Kind Hearts and Coronets: Difference between revisions

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And simple faith than Norman blood.|Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lady_Clara_Vere_de_Vere Lady Clara Vere de Vere]”}}

 

Based on the 1907 novel ''Israel Rank'' by Roy Horniman where the eponymous character is half-Jewish rather than half- Italian. The film changed Israel's name and heritage because the film had a Rank (J. Arthur) as its producer and a film about a half-Jewish serial-killer wouldn't have gone down very well so shortly after the fall of the Nazi Regime in Germany, though the book itself is not anti-Semitic.

{{tropelist}}

* [[Adaptation Distillation]]: Quite a few things are taken away (mostly relatives/victims) and a few things added; the twist ending being the biggest thing. But the book is over 400 pages long so some changes were bound to be made.

* [[Aristocrats Are Evil]]: Though some of the D'Ascoynes seem less bad than others and Lord Ascoyne D'Ascoyne the banker actually seems like a nice guy -- hence Louis's relief that he dies of natural causes and therefore doesn't have to be murdered. Then we have Louis...

* [[Asshole Victim]]: Many of the D'Ascoynes. Especially Young Ascoyne, who gets Louis fired from his job.

* [[Best Served Cold]]: Louis sleeps with his old rival's fiancee on the day before their wedding. As Louis remarks:

* [[Betty and Veronica]]: Or rather, Edith and Sibella.

* [[Chekhov's Skill]]: Louis practices archery with Edith D'Ascoyne. It comes in handy later.

* [[The Edwardian Era]]: The setting of the story.

* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: Louis references the Victorian meaning (a woman who has been seduced) when he kills the younger D'Ascoyne and his mistress: "I was sorry about the girl, but found some relief in the reflection that she had presumably during the weekend already undergone a fate worse than death."

* [[First-Person Smartass]]: Louis.

* [[Goodbye, Cruel World]]: Lionel's suicide note is necessary to clear Louis of the charge of his murder. Ironically, this is one of the few deaths in the movie for which Louis is not responsible.

* [[Repetitive Name]]; Gascoyne D'Ascoyne.

* [[Running Gag]]: At one point in the movie, someone speaks to Louis about "a matter of some delicacy". Louis remarks in voiceover that whenever someone talks about a matter of some delicacy, they're usually euphemistically referring to a matter of extreme '''in'''delicacy. Throughout the rest of the movie, people talk about "matters of some delicacy".

* [[Uncanny Family Resemblance]]: You'd think the D'Ascoynes were all played by the same actor or something.

* [[Unexpected Successor]]: Louis is ''eighth'' in line for the dukedom.

* [[Villain Protagonist]]: Louis plans to murder eight people, most of whom he's quite friendly with -- and you ''want'' to see him do it.

* [[Wicked Cultured]]: Louis, who shows himself rather more cultivated than the wealthier members of the D'Ascoyne family.

[[Category:The Forties]]

[[Category:Kind Hearts and Coronets]]