The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le comte de Monte Cristo; US: The Story of the Count of Monte Cristo) is a 1961 French adventure film based on Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel. Directed by Claude Autant-Lara, the film features Louis Jourdan, Yvonne Furneaux, Pierre Mondy, and Franco Silva in leading roles.
Plot
Edmund Dantes is wrongly accused by people who are jealous of his good fortune. He is sent to spend the rest of his life in the famous island prison, Chateau d'if. While in prison, a fellow prisoner tells Edmund about a treasure hidden on a small island.
Cast
- Louis Jourdan as Edmond Dantès and as the Comte de Monte Cristo
- Yvonne Furneaux as Mercédès
- Pierre Mondy as Caderousse
- Franco Silva as Mario
- Bernard Dhéran as Prosecutor Henri de Villefort
- Roldano Lupi as Morel
- Claudine Coster as Haydée
- Jean Martinelli as Vidocq
- Marie Mergey as Madame Caderousse
- Yves Rénier as Albert de Mortcerf
- Alain Ferral as Benedetto (also known as Alain Feral)
- Jean-Jacques Delbo as himself
- José Squinquel as himself
- Geymond Vital as himself
- Henri Arius as himself (also known as Arius)
- Jacques Dynam as himself
- André Dalibert as himself
- Georges Lannes as the President
- Paul Amiot as the President of the Chamber of Peers
- Marthe Marty as herself
- Chantal de Rieux as herself
- Jean-Claude Michel as Fernand de Mortcerf
- Henri Vilbert as Danyès, the father of Edmond
- Henri Guisol as Abbé Faria
Reception
The film was the seventh most popular movie in France in 1961. The sixth most popular movie was a version of The Three Musketeers.
The film received financial support from Seven Arts Productions and was released by Warner Bros.
Variety reported that the producers "used a lot of money to create a visually detailed and full of dramatic scenes version of the story… However, one major mistake made the film less appealing to most modern viewers. By following a slow and stiff style that was popular in older times, the creators did not consider what modern audiences expect from movies."