the ex-monarch's dignified isolation.

Synopsis

Plot Summary

In 1940, amid the German occupation of the , Wehrmacht Captain Stefan Brandt, recently reassigned after a traumatic incident on the Eastern Front where he executed villagers, arrives at Haus Doorn, the exiled II's estate. Brandt's mission is to enhance security and probe rumors of a operating nearby, potentially targeting the Kaiser, while monitoring the household for disloyalty. The aging Wilhelm resides there with his second wife, Hermine, loyal valet , and other staff, maintaining a routine shadowed by his bitterness over and hopes for restoration under Nazi rule. Brandt soon becomes attracted to Mieke de Jong, a poised maid in the 's service, and their flirtation evolves into a passionate . Unbeknownst to Brandt initially, Mieke is Jewish, her family having perished in the Holocaust's early stages, and she serves as an undercover operative for the British-linked , using a hidden radio to relay intelligence on German intentions toward the —whether for or elimination. Brandt discovers her secret during in the woods, where she meets a contact, forcing him to confront his growing doubts about Nazi ideology and his professional obligations. Complications arise with the visit of SS Colonel Heinrich Voss, dispatched to evaluate Wilhelm's allegiance and dangle the prospect of his return to if he publicly endorses the regime's anti-Semitic policies. Wilhelm, tempted yet resistant, engages in tense discussions, while Hermine grows suspicious of Brandt and Mieke's liaison after witnessing them together. Voss's presence exposes a broader Nazi scheme to lure and betray monarchist sympathizers, heightening risks. As Voss closes in on Mieke's identity, Brandt chooses love over duty, alerting her to the danger and sabotaging efforts. A firefight erupts at the estate, involving household members and culminating in a car pursuit; Wilhelm intervenes decisively against the intruders, aiding the escape. Mieke flees successfully to , where she is later shown pregnant with Brandt's child; Brandt's own survival and potential reunion remain unresolved, underscoring his personal redemption amid geopolitical turmoil.

Historical Basis

Kaiser's Exile and Real Events

formally abdicated the German throne on November 9, 1918, following the collapse of the imperial army and revolutionary unrest in that rendered his position untenable. The following day, November 10, he crossed into the , where authorities granted him political asylum to uphold the country's neutrality, initially housing him at Amerongen Castle. In 1920, Wilhelm purchased , a estate near , relocating there permanently and maintaining a self-imposed routine of physical labor, including wood-chopping, while adhering to Dutch restrictions on political activities to avoid provoking Allied demands for extradition. Dutch neutrality shielded Wilhelm from prosecution as a war criminal, despite repeated Allied requests for his handover in 1919 and 1920, which the Netherlands rejected to preserve its impartial stance. His exile remained relatively undisturbed until , when the rise of the Nazi regime in prompted hopes among monarchists, including Wilhelm, for a potential restoration of the Hohenzollern dynasty; he received visits from Nazi officials such as prior to 1933 and expressed initial approval of 's remilitarization under . However, these expectations went unfulfilled, leading Wilhelm to voice private disillusionment with the Nazis' failure to reinstate him, as documented in his correspondence and adjutants' reports, where he critiqued the regime's ideological shifts away from traditional Prussian toward what he saw as radicalism and . The on May 10, 1940, ended Dutch neutrality and placed Wilhelm's residence under nominal protection, with SS guards posted at to prevent Allied capture or resistance interference. Wilhelm cooperated minimally with the occupiers, hosting arriving troops with breakfast and , and in , dispatched a telegram congratulating Hitler on the fall of , reflecting his persistent nationalist sentiments and fantasies of monarchical revival amid the Wehrmacht's successes. He rebuffed a British offer via for relocation to the , preferring to remain on Dutch soil under oversight rather than appear as a defector. No high-level Nazi visits, such as from , occurred at during this period, though Wilhelm's entourage maintained indirect contacts with officials, often alluding to prospects in letters that yielded no concrete action. These interactions underscored the regime's strategic tolerance of the ex-Kaiser as a symbolic figure, without granting his repeated, unsubstantiated pleas for a return to power, rooted in his lifelong attachment to autocratic rule as evidenced in pre-exile and post-abdication memos.

