THE COUNT OF MONTE-CRISTO

UK, 1974, 104 minutes, Colour.
Richard Chamberlain, Tony Curtis, Trevor Howard, Louis Jourdan, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan, Dominic Guard. Directed by David Greene.

The Count of Monte Cristo: the TV movie boom has swallowed up scripts, re-written old movies and updated them and has turned to the classics for a steady supply. Dumas' popular classic was a Robert Donat classic film. Here Richard Chamberlain does his best with the part of the unjustly imprisoned Edmond Dantes who escapes to wreak elaborate vengeance on his enemies (here portrayed by Tony Curtis, Louis Jourdan., Donald Pleasence). Despite the evident commercials' fade-outs and a gearing of the screenplay for casual home-viewing, the film is quite enjoyable costume drama. More trouble has been taken than usual with large sets and authentic locations to provide acceptable holiday entertainment.

1. How successful a costume melodrama? Audience interest in its history, the re-creation of a period? The appeal in historical and costume melodrama?

2. How obvious was it that the film was made for television? The television techniques, the concentration on episodes? The atmosphere of continuity and fade-outs?

3. The quality of the European locations, especially Marseille, the Chateau D'If, Paris? What did they contribute to the atmosphere?

4. The film had a classic plot and classic ingredients. How well were they presented and explored? Adventure, injustice, vengeance? Crimes, swashbuckling fights? Romance?

5. How important were the themes of revenge and justice? Audience identification with Edmond Dantes? Understanding and feeling the injustice, sharing a revenge? Did the audience share his obsession? The films focus on the obsession for revenge, the temptation to play God, what becomes of a man who plays the avenging angel? How important was this theme?

6. The life of Edmond Dantes? Richard Chamberlain's performance? The young man. coming home, the authority on the ship? The object of jealousy? The marriage and its rehearsal? The love for Mercedes? The contrast with the surprise, being tricked, imprisoned?

7. How well did the film show the effect of being a victim, the imprisonment and injustice? The long passage of time?

8. The initial portrayal of Danglars? His role on the ship, his reason for writing the letter, his motivation against Dantes? This as a basis for the later justice on him?

9. The cut-throat member of the crew and his motivation for victimizing Dantes?

10. How much reason did Mondego have for his jealousy of Dantes? His plot? His taking of Mercedes?

11. The hypocrisy of Villefort? His smooth talk, willingness to let Dantes go, the discovery of the letter, his visit to his father? His control and the cruelty of the fate of Dantes? The need for justice and revenge? How well did the film create the claustrophobic effect of prison? The passing of time? The entry of the Abbe? The need for learning how to survive? The shared quest for escaping? Dantes' ability to learn?

12. How far-fetched was the map of the treasure and its description? The Abbe's information giving food for Dante's vengeance? The emotional impact of the Abbe's death? His living words? The bequest to Dantes for charity? The changing of this to revenge?

13. The ingenuity and excitement of the escape? His being picked up by the sailors? Learning the truth?

14. How exciting was the scene of the discovery of the treasure? Why? The choice that Dantes had to make? How effective was the five-year time lapse between the discovery of the treasure and the arrival of the Count of Monte Cristo?

16. The portrayal of Paris, its society, the Count's success and everybody wanting to see him?

17. Behind the scenes the Count, his vengeance his machinations against his victims. his espionage agency, his visit to the East? His taking the young man and pretending that he was a Count from Italy? Toying with people's emotions? His network, his arranging of the false signals from Spain? His cultivating of Villefort?

18. The gathering momentum of the execution of justice? The duel between the young man and the cut-throat? The young man going to prison and the plots that the Count had for the downfall of Villefort?

19. The presentation of Danglars as a banker, the attitude of his assistant, the other rich men of Paris and their withdrawal of the money? Danglars and his fawning stupidity? The inevitability of his suicide?

20. Villefort's hopes about his daughter and marriage? His visit to his father? The exposure in Court and his mental breakdown? Did he deserve what he
received?

21. The importance of Mercedes recognising Edmond? Telling the truth to her son after his challenge for the duel? The duel and the revelation of the truth?

22. The final showdown with Mondego? Mondego at the tribunal and his self-defence. his attack on the newspapers, the army supporting their hero? The revelation of the truth?

23. How appropriate was the duel at the end of the film? For this kind of adventure film? For Mondego's going to prison?

24. How much satisfaction did the Count gain in executing his vengeance? The impetus of his ride to Marseille? Mercedes' rejection of him and her comment on the avenging angel? Her going to her son who had to redeem his father's reputation?

25. What was the Count of Monte Cristo left with at the end? The cruelty of fate? His victim? The good and evil incorporated into the classic story form?