The Count of Monte Cristo (1975 film)
Encyclopedia
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 Abbe 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 in the classic 1934 film version and the 2002 remake, however, important characters are omitted. In both the 1975 and 2002 versions, the methods of revenge that Dantes wreaks on his enemies are changed, they are kept somewhat similar in the 1975 version, while in the 2002 one, 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.
In contrast to other film versions, this one was originally made for television in the days before the VCR or DVD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.
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
and based upon the book The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas. It is often considered to be, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas's most popular work. He completed the work in 1844...
by Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas, , born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie was a French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world...
. It was directed by David Greene
David Greene (director)
L. David Syms-Greene , born Lucius David Syms Brian Lederman, was a British television director from Manchester, England, who emigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1953, where he trained in television production with the CBC, and then moved on to Hollywood, California.Greene's career began as a stage...
and starred Richard Chamberlain as Edmond Dantes, Kate Nelligan
Kate Nelligan
Patricia Colleen "Kate" Nelligan is a Canadian BAFTA award winning stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Nelligan, the fourth of six children, was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of Josephine Alice , a schoolteacher, and Patrick Joseph Nelligan, a factory repairman and municipal...
as Mercedes, Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
as Fernand Mondego, Louis Jourdan as De Villefort, Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
Sir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
as Danglars, Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard , born Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith, was an English film, stage and television actor.-Early life:...
as Abbe 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
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
De Villefort) is a highlight of the film. As in the classic 1934 film version and the 2002 remake, however, important characters are omitted. In both the 1975 and 2002 versions, the methods of revenge that Dantes wreaks on his enemies are changed, they are kept somewhat similar in the 1975 version, while in the 2002 one, 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.
In contrast to other film versions, this one was originally made for television in the days before the VCR or DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
player. First shown nationally on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
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.
Characters Omitted
- Luigi Vampa
- Maximilian Morrel
- Heloise Villefort
- Edouard Villefort
- Eugenie Danglars
- Marquis Saint-Méran
- Marquise of Saint-Méran
- Peppino
External links
- Character List http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/countofmontecristo/about.html
- Character List http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/montecristo/characters.html