Key Figures and Fictional Elements

Kaiser Wilhelm II, the central historical figure depicted, lived in exile at in the from 1920 until his death on June 4, 1941, following the German abdication in 1918. His documented views on evolved into pronounced after , blaming them alongside socialists and financiers for Germany's defeat and the Republic's instability; in private correspondence and table talk during exile, he expressed virulent hatred toward , Freemasons, and Catholics, advocating harsh measures against perceived internal enemies. Despite this, he criticized the Nazis' brutality during in November 1938 as excessive, though without rejecting underlying antisemitic premises, and opposed their republicanism while favoring monarchical restoration to counter Bolshevik threats. On , Wilhelm consistently championed divine-right , viewing Germany's interwar as a betrayal of Prussian traditions and hoping for a restored Hohenzollern , though Nazi appeals to him and other nobles for symbolic endorsement yielded no substantive collaboration. Heinrich Himmler, portrayed as orchestrating security measures, served as from 1929, overseeing police and intelligence apparatuses by 1940, including early implementations and occupation policies in the after the May 1940 invasion. However, no records document Himmler's direct involvement with Wilhelm's household or Dutch operations targeting the ex-Kaiser that year; Nazi outreach to exiled sought value but avoided confrontation, as Wilhelm posed no active threat. Dutch resistance in 1940 remained nascent post-invasion, limited to sporadic , intelligence gathering, and evasion of registration decrees rather than organized or plots; major actions, like the February 1941 Amsterdam strike against Jewish roundups, emerged later amid escalating deportations. These efforts focused on survival and Allied aid, not infiltrating neutral-exile estates like . The film introduces fictional characters such as Mieke de Jong, a Dutch-Jewish maid and agent, and Captain Stefan Brandt, an officer investigating her; while loosely inspired by wartime , no historical counterpart exists for a spy embedded in Wilhelm's service transmitting intelligence via radio. The assassination subplot, implying Nazi plans to eliminate Wilhelm for potential puppet-role refusal, lacks evidentiary basis; he died of a heart attack without recorded plots, and intelligence priorities targeted active threats, not passive exiles, with no declassified files indicating agents in his household. Such inventions diverge causally from documented events, fabricating intrigue absent in Wilhelm's insulated routine under Dutch neutrality guarantees until 1940 occupation pressures.

Production

Development and Pre-production

The film originated as an adaptation of Alan Judd's 2003 historical novel The Kaiser's Last Kiss, which fictionalizes events in the life of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II during World War II. Screenwriter Simon Burke crafted the screenplay, condensing the source material into a narrative blending espionage, romance, and moral dilemmas set in occupied Netherlands. Acclaimed theater director David Leveaux, whose career includes directing Broadway and West End productions such as revivals of works by Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard, helmed the project as his feature film debut, bringing a stage-honed focus on character intimacy and period detail to the screen. Pre-production advanced by early 2015, with the script undergoing revisions under the oversight of production company Egoli Tossell to refine its dramatic structure prior to principal photography. Initially titled The Kaiser's Last Kiss, the film was shopped for international distribution at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival by Lotus Entertainment.

