The Count of Monte Cristo

I watched this film early this afternoon. I loved it. I should have known I would. I cannot believe I had not seen it. This is one of those rare gems that you find when you are not really looking. Well, I became curios when I watched a video from Dream Visions entitled “A Kiss from the Rose.”

One of the things I loved about this film, even though I know that it strayed from the original work is the obvious use of the “static trait” and how it actually affected the plot. Also this film does not overly stray from the Hero’s Journey.

Edmond Dantes is in essence a ‘good’ man. He becomes embroiled in political intrigue because of his trusting nature. Edmond in the beginning was a very naïve creature. It is partly his undoing. Not seeing people for who they really are but what he would like them to be.

The ‘static’ trait that was visually obvious from the very beginning is his habit twinning his hair around his finger when he is thinking, worried, or not at ease. They showed this three times in the film. In the end it is what convinced Mercedes that the Count of Monte Cristo was in fact Edmond Dantes. Very well done.

It also brought home the point that people do things because of very basic motivations. Jealousy. Greed. The need for power. Wanting what someone else has thinking it will make you happy, when in reality it is only yourself that can bring peace. Fernand was such a mess.

A+++ for this film. I’m going to watch it again this week before I have to take it back.