Although Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. is listed above the title in the opening credits, he is listed last in the end cast credits. The film opens with the following written and spoken prologue: "The Year of Our Lord, 1660...There dwelt in this house Britain's wandering young king, Charles Stuart, exiled by the 'Roundheads' of the tyrant, Cromwell...Neglected by all--Save a few cavaliers...Forgotten by all--Save his people." Charles II of England was born in London on 29 May 1630. As the eldest surviving son of Charles I, he went into exile at The Hague, the Netherlands, during the era of the Protectorate led by Oliver Cromwell and assumed the title of king upon the execution of his father in 1649. In Jan 1651, Charles accepted the Scottish crown and led an army of 10,000 against the forces of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England. In Sep 1651, Charles's forces were routed in Worcester and he fled to France. Upon the death of Cromwell in 1658 and the succession of his son Richard as Lord Protector, a new demand for a return to the monarchy led to Charles's restoration to the throne and his return to England on 26 May 1660. Charles was crowned on 23 Apr 1661 and continued to reign until his death on 6 Feb 1665, at which time he was succeeded by his brother James II.
       The Exile marked the first film by Fairbanks, Jr.'s new independent production company, as well as the feature film debut of actress Paule Croset. Though Fairbanks, Jr., whose onscreen credit reads "written and produced by," received the only screenwriting credit for The Exile, HR news items state that the credits, at one time, were to be issued to Clemence Dane and "Thomas Elton," Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.'s pseudonym, which was then being used by Fairbanks, Jr. The Exile was the first American film to be directed by noted French director Max Opuls. According to modern sources, the exiled Opuls had lived in Hollywood for four idle years, having only worked briefly on the Howard Hughes production Vendetta (See Entry). With World War II over, Opuls was told by fellow director Robert Siodmak that he needed to make at least one Hollywood film before returning to Europe "or else no one will have confidence in you." Siodmak, who had just directed Universal's The Killers (See Entry), then arranged for Opuls to meet with studio executives and, within a week, he was hired to direct The Exile.
       The picture was also the final Universal film for actress Maria Montez, as the studio had failed to exercise its option on her contract earlier in the year, according to NYT. Upon the completion of the film, a legal squabble broke out between the actress and the studio, because both Montez and Fairbanks, Jr. had clauses in their contracts stating that no one could be billed above them. According to HR news items, the litigation reached the federal courts in Dec 1947, at which time the two parties agreed to an out-of-court settlement: in return for Montez removing her restraining order, she received top billing on the title credits, but second billing in pressbooks. HR production charts and news items include Dorothy Hart, Michele Haley and Janna DeLoss in the cast, but their appearance in the released film has not been confirmed.