Casting

portrayed II, the central historical figure whose exile forms the film's backdrop, selected for his commanding screen presence capable of conveying the emperor's multifaceted personality—combining imperial authority, bitterness, and vulnerability in old age. Plummer, born December 13, 1929, was approximately 86 during principal photography in 2015, closely matching Wilhelm's actual age of 81 in the story's setting. Jai Courtney was cast as Captain Stefan Brandt, the disciplined SS officer tasked with investigating potential threats to the , drawing on Courtney's established physicality from prior action-oriented roles to suit the character's investigative and confrontational demands. Lily James played Mieke de Jong, the Dutch housekeeper entangled in and romance, embodying the poised yet enigmatic qualities required for the narrative's female lead. Eddie Marsan appeared as in key scenes depicting Nazi oversight, his intense delivery aligning with the Reichsführer's ruthless efficiency as historically documented. Gregor Fisher supported as , the Kaiser's loyal valet, contributing to the authenticity of the imperial household's inner workings. Casting decisions balanced historical visual parallels—such as period-appropriate attire and demeanor—with interpersonal dynamics among the principals to drive the dramatic tension.

Filming and Technical Aspects

Principal photography for The Exception occurred in 2015, with primary locations in and , , doubling for the Netherlands to depict the exiled Kaiser's estate at during the German occupation. These sites were selected for their period-appropriate and rural landscapes that mirrored the Dutch countryside without requiring extensive set construction. Roman Osin served as cinematographer, employing a visual style that highlighted the confined spaces and shadowed interiors of the estate to underscore the characters' moral ambiguities and tensions. His prior experience on historical dramas informed the film's restrained palette and deliberate framing, avoiding overt stylization in favor of naturalistic compositions suited to the narrative. Costume designer Daniela Ciancio outfitted the cast in period-specific attire reflecting 1940s European uniforms, domestic servant garb, and aristocratic finery, drawing from archival references to ensure historical fidelity in fabrics, cuts, and accessories. Hubert Pouille oversaw the recreation of the Doorn estate through adapted Belgian chateaus and built interiors, prioritizing practical locations over digital enhancements to convey the estate's opulent yet isolated atmosphere. The original score by features orchestral cues blending lyrical romantic motifs with understated suspenseful undertones, performed by strings and piano to parallel the film's themes of forbidden love amid wartime intrigue. Practical effects were employed for sequences involving security patrols and minor explosions, minimizing reliance to preserve a grounded, era-authentic .

Release

Premiere and Distribution

The film had its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the on September 12, 2016. In October 2016, and Cinema acquired U.S. distribution rights following the festival screening. A and video-on-demand rollout occurred in the United States on June 2, 2017. International distribution followed in select markets through 2017 and into 2018, with theatrical dates varying by territory, such as on June 2, 2017. formats, including Blu-ray and DVD, were issued on August 8, 2017, by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Streaming availability emerged on platforms like shortly after the initial releases, expanding access beyond theaters. Marketing strategies targeted audiences interested in period dramas and historical thrillers, leveraging the film's festival pedigree and cast prominence through official trailers that emphasized intrigue, forbidden romance, and tensions. agreements positioned the film for arthouse circuits, prioritizing selective theatrical engagements over wide commercial runs to align with its narrative depth and ensemble appeal.

Box Office Performance

The film opened in limited release in the United States on June 2, 2017, across three theaters, earning $21,351 in its debut weekend. Its domestic total amounted to $708,972, reflecting a modest theatrical run that expanded minimally amid competition from high-profile summer releases like and . Internationally, earnings totaled $125,608 from select markets including ($55,908) and the ($26,105), contributing to a worldwide gross of $834,580. This figure underscores the niche appeal of period dramas centered on historical , which often struggle against blockbuster dominance; comparable 2017 releases like (a wartime romance) achieved $3.5 million domestically through wider arthouse , highlighting The Exception's constrained visibility. Restricted theatrical windows in the U.S. and —primarily in independent venues—curtailed potential earnings, with the film's legs ratio of 5.53 indicating sustained but low-volume play. Ancillary markets supplemented revenue, as domestic sales (DVD and Blu-ray) generated an estimated $275,878, suggesting overall commercial viability hinged on streaming, VOD, and international licensing rather than cinemas.

