The Count of Monte-Cristo (1975) (TV)

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

Sidney Carroll (screenplay)
Alexandre Dumas père (novel)

Release Date:

10 January 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History

Plot:

A young officer, falsely imprisoned by his jealous "friends," escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Treasure | Revenge | Escape | Prison | Prisoner

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Richard Chamberlain	...	Edmond Dantes
Trevor Howard	...	Abbe Faria
Louis Jourdan	...	De Villefort
Donald Pleasence	...	Danglars
Tony Curtis	...	Fernand Mondego
Kate Nelligan	...	Mercedes
Angelo Infanti	...	Jacopo
Harold Bradley	...	M. Morrell (as Harold Bromley)
George Willing	...	Andre Morrell
Alessio Orano	...	Caderousse
Ralph Michael	...	M. Dantes
Dominic Barto	...	Bertuccio
Harry Baird	...	Ali
Isabelle De Valvert	...	Haydee (as Isabelle de Valvert)
Taryn Power	...	Valentine De Villefort

Also Known As:

Il conte di Montecristo (Italy)

Runtime:

Germany:98 min | UK:103 min (theatrical version) | USA:119 min | Sweden:104 min (theatrical version)

Country:

UK | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-7 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:U | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

First English-speaking film of Taryn Power.

Quotes:

Mercedes: [she has found Monte Cristo practicing shooting] You would not kill my son!
Edmond Dantes: [turning to face her] He challenged me, madam.
Mercedes: And what would you expet from a proud son? The general is his father!
Edmond Dantes: I had a father once.
Mercedes: Then you know how the boy feels. You can understand how zealous he is after the general's good name!
Edmond Dantes: What general? My business is with a lieutenant I used to know.
Mercedes: What business?
Edmond Dantes: Revenge, madam.
Mercedes: [pause, then] For what? For marrying the girl you loved? He does not deserve your vengeance. It was I! I was weak, I could bear my loneliness no longer. I married him because they told me you died in the Chateau d'If shortly after your arrest.
Edmond Dantes: But what was I in the Chateau d'If? Why was I arrested?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Version of The Count of Monte Cristo (1908)

" Avenging Angels Cannot ask Forgivness of their Victims "

If you are a scholar of great books which have laid the foundation of Literary knowledge, then like most modern readers you are interested in the visual version of the book. True there are many works of art which have been put to celluloid, but having been a fan of Alexander Dumas, I have long awaited this one. " The Count of Monte Christo " is one of the finest story of it's genre and I often fancy myself in the part, discovering many versions dating to the 1930's. True, some films make stars of unknowns, while an exceptional actor can make that particular role his trademark. Thus it is with this offering. Here we have the inimitable Richard Chamberlain playing the hero Edmond Dantes. Of all the versions and actors before or after, this is my favorite. He is superb as the innocent Captain-to-be, who is trampled under foot by ambitious and unscrupulous men, stripped of his naval position, livelihood and his beloved Mercedes (Kate Nelligan) and sent to an island prison for life. There as fate would have it, he meets the equally innocent Abbe Faria (Trevor Howard) an Italian monk and teacher who has been entrusted with a fabulous treasure which he bequeathes to Dantes. With such a fortune, Edmond plots revenge on those whom he blames for his imprisonment and his father's death. The superior cast of Louis Jourdan, perfect as De Villefort, the ambitious Prosecuter of the King, Donald Pleasence is excellent as the greedy Danglars and Tony Curtis who is delightfully despicable as Fernand Mondego. Although a bit weak in the substance department of the story, the film makes up for it in the cast assemblage. The result is nothing sort of memorable as a classic come to life. ****