# Talk:Kind Hearts and Coronets

I wonder whether Louis was named after Giuseppe Mazzini? Grassynoel (talk) 13:48, 21 December 2022 (UTC)
I assume that he was.  Although it's curious that he has the French name, Louis, rather than the Italian equivalent, Luigi. PatGallacher (talk) 13:56, 21 December 2022 (UTC)

It's just a name. Any such conjecture is totally unsupported. Clarityfiend (talk) 12:58, 22 December 2022 (UTC)

The BFI website says that Alec Guinness played nine assorted members of the D’Ascoyne clan and the article mentions this fact repeatedly. Other sources declare unanimously that there were only eight of them, and in the film itself (and in the “Cast" table in the article) I also find only eight. So are we reproducing a mistake of the BFI website here, or is there a ninth D’Ascoyne played by Guinness? Jossi (talk) 15:04, 13 January 2023 (UTC)
It has been suggested that an earlier Duke of Chalfont, played by Guinness, appears briefly in a flashback scene.  However I think this needs proper sourcing before we can include it. PatGallacher (talk) 15:06, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

Now I've found this passage in the BFI book on Kind Hearts and Coronets by Michael Newton (p.55): "In Kind Hearts, Guinness plays eight roles, as well as being the original for the portrait of the first Duke of Chalfont, and perhaps also for the first duke and his wife in effigy on the family vault." I think this can hardly be considered as acting or playing a role, so it should be safe enough to change "nine" to "eight" in the article. --Jossi (talk) 17:15, 13 January 2023 (UTC)
I agree. The source doesn't even claim he played 9 roles, just that he "dressed up" as 9, which, assuming one of these is for a portrait, is certainly not playing a role. I'm going to change it to 8 (which is what it says later in the article anyway). -R. fiend (talk) 17:22, 13 January 2023 (UTC)
Thank you. --Jossi (talk) 19:28, 13 January 2023 (UTC)
Interesting info. The source does say 'played' nine roles. I've most likely seen the film over ten times at least, but cannot recall, myself. It was on Talking Pictures recently and will be on again soon no doubt. I shall watch it with a renewed interest next time.Halbared (talk) 19:39, 13 January 2023 (UTC)
There is another possible answer. As PatGallacher has indicated above, in the scene when Louis’ father, the opera singer, performs at Chalfont castle, there is a short shot (about five seconds at 7:21) showing the ducal family (Louis’ mother and her parents) sitting stiffly on the sofa listening and her father falling asleep. Her father, the old duke, could very well be Alec Guinness, too, though the scene is too short and static to be absolutely sure. Accordingly, in Charles Barr’s book "Ealing Studios" from 1979, Guinness’ roles are listed as "Ascoyne d’Ascoyne / Henry d’Ascoyne / Canon d’Ascoyne / Admiral d’Ascoyne / General d’Ascoyne / Lady Agatha d’Ascoyne / Lord d’Ascoyne / Ethelbert, Duke of Chalfont / the old Duke“ (p. 189 in the US edition), whereas George Perry’s "Forever Ealing" from 1981 omits the old duke. If this is indeed Guinness’ ninth role, it was obviously not credited or part of the official promotion but a fact found out later by an astute film historian. --Jossi (talk) 23:49, 15 January 2023 (UTC)

In the archived talk page no one seems to mention that Louis kept a family tree on the back of a painting of Chalfont Castle above the fireplace in his bedroom where he kept track of who has died and whom he has murdered. We just need a sharper blow up of those scenes, one of which appears half way down this page. http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews20/kind_hearts_and_coronets_dvd_review.htm Ethelred is in the lower left corner next to his wife Mary, 2nd daughter of Henry Hollington, 5th baron of Angleford, and Agatha appears to be his sister. Kasadad (talk) 20:55, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

The reader doesn't need to know the exact kinship between Louis and his victims, only that they are heirs standing in his way. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:58, 31 December 2023 (UTC)

A link to Matabeleland was recently changed to Diocese of Matabeleland, which was then fictional; it got its first bishop in 1951.  Revert?  I think the change weakens the humour of Louis's imposture. —Tamfang (talk) 05:17, 9 September 2025 (UTC)

I agree.Halbared (talk) 11:15, 9 September 2025 (UTC)