Lord Taylor of Warwick

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The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure film, set between 1815-1838 in France and Italy, based on the book by Alexande Dumas. If you enjoy movie trivia, it is a book mentioned in The Shawshank Redemption. The film focuses on the ideas of friendship, betrayal, greed and ultimately revenge and justice. Edmond Dantes and Fernand Mondego are best friends from different backgrounds. Edmond is kind hearted, poor and has a beautiful girlfriend, Mercedes. Fernand is the son of a wealthy count. Tension increases between the two characters when Edmond gains captaincy of the Pharaon, the transport ship both characters work on. Fernand fails in wooing Mercedes. This leaves Fernand asking himself why Edmond should have so much luck whilst he, the son of a count, should be so unhappy. Fernand is jealous of Edmond and hatches a plan.

With help from chief prosecutor Villefort they have Edmond locked away for treason and murder. Neither which he did. There is a twist as Villefort’s father also becomes involved. Edmond is sent to the solitary confinement at the chateau d’If. There is a small hole in the door for food and a toilet bowl. Edmond’s imprisonment is most ghastly, every year the prison chief whips him as a reminder of his power. Edmond’s character is impressive as someone in turmoil and you really feel enclosed in the room with him. Luckily, a monk called Abbe Faria digs his way up through Edmonds cell floor. They become friends and then they decide to dig their way back out to freedom. Through the monks insight Edmond gains a greater understanding of his own past. A favourite quote of mine is when Edmond denounces God, the monk says “It doesn’t matter, he believes in you.” This friendship helps Edmond become human again. Revenge and recovery sums up the next part of the film. Edmond escapes the chateau d’If by swapping places with monk after the monk is found dead in his cell. Edmond then finds the gold that the monk was imprisoned for hiding and turns into his alter ego, the Count of Monte Cristo. After 14 years in prison Edmond has one thing on his mind, vengeance. Using his wealth he sets up elaborate parties and learns more about his enemies, before seeking his revenge. It is Fernand, who was his best friend who he really hates. And he feels it would not be justice to just kill these men, he has to rid them of everything they hold dear. It is during this time that he meets Mercedes again, now married to Fernand with a son. Edmond is distraught to find out how quickly she married Fernand. But Edmond uses the son to get closer to Fernand, who does not recognise him. When Fernand has lost all his money, he runs to crates of gold that he thinks he has stolen from Count of Monte Cristo. It is a trap and leads to the confrontation of Fernand and the Count of Monte Cristo, who reveals himself as Edmond. Mercedes arrives and tells them that her son is actually Edmonds and that is why she married so quickly. Fernand rides off in defeat, but he turns around knowing that he cannot live in a world where Edmond has more than him. The fight ends with Fernand being stabbed through the heart in a sword trick Edmond learnt from Abbe Faria. This is a thrilling adventure which I would recommend. It highlights the problems of greed and false imprisonment. It is quite confusing towards the end as to whether Edmond gets revenge or justice. But the last quote sums up his feelings. “I’m a count not a saint”. Rating -