The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)

Director:

Rowland V. Lee

Writers:

Alexandre Dumas père (novel)
Philip Dunne (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

7 September 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Romance Lives On ... In The Glory Of Dumas' Immortal Novel !

Plot:

Edmond Dantes is imprisoned in the Chateau d'If without trial, for carrying a message from Napoleon in exile on Elba...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Cast

Robert Donat	...	Edmond Dantes
Elissa Landi	...	Mercedes de Rosas
Louis Calhern	...	Raymond de Villefort Jr.
Sidney Blackmer	...	Fernand de Mondego
Raymond Walburn	...	Danglars
O.P. Heggie	...	Abbe Faria
Irene Hervey	...	Valentine de Villefort
Georgia Caine	...	Madame de Rosas
Walter Walker	...	Morrel
Lawrence Grant	...	De Villefort Sr.
Luis Alberni	...	Jacopo
Douglas Walton	...	Albert de Mondego
Juliette Compton	...	Clothilde
Clarence Wilson	...	Fouquet
Eleanor Phelps	...	Princess Haydee
Ferdinand Munier	...	King Louis XVIII
Holmes Herbert	...	Judge
Paul Irving	...	Napoleon
Mitchell Lewis	...	Capt. Vampa
Clarence Muse	...	Ali
Lionel Belmore	...	Prison Governor
William Farnum	...	Capt. Leclere
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wally Albright	...	Albert, Age 8 (uncredited)
Leon Ames	...	Beauchamp (uncredited)
Fred Cavens	...	Fencing Master (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Paul Fix	...	Angry Citizen (uncredited)
Clarence Geldart	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Edward Hearn	...	Signalman (uncredited)
Sydney Jarvis	...	Ali Pasha (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Bertrand (uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Detective (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	Message Dispatcher (uncredited)
John Marsden	...	Pellerin (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	Batistino (uncredited)
Russ Powell	...	Manouse (uncredited)
Tom Ricketts	...	Cockeye (uncredited)
Desmond Roberts	...	Blacas (uncredited)
Niles Welch	...	De Villefort's Agent (uncredited)
Joan Woodbury	...	Dancing Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Rowland V. Lee

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alexandre Dumas père		novel "Le Comte de Monte Cristo" (as Alexandre Dumas)
Philip Dunne		writer
Rowland V. Lee		writer
Dan Totheroh		writer

Produced by
Edward Small	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
J. Peverell Marley		(as Peverell J. Marley)

Film Editing by
Grant Whytock

Art Direction by
John DuCasse Schulze

Costume Design by
Gwen Wakeling		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nate Watt	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Vinton Vernon	....	sound

Stunts
Fred Cavens	....	fencing stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director

Other crew
Edward P. Lambert	....	technical director
Louis Van der Ecker	....	technical director (as Louis Van Den Ecker)

Production Companies

• Edward Small Productions (as Reliance Pictures Inc.)

Distributors

• United Artists (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists Corporation (1934) (UK) (theatrical)
• Eagle-Lion Films (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl

Company:

Edward Small Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: During the fencing duel between Dantes and Mondego, in one brief shot near the end Sidney Blackmer holds his sword in his left hand instead of his right, which he does in the rest of the scene.

Movie Connections:

Featured in V for Vendetta (2005)

Soundtrack:

The World is Mine

Classy Telling Of Classic Tale

Fabulously wealthy and mysterious, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO becomes intimately involved in the lives of three powerful men in Paris.

Alexander Dumas' classic novel comes to abridged life in this powerful adventure film. There is very little swashbuckling and a good deal of talk, but it is all done so intelligently and the film, with its lavish production values, is so entertaining to watch that the diminution of dash & drama is easily overlooked.

Robert Donat portrays stalwart Edmond Dantes, the much abused hero, from a young ship's officer caught up in Napoleonic intrigue, to a wretched inmate doomed to oblivion in a hideous prison, and finally the middle-aged and tremendously powerful Count, and he plays it all exceedingly well. This is an actor, now in danger of becoming somewhat obscure, who performed valiantly in films throughout his career, consistently providing characterizations worth watching.

Donat dominates the film; in support are Elissa Landi as the woman who never gives up loving him; Louis Calhern, Sidney Blackmer & Raymond Walburn as the three men from Marseilles who each have their own reasons for wanting Donat dead; and elderly O. P. Heggie as the saintly priest who becomes Donat's mentor & friend in prison.

Smaller roles are vividly enacted by Lionel Belmore as the corrupt Governor of the Château d'If; corpulent Ferdinand Munier as a highly distraught King Louis XVIII; Luis Alberni & Clarence Muse as smugglers who become Donat's willing accomplices in his quest for revenge; Douglas Walton as Landi's conflicted son; and Holmes Herbert as the judge at Donat's Paris trial. Sour-faced Clarence Wilson appears for a few moments as a supporter of Donat.