Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

In the cold stillness of his prison cell, hours away from his impending execution, Louis, the 10th Duke of Chalfont, finds solace in penning his extraordinary life story. Born to a fallen noblewoman banished from her illustrious family, the D'Ascoynes, for marrying beneath her station, Louis grows up in the shadow of his family's rejection. A poignant echo of this ostracism resonates when his mother's request to be buried in the ancestral crypt is callously denied. Fuelled by a thirst for revenge and a burning ambition to ascend to the title rightfully his, Louis embarks on a devious plot. He meticulously orchestrates a series of 'accidents' to eliminate the eight D'Ascoynes standing in his path to the dukedom. Along this twisted journey of vengeance and ambition, Louis becomes entangled with the enchanting yet married Sibelia, whose subsequent betrayal lands him in prison. As the ominous shadow of the gallows looms, a twist of fate arrives in the form of Sibelia's recanted testimony, rescuing him from the jaws of death and securing his freedom. Yet, as he steps out into the brightness of his newfound liberty, the Duke is haunted by a niggling oversight. With a story filled with intrigue, ambition and dark humor, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' invites viewers into a captivating tale of one man's ruthless quest for power and recognition.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is a comedy movie featuring Dennis Price and directed by Robert Hamer.

Kind Hearts and Coronets is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.

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