Best noted for the fact that Alec Guinness plays eight different members of the same family, “Kind Hearts and Coronets” is a 1949 British dark comedy set in Edwardian Britain and centered on the story of Louis Mazzini (Denis Price), tenth Duke of Chalfont. The story begins with Mazzini writing his memoirs while awaiting a death sentence to be executed the following morning. The story then unfolds as a flashback, detailing the events which led to his death sentence. Louis’ mother was a member of a wealthy aristocratic family, The D’Ascoynes, who disowned her after she decided to marry an Italian opera singer. His father dies right after his birth, and Louis and his mother live a poor life. His mother tries to ask her family to help Louis start of a career, but they reject her. When his mother dies and her family refuses her final request to be buried in the family vault, Louis swears vengeance upon the family. He begins carrying out his plan to become the Duke of Chalfont, by killing off legitimate heirs one at a time. He nearly succeeds in his plans, but in an ironic twist of faith he is arrested and sentenced for the murder he did not commit. His former lover appears just before his execution, offering him proof of innocence if he is to marry her. Louis agrees and gets freed, but as he is walking away from prison he realizes with horror that he has left his condemning memoirs back in the cell.
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