Good start, but then it gets ruined

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Edmund Dantes is here portrayed by Richard Chamberlain and he's pretty good as the innocent ship's captain in the early 1800s, egregiously handsome, full of probity, and betrayed and framed by three really mean mothers. They include Donald Pleasance, who just wants to see Chamberlain suffering out of sheer meanness; Tony Curtis, who is after Chamberlain's beloved Mercedes, played by a spirited and pretty Kate Nelligan; and another greaseball, Allesio Orana, who has been publicly insulted by Chamberlain. Arana is no more than a sneering villain who feels mistreated. But Tony Curtis is motivated by desire, not revenge, and Pleasance looks good in a rug -- years younger. He's also traduced by Louis Jourdan, the prosecutor, who puts him in a dungeon forever, for political reasons.It's a period picture of course and is visually very stylish, shot at Cinecittá in Rome, and in Liguria, a fishing port on the Mediterranean coast of Italy. The outdoor scenes are colorful, sunshine, castles, courtyard, and cold stone enhanced by the gaudy but convincing uniforms of the ship's officers and the guardsmen. Well, I've used the word "convincing" to describe the uniforms but I doubt that the French military of 1815 wore uniforms quite so tightly tailored. The guys look like ballet dancers in tights. They have no shame. Kate Nelligan, hélas, reveals nothing more than her face, which embodies both sex appeal and a guarded nurturing quality.Chamberlain spends eight years in a dungeon at the Château D'Ifre, which can be visited by tourists. His first years were in solitary confinement but then he tunnels into the next cell and is not only taught the wisdom of the ages by the wizened old priest there, Trevor Howard, but is also told the location of a horde of treasure and jewels. The priest dies, Chamberlain manages an escape, finds the treasure, become as rich as Bill Gates, spends much of it on philanthropic enterprises, and emerges from his years of exile looking tall, distinguished, and terribly rich. He's more loathesomely handsome than before, bearded, sweeping around with his stylish silver wig, walking stick, and long black frock coat.Returning to Paris he begins to take his revenge. He has our enemies and he destroys them with exquisite finesse. The fourth -- Tony Curtis' perfidious general Mondega -- requires a duel with sabers. They're awful weapons. Chamberlain has been properly coaches and though Curtis handles the sword as well as he did in his swashbucklers, it's drama not professionalism being displayed. The moral is that when all is said and done, in destroying your enemies, you inevitably hurt innocent people. What Chamberlain's character does is a little like carpet bombing in war time.

I like the literature of Dumas and I like his novels and Monte Cristo is certainly one of his epic works and one of the best works in the history of literature. The best version I have seen on film is a French language work done in 1954 that is done in two parts that tells the story of the novel scrupulously on film. The other films I have seen based on the novel are shallow and squashed by omission such as the one done in 2002. This one done as a TV film is good to watch as an introduction and summary of the novel that captures the 1800s period it is set in but obviously not with the intention of being an epic which would take about 150 minutes to make. The problem I have with it is that in some respects it is over simplified that misses simple but important details that do not tell it properly and that would not of prolonged the film. For example we do not see Dantes persuade the smugglers to leave him on the island of Monte Cristo alone to find the treasure or how he alone gets it off the island to singularly become the Count expressing his astute character development and his determination. Chamberlain in my view is poorly cast and does a wooden and aged performance of the lead character who in the novel is more youthful in appearance. The other characters were well cast in this production such as Tony Curtis. The other misplayed character is Haydee who is represented and shown as a Cliché and Stereotype. In this version her appearance is Arabic which is to do with stereotyping and misrepresenting the diverse Ottoman Empire to the audience. Her description in the novel is the complete opposite as regionally she is from the Balkans not the Middle East. She is fair in physical looks and is a Greek princess whose father was an Ottoman viceroy the historical Albanian ruler of Greece Ali Pasha at the time of Napoleon. Dumas's description of her looks and royal dress is quintessentially Grecian not Arabic. In summary it is a good film to watch if you do not know the story or an introduction to get interested in it. But after watching this read the original book with a wider understanding of its content and context.

In this "classic tale of injustice, revenge and ultimate retribution," according to the DVD description, "Edmond Dantes is about to marry the love of his life and become a Captain in the Navy until he is falsely accused of conspiracy and is sent to the hellish island fortress of Monte Cristo. Locked away from his perfect life, he feels only hatred and revenge towards the perpetrators of this horrible injustice, but can see no way of exacting his revenge... "Told of a secret treasure by a dying prisoner, Dantes finds a new hope and escapes to find the treasure. Now with a fortune, he assumes the identity of the wealthy and influential Count of Monte Cristo. Here, he seeks his revenge using his enemies' greed and corruption to bring about their ultimate downfall." This is a handsomely mounted ITC-TV production of the frequently adapted Alexandre Dumas classic. There are some hair and make-up distractions, but most of it looks nice, at least.Richard Chamberlain performs the leading role with focus and style. Of his quartet of veteran co-stars, Trevor Howard (the Abbe Faria) is most impressive. The younger cast includes an early Kate Nelligan (as Mercedes) and the grown-up Dominic Guard (as Albert) kid from "The Go-Between" (1970). But, with piercing sword and courtroom play, the lesser known Carlo Puri (as Benedetto) makes the most memorable impression.****** The Count of Monte-Cristo (1/10/75) David Greene ~ Richard Chamberlain, Carlo Puri, Kate Nelligan, Trevor Howard

This is one of the greatest films based on novels i have ever seen. and if it involves Richard chamberlain, it's always worth the watch.After his captain dies at sea, Edmond Dantes carries this letter from his captain and returns home to marry his girlfriend. but since this takes place in the 1800's, there are bonapartists, followers of Napoleon Bonaparte. And if you were a follower in those days, you were screwed, one way or another. Anyways, this letter Dantes holds, is what gets him thrown in prison, because it has something to do with his father being a bonapartist. so, Dantes is thrown in prison. after 14 years, he escapes and plots revenge. but will his plan succeed? After i saw this movie, i felt awesome. it's a 70's movie which was really good. normally 70's movies are badly set and yada yada. but if you want a decent movie on the count of Monte christo, rent this, or borrow it from my grandma.This takes the 8/10 ranking because it's awesome