Reception

Critical Response

The film garnered mixed critical reception, earning a 75% approval rating on from 61 reviews, with critics divided over its blend of historical intrigue, romance, and . Reviewers frequently praised Christopher Plummer's portrayal of II as a highlight, depicting the exiled monarch with a mix of vanity, mischief, and underlying pathos that added nuance to the character. Susan Wloszczyna of rated the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, commending Plummer's solid performance and the atmospheric tension of its sideshow setting, which she described as one of the stronger entries in the genre despite narrative clunkiness and reliance on exposition over visual storytelling. similarly highlighted the film's elegant execution and well-acted elements, noting its satirical jabs at Hitler and Nazi rigidity as a counterpoint to the period romance. Conversely, of dismissed the plot as "ridiculous" with excessively high implausibility, rating it 2 out of 5 stars for its melodramatic romance and contrived aspects that undermined historical credibility. Other detractors, including those in , critiqued the screenplay's predictability and the central romance's soap-opera tendencies, arguing they diluted the espionage 's potential despite strong individual performances. This split reflected broader tensions between appreciation for the 's historical texture and frustration with its romantic excesses, though consensus emerged on Plummer's anchoring presence elevating the material.

Audience and Commercial Impact

Audience reception for The Exception has been generally positive among non-professional viewers, with an user rating of 6.8 out of 10 derived from over 16,000 votes as of recent tallies. On , the film averages 3.0 out of 5 stars based on more than 8,000 user logs, reflecting appreciation for its romantic tension amid espionage but frequent notes on uneven pacing from casual watchers. Enthusiasts of period thrillers highlight the chemistry between leads and , alongside the film's exploration of personal conflicts in a WWII setting, though broader audiences sometimes cite contrived plot resolutions as detracting from immersion. The film's commercial footprint remains niche, lacking the widespread merchandising, adaptations, or meme-driven longevity seen in blockbuster WWII entries like . It has influenced limited discourse in online communities focused on stories and ethical dilemmas under , but without generating franchises, sequels, or remakes. Availability on platforms such as those tracked by JustWatch sustains its presence in libraries, appealing to targeted viewers rather than achieving crossover streaming surges tied to algorithmic boosts or cultural events. This endurance underscores a steady, if understated, role in curated WWII cinema collections, prioritizing thematic depth over mass-market spectacle.

Accolades and Nominations

The Exception garnered modest recognition in awards circuits, primarily limited to trailer-related honors. The film received two nominations at the 2017 , which celebrate achievements in motion picture advertising and publicity. It did not earn nominations for major acting, directing, or technical categories at high-profile events such as the or , despite featuring performances by actors like and addressing themes akin to more acclaimed contemporaries. No wins were recorded across searched databases for screenplay, production design, or international film prizes.

Themes and Analysis

Central Themes

One central motif in The Exception is the tension between to the state and personal desire, embodied in the romance between Captain Stefan Brandt, a officer tasked with guarding the exiled , and Mieke de Jong, the household maid who conceals her role as a . Brandt's growing affection leads him to question his allegiance to the Nazi regime, culminating in acts that prioritize individual connection over military obligation. This portrayal romanticizes as a natural outcome of emotional bonds, yet empirical patterns of wartime behavior indicate that such personal desires infrequently overrode ideological or institutional loyalties among German soldiers; defections were rare before late-war collapses, with surrenders numbering in the millions primarily due to strategic desperation rather than romantic disillusionment, and ideological shifts even scarcer outside organized circles that executed few thousand members at most. From basic human incentives—fear of , group cohesion, and survival calculus— often prevailed absent overwhelming external pressures, rendering the film's resolution an outlier unaligned with broader causal dynamics of allegiance under . The narrative also examines power dynamics through Kaiser Wilhelm II's exile, contrasting his lingering monarchical pretensions with the encroaching Nazi totalitarianism, as represented by SS overseers and the potential visit of Heinrich Himmler. Wilhelm clings to visions of restoration, viewing the Nazis as vulgar interlopers unfit to harness German destiny, a stance echoing his historical disdain for Hitler's regime as an "all-swallowing State" eroding traditional hierarchies and dignities. This clash underscores incompatible ideologies: constitutional monarchy rooted in divine right and aristocratic order versus the Nazis' mass-mobilizing absolutism, where power derives from party loyalty and racial mythos rather than hereditary legitimacy, leading inexorably to mutual suspicion and the regime's rejection of imperial revival. Causally, such totalist systems consolidate control by subsuming individual or dynastic claims, explaining Wilhelm's marginalization despite initial Nazi overtures for symbolic legitimacy. Identity and form another core thread, particularly in Mieke's assumed as a servant masking her Jewish heritage and mission amid Nazi occupation. The film depicts her concealed fostering intimate revelations that challenge Brandt's , suggesting personal encounters can dissolve entrenched prejudices. However, real-world Jewish in occupied emphasized collective, high-risk networks—such as forged documents and cells in —driven by pragmatic survival and retaliation rather than individualized romantic conversions or fluidity. successes hinged on compartmentalized operations and Allied coordination, not idealized interpersonal transformations, as human behavior under existential threat favors for instrumental ends over transformative , with rare defections tied to cumulative atrocities rather than singular bonds. This thus highlights deception's utility in asymmetric conflict but overstates its capacity to realign core identities absent sustained ideological rupture.

