The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)

After greedy men have Edmound Dantes unjustly imprisoned for 20 years for innocently delivering a letter entrusted to him, he escapes to get his revenge on them.

Director:

Rowland V. Lee

Writers:

Alexandre Dumas (novel), Philip Dunne (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Donat, Elissa Landi, Louis Calhern

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Donat	...	Edmond Dantes
Elissa Landi	...	Mercedes
Louis Calhern	...	De Villefort Jr.
Sidney Blackmer	...	Mondego
Raymond Walburn	...	Danglars
O.P. Heggie	...	Abbe Faria
Irene Hervey	...	Valentine
Georgia Caine	...	Mme. De Rosas
Walter Walker	...	Morrel
Lawrence Grant	...	De Villefort Sr.
Luis Alberni	...	Jacopo
Douglas Walton	...	Albert
Juliette Compton	...	Clothilde
Clarence Wilson	...	Fouquet
Eleanor Phelps	...	Haydee

Storyline

Edmond Dantes is imprisoned in the Chateau d'If without trial, for carrying a message from Napoleon in exile on Elba. After being told that he died in prison, his fiancé Mercedes is forced to marry his rival Count Mondego. Twenty years later, Dantes escapes with the help of the Abbe Faria, who leaves him the treasure of Monte Cristo. Dantes, now called the Count of Monte Cristo, plans his revenge on the three who framed him.

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Plot Keywords:

escape from prison | sword fight | revenge | prison | dungeon | 

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Taglines:

Alexandre Dumas' Immortal Classic!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 September 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Rätsel von Monte Christo

Filming Locations:

RKO-Pathé Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Edward Small Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fredric March was the original choice for the title role.

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Goofs

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. This was obviously a shown in reverse as is often done to add footage.

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Quotes

Edmond Dantes: [Mercedes has just shown him the false death certificate] I thought there must be something like this somewhere.
Mercedes de Rosas: I've had it ever since... for many years.
Edmond Dantes: Well, it speaks the truth. Edmond Dantes is dead.
Mercedes de Rosas: Then who is this Count de Monte Cristo who closely resembles him?
Edmond Dantes: The resemblance has been noted by no one but you. He is, in fact, to answer your question, a person so utterly unlike a man named Dantes they might have been born of different parents. Even the soul is not the same.
Mercedes de Rosas: I can believe...

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer-colorized version.

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Connections

Version of The Count of Monte Cristo (1942)

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Soundtracks

Ave Maria
(uncredited)
From 'The Lady of the Lake' by Franz Schubert

User Reviews

O. P. Heggie as Abbe Faria

Delightful film of the classic stage warhorse, a bit creaky and slow starting, but with cumulative power sustained by the subtle yet vivid characterizations. Each principal has a uniquely nuanced personality, brought forth by gesture and language -- something sorely lacking in today's 90 percent trash. NOTE FOR CINASTES: I never fully appreciated the comic outrages of Jame's Whale's use of the Hermit in Bride of Frankenstein until I saw the prototype, created here by the same actor, O. P. Heggie. The Hermit in "Bride" is a gleeful, unabashed parody of Faria, even in the crescendo of music that mimics the "Ave Maria" in the Whale picture. I'm sure Whale wondered if his in-joke would be caught, and by how many. See the picture and you'll understand.