The Exception is a 2016 romantic war film directed by David Leveaux (in his directorial debut) and written by Simon Burke, based on Alan Judd's 2003 novel The Kaiser's Last Kiss. The film stars Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, and Christopher Plummer. The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Plummer). When a Wehrmacht officer (Courtney) is ordered to determine whether or not a British spy has infiltrated the Kaiser's residence with a view to assassinating the deposed monarch, he falls in love with one of the Kaiser's maids (James) during his investigation. The film is set in the occupied Netherlands during World War II.

Plot

During World War II, Wehrmacht Captain Brandt takes command of the bodyguard of deposed German Emperor Wilhelm II at Huis Doorn, near Utrecht, the Netherlands. The Germans are concerned that an Allied spy may be planning to assassinate him. While Wilhelm has no power, the SS are aware that he still has great symbolic importance to the German people.