Historical Accuracy and Inaccuracies

The film's depiction of II's opposition to Hitler draws from documented sentiments in the former emperor's private writings, where he criticized the Nazi leader's character and policies after initial cautious approval following the Machtergreifung, viewing him as an upstart unfit for monarchical restoration. Wilhelm's letters from exile in , , reflect growing disillusionment, including rebukes of Nazi republicanism and pleas for his own reinstatement that went unanswered by Berlin. The pressure on Dutch authorities to maintain neutrality regarding Wilhelm's residence aligns with historical facts: the hosted the exiled from 1920 until his death in 1941, resisting Allied demands post-World War I under Article 227 of the Versailles Treaty and upholding neutrality until the German invasion on May 10, 1940, after which was nominally respected by occupying forces to avoid symbolic unrest. However, the central plot of a spy infiltrating the household for an attempt lacks evidentiary support; no declassified records or contemporary accounts indicate British agents embedded among Wilhelm's staff, rendering this element a fictional contrivance derived from the source novel rather than archival reality. The portrayed overtures from , including a planned visit to recruit Wilhelm's symbolic endorsement, diverge from history, as no such direct SS engagement occurred; Nazi leadership largely sidelined the , viewing the Hohenzollerns as rivals to total control, with Wilhelm's estate left undisturbed primarily due to administration and low strategic priority post-invasion. Character arcs implying swift ideological reversals, such as a officer's empathy toward a Jewish servant amid revelations of her heritage, strain causal plausibility against the regime's entrenched by 1940, when , loyalty oaths, and policies like the (1935) and pogroms (November 1938, resulting in 91 deaths and 30,000 arrests) had normalized exclusion and violence, with few documented cases of personal dissent overriding operational duties in isolated postings. The film's relatively restrained portrayal of Nazi functionaries omits the broader genocidal trajectory underway pre-1940, including the T4 euthanasia program launched in October 1939 (killing over 70,000 disabled individuals by 1941 as a precursor to mass extermination techniques) and escalating deportations to camps like Dachau (operational since 1933, holding 3,000 by 1939), which foreshadowed the systematic murder formalized later but rooted in prior radicalization. This selective focus softens the regime's causal commitment to racial elimination, evident in drafts by 1940 envisioning Slavic depopulation, against survivor testimonies emphasizing unrelenting ideological conformity over romantic exceptions.

