Plot
In Edwardian England, Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price), tenth Duke of Chalfont, writes his memoirs while in prison awaiting hanging the next morning. Most of the film consists of a flashback in which Louis narrates the events leading to his imprisonment.
After his mother elopes with an Italian opera singer (also played by Price), she is disowned by her aristocratic family, the D'Ascoynes, for marrying beneath her. The couple are poor but happy, until he dies upon seeing his newborn son for the first time. As a boy, Louis' only friends are a local doctor's children: a girl named Sibella and her brother. When Louis becomes a young man, his mother writes to Lord Ascoyne D'Ascoyne, a banker, for assistance in launching her son's career. Lord D'Ascoyne refuses to acknowledge their existence, and Louis is forced to accept employment as a draper's assistant. When Louis' mother dies, her last request – to be interred in the family vault – is denied. Louis vows to avenge her.
After Sibella ridicules his offer of marriage, Louis attends her wedding to Lionel (John Penrose), a former schoolmate with a wealthy father. He then has a chance encounter at his workplace with one of those in line for the family title of Duke of Chalfont: Ascoyne D'Ascoyne (Alec Guinness in the first of eight roles as the D'Ascoynes). An altercation results in Louis' dismissal from his job in trade. Louis then decides to eliminate those who stand between him and the dukedom.
After causing the deaths of Ascoyne D'Ascoyne and his mistress in a boating accident, Louis writes a letter of condolence to his victim's father, Lord Ascoyne D'Ascoyne, who relents and employs him as a clerk in his private banking firm. Slowly becoming a man of means, Louis discreetly sees Sibella. He next decides to murder Henry D'Ascoyne, an amateur photographer, but is also charmed by Henry's wife, Edith (Valerie Hobson). After killing Henry with a darkroom explosion, Louis attends the funeral and views for the first time the remaining D'Ascoynes, including Ethelred, the current duke.
Louis poisons the Reverend Lord Henry D'Ascoyne, then meets with a now-bankrupt Lionel, who begs for an extension of his loan. Noting he would prefer that "someone else pay for Sibella's extravagances", Louis agrees. He then pierces the hot air balloon from which suffragette Lady Agatha D'Ascoyne is dropping leaflets, remarking, "I shot an arrow in the air. She fell to earth in Berkeley Square." Boer Wars veteran General Lord Rufus D'Ascoyne falls victim to an explosive gift of caviar, while Louis' quandary as to how to reach Admiral Lord Horatio D'Ascoyne is solved when he insists on going down with his ship after causing a collision.
When Edith agrees to marry Louis, they notify Ethelred. Ethelred invites Louis to the family estate, where he informs Louis that he intends to marry to produce an heir. A now anxious Louis quickly arranges a shooting "accident", but before murdering Ethelred tells him the reason. Lord Ascoyne D'Ascoyne, who has suffered a stroke, is spared Louis' attentions as he dies from the shock of learning that he has acceded to the dukedom. Louis becomes the tenth duke, but his triumph is short-lived.
Lionel is found dead following Louis' rejecting his drunken plea for help to avoid bankruptcy. Louis is charged with his murder and tried by his peers in the House of Lords. Sibella perjures herself and incriminates him. Ironically, he is convicted of the one death for which he is innocent.
Louis is visited in prison by Sibella, who hints she could exonerate him if he would dispose of Edith and marry her. Louis indicates agreement, and moments before his hanging Lionel's suicide note is conveniently produced. Upon his release, Louis finds both Edith and Sibella waiting for him. Pondering his dilemma, Louis quotes from The Beggar's Opera: "How happy could I be with either, Were t'other dear charmer away!" When a representative of Tit-Bits magazine interrupts his reflections to ask for the publication rights to his memoirs, Louis suddenly realizes he left his incriminating manuscript in his cell.
Read more about this topic: Kind Hearts And Coronets
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