The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 Film)

The Count Of Monte Cristo (1975 Film)

The Count of Monte-Cristo is a 1975 television film produced by ITC Entertainment and based upon the book The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, père. It was directed by David Greene and starred Richard Chamberlain as Edmond Dantes, Kate Nelligan as Mercedes, Tony Curtis as Fernand Mondego, Louis Jourdan as De Villefort, Donald Pleasence as Danglars, Trevor Howard as Abbé Faria, and Isabelle de Valvert as Haydee. ITC had previously produced a 39-part TV series based on the same source material, in 1956.

This version was nominated for two Emmys: Richard Chamberlain for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy, and Trevor Howard for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special.

This version tends to emphasize the complex psychological drama that unfolds in which Chamberlain (as Dantes) manipulates characters until the final swordfight with Curtis (as Mondego). The courtroom scene in which Chamberlain brings down Louis Jourdan (as crown prosecutor De Villefort) is a highlight of the film, as is the scene between Dantes and Mercedes (Nelligan) when he reveals Mondego's treachery to her (which occurs almost precisely as in the novel). As in the classic 1934 film version and the 2002 remake, however, important characters are omitted. Villefort's wife for instance, never appears, and there is no mention of her ever having poisoned anyone. In both the 1975 and 2002 versions, the methods of revenge that Dantes wreaks on his enemies are changed; in fact, in the 2002 film, they are so completely different as to have been rewritten. Although, as in the novel, Dantes loses Mercedes because of his vengeful bitterness, there is no mention in the 1975 film that he will end up with Princess Haydee, as he does in the novel. However, there are hints that the two are fond of each other, while in several versions, Dantes does marry Mercedes, and there is no indication at all that Haydee is romantically interested in him.

In contrast to other film versions, this one was originally made for television in the days before the VCR or DVD player. First shown nationally on NBC in 1975, it was annually featured on a local station as an evening movie. The present videocassettes do not include the commercials, but the timing and scene shifting remain. This tends to mimic the book by Dumas, which also shifted scenes between the characters.