Controversies

Portrayals of Nazism and Romance

The film portrays through the character of Captain Stefan Brandt, a disciplined officer tasked with guarding exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1940-occupied , who grapples with orders from a fanatical SS inspector, , revealing fissures in regime loyalty. Brandt's internal conflict—questioning blind obedience while upholding duty—mirrors documented diversity within the German military, where not all personnel were ideological zealots, as evidenced by the involvement of officers like in the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler, which aimed to overthrow the Nazi leadership amid growing disillusionment with its conduct. This depiction has been defended by some commentators for avoiding monolithic villainy, arguing it aligns with causal realities of authoritarian systems where personal ethics could clash with state directives, fostering a more complex understanding of perpetrator motivations without excusing crimes. Conversely, the romance between Brandt and the maid Mieke de Jong, revealed as a agent of Jewish descent, frames a narrative of personal redemption amid ideological , with their affair culminating in mutual protection and escape. Such humanization via erotic tension has drawn charges of diluting Nazism's genocidal core causality, where individual dalliances risk overshadowing the ' prohibition on Aryan-Jewish relations and the regime's extermination machinery operational by 1940. Left-leaning critiques contend this trope verges on apologism by prioritizing emotional nuance over systemic evil, potentially misleading audiences on the rarity and peril of cross-ideological bonds under . Historically, interfaith romances between German soldiers and Jewish women during were exceptional outliers amid pervasive persecution, often tragic rather than redemptive: for example, Captain Willi Schultz's 1942 affair with Ilse Stein in the prompted him to defy orders and shelter 25 , yet it exposed both to execution risks and did not avert broader atrocities. Similarly, SS guard Franz Wunsch's relationship with Auschwitz prisoner Helena Citrónová enabled some lifesaving acts but occurred within camp horrors, ending in his postwar conviction for war crimes. These cases, while defying Nazi racial doctrine, lacked the film's harmonious resolution, underscoring how real wartime entanglements typically amplified tragedy over transcendence due to institutional enforcement of antisemitic policies.

Allegations of Antisemitism and Ideological Bias

In a 2023 critique published by the Jewish Women's Archive, the film was accused of perpetuating tropes through its central romance between a SS officer, Stefan Brandt, and Mieke de Jong, a Jewish spying for the . The analysis argued that the narrative redeems Brandt—a Nazi soldier involved in prior atrocities—via Mieke's love, thereby implying that personal affection can override ideological complicity in , a motif echoing problematic historical fictions that minimize Jewish victimhood or exceptionalize perpetrators. It further contended that the film elevates the threshold for labeling by portraying Brandt as conflicted rather than irredeemably hateful, despite his uniform and actions, while the Kaiser's explicit dialogue—such as referencing alongside and Freemasons as an "unholy alliance"—is depicted without sufficient narrative condemnation. Defenders of the film, including its director David Leveaux, emphasized its basis in Alan Judd's 2003 novel as a fictional exploration of individual moral ambiguity amid , not an endorsement of . Brandt's arc depicts him witnessing an SS massacre of Jews in , prompting internal opposition to Nazi , which culminates in his choice to aid Mieke rather than betray her, framing the story as a of blind loyalty rather than redemption through romance alone. Historical accuracy in portraying II's documented antisemitic views—evident in his real-life post-exile writings and statements—lends credence to the film's inclusion of such elements without invention, serving to highlight the regime's ideological inconsistencies rather than sanitize them. Allegations of broader ideological bias centered on the film's perceived "both-sides-ism" in humanizing characters amid the Holocaust's prelude, with some left-leaning reviewers critiquing its portrayal of Brandt and the as charming or pacifist outliers against fanatical Nazis, potentially diluting the era's moral absolutes. Right-leaning interpretations countered that the narrative realistically illustrates exceptions within authoritarian systems, where personal ethics could conflict with state doctrine, as evidenced by Brandt's demotion for refusing duties—mirroring documented dissent without fabricating . No peer-reviewed historical analyses or major Jewish organizations beyond the cited blog post substantiated claims of systemic antisemitic intent, and the 's limited 2017 U.S. release generated no measurable spikes in antisemitic incidents or backlash per contemporaneous reports.

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