THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO

US, 2002, 131 minutes, Colour.
Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, James Frain, Dagmar Dominczyk, Michael Wincott, Luis Guzman, Henry Cavill, Peter Godfrey.
Directed by Kevin Reynolds.

The novels by Alexandre Dumas may not be read very much these days, but most of us know the plots because we have seen the movie versions. We have enjoyed The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. In fact, they have been filmed many times over the last sixty years or more. The other favourite is The Count of Monte Cristo. Now there is a new version of this classic.

The newspaper movie guides usually describe the Dumas' stories as 'swashbuckling'. We expect swordfights on castle staircases and some action on horseback. But this is only the surface excitement. In The Count of Monte Cristo we are shown what we might call a parable about revenge. As we watch the film, we are reminded of the Gospel saying of Jesus, 'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?'

At the opening of the film, Edmond Dantes is asked to deliver a secret letter for Napoleon. Dantes is a decent, loyal man, trusting in authorities, in his close friend and in the woman he wants to marry. He is betrayed by his friend who then marries Edmond's fiancee - she is pregnant though Edmond does not know it. The authorities exile him to the island fortress off Marseilles, the Chateau D'If. Edmond becomes an embittered prisoner, isolated, with revenge almost the only motive to keep him alive. When he encounters a priest in a nearby cell, they work for years at digging a tunnel. When he eventually escapes, he uses a map to find a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo and returns fabulously wealthy to wreak his vengeance on friend, fiancee and the authorities.

One of the important moral issues in the film is how Dantes faces his enemies, coldly implacable, but gradually learns that revenge is self-destructive and he is forced to face himself and find a new peace and some forgiveness.

In the past Robert Donat was Dantes in the classic film version of the 30s. Richard Chamberlain took on the role in the 70s. Now it is the turn of Jim Caviezel, a rather unassuming actor who has been seen in The Thin Red Line, Frequency, Pay it Forward and Angel Eyes. In interviews for the media, Caviezel speaks in very sincere tones about values and morality in his own life and in his career.

The villainous friend is played by Australian Guy Pearce with increasingly aristocratic venom and, maybe, overacting. Richard Harris, in one of his most sympathetic performances, plays the imprisoned priest, the person who begins to change Dantes' hatred into some kind of hope.

The Count of Monte Cristo is not for small children, but parents and older children would enjoy it and be able to talk about Dantes' downfall, his relationship with his fiancee, discreetly filmed, and the morality of hatred and revenge, which is, as Jesus, says, the loss of one's soul.


1. The many film versions? 21st century version, the classic story, the work of Dumas, an experience of French history, in the Napoleonic era and its aftermath?

2. Production values, locations, costumes and decor? The musical score?

3. Locations, the ships, at sea, the ports, Marseilles, the docks? The police and the courts? Châteaux D’if, the office, the cells, the tunnels for escape? The sea, the ships, the smugglers, the beaches? The island of Monte Cristo, the rocks, the pools, the treasure? Lavish society, wealth, dinners, balls, mansions? Scenes in Rome? Paris, trading, the final sequence on Châteaux D’if?

4. Edmond and Fernand, Danglar, the ship, friends, from time, love of Mercedes? Danglar and his role on the ship?

5. Napoleon, his situation, the escapes, trusting Edmond, the letter, his advice, Fernand seeing this, Edmond keeping the secret?

6. His promotion, captain of the ship, happy, with Mercedes, waiting the two years?

7. The letter, Villefort, his response, his father’s loyalty to Napoleon, his behaviour, Edmond, the report, secrecy, Edmond going to the ship, his arrest, the accusations, his disappearance, going to the island, his being flogged every year on the anniversary, in his cell?

8. Edmond and his rage, no belief in God, bent on vengeance, the passing of the years? The encounter with the priest, their talking, the issues, God, revenge, the priest developing Edmond’s talents, reading and writing, study, swordplay? Their digging over the years, the bond between them?

9. The character of the priest, a good man, his offence, imprisonment, saying he was a priest not a saint? The tunnel, the collapse, his death? Edmond, his getting into the cover, the discovery of the priest’s body? Edmond leaping into the sea, getting loose, going to the shore?

10. The smugglers, the boss, his accusations against Jacopo, Jacopo’s greed? Edmond, the proposition of the fight, his not killing Jacopo, that the leader would not lose face, and would have extra crew? The smugglers and their later support of Edmond?

11. Jacopo’s gratitude, his being Edmond’s man? Their work on the ship, put ashore, the leader’s support?

12. Getting the boat, going to Monte Cristo, the search for the treasure, finding it, lavish?

13. The transformation into the Count of Monte Cristo, his wealth, buying the mansion, his appearance, Jacopo as his servant, the vengeance plans?

14. The audience seeing Fernand, unfaithful, Mercedes unhappy? The Count and his lavish parties? Albert as Mercedes’ son?

15. The episode in Rome, Albert, reckless, the setup, the Count of paying for the men to take Albert? The count and his rescue, Albert indebted to him, bringing him into the house, Mercedes recognising him, his mistrust of her, the discussion in the carriage, Fernand not recognising him? The birthday dinner, Albert and his praise, Fernand and his leaving the table for business purposes, the Count’s toast?

16. The lavish parties, society, Villefort and his wife? Villefort and the contracts, the trade? Effortfort and Fernand, their plans to rob’s the Count?

17. The revenge on Fernan, his lack of credit with the banks, his having to go to Danglar, the planned to rob the gold?

18. Fernand and Mercedes, the marriage because of the pregnancy, their past, her telling him the truth about Albert?

19. The count, confronting Danglar, his hanging?

20. Villefort, the truth, his arrest, the gun for a suicide but the Count saying that he deserved more, to prison?

21. The confrontation with Fernand, his bankruptcy, Mercedes telling him the truth, his taking Albert, Albert and his stances against the Count? Mercedes arriving, Albert’s note? The Count learning the truth? Fernand’s disdain, the swords, the fight, Fernand’s death?

22. Everybody going to Châteaux D’if – and a new beginning?