MartinHafer I've seen several movie versions of this famous Alexandre Dumas story, and it's frankly hard to imagine any filming of the story to be bad...the story is that interesting. However, it did strike me as odd that the original unhappy ending (or at least somewhat unhappy ending) is replaced by an upbeat one instead! Edmond Dantes (Robert Donat) is an honest sailor who has just become a captain. However, while he thinks he's a lucky man, his life is about to be destroyed by three man who all have different movies pushing them to do this. The end result is that Dantes is tossed into a god-awful prison to rot....or so everyone assumes. However, after years of languishing, an older prisoner tunnels into Dantes' cell and they soon become friends. This prisoner knows of a huge fortune and tells Dantes where it is. The two plan on rescuing the treasure together, but the old man dies before this can occur. Dantes then escapes and creates a new life, as the Count of Monte Cristo. And, the rest of the story is his complicated plan to exact revenge against the three who imprisoned him.Up until the latter portion of the film, I loved the story. However, the courtroom scene was drawn out too long and became a bit dull. And, following this was the odd happy ending...an ending that seemed to lose much of the intent of the original novel. Worth seeing, but I prefer the 1975 or 2002 versions.

bsmith5552 It is 1815 a time when forces are trying to free Napoleon from his exile to return to power. "The Count of Monte Cristo" is the story of a beleaguered innocent seaman Edmund Dantes (Robert Donat) who is cast into a dark damp prison for 20 years without benefit of a trial.Dantes had been entrusted by his dying sea Captain Leclere (William Farnum) to bring a letter to an unknown person on land. The letter, which contains plans for Napoleon's return, is delivered to a man named Mr.Devillefort who happens to be the father of the local magistrate (Louis Calhern). Dantes is arrested and charged with treason and is locked away without actually being charged. Dantes had been planning to marry the lovely Mercedes (Elissa Landi). Dantes rival Mondage (Sidney Blackmer) and cohort Danglers conspire with Devillefort to imprison Dantes.Years later as Dantes languishes in prison, Devillfort now the King's council, has Dantes declared dead. Mercedes then is forced to marry Mondego. They have a son whom Mercedes tries to raise in Dante's image.Even later, Dantes meets Abbe Faria (O.P. Heggie) who had been tunneling in order to escape only to have tunneled into Dante's cell. The two become fast friend and work together to complete the tunnel. The Abbe reveals to Dante that he has a large treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo near Italy. The Abbe is crushed in a collapse in the tunnel but before he dies, wills his treasure to Dantes. This affords Dantes an unique opportunity to escape which he does in a unique manner.Dantes finds the treasure and becomes The Count of Monte Cristo plotting his revenge on the three men who were responsible for his 20 years in prison. He plans to use Mondege and Mercedes son Albert (Douglas Walton) to help exact his revenge on Mondege. Dantes goes to Paris where he meets with three who do not recognize him however, Mercedes does see a resemblance to her former lover. One by one the three are ruined but Dantes is arrested for the murder of Mondege and..........................................................The adapted version of the Alexandre Dumas novel is considered by many to be the best of several versions thus far filmed. Robert Donat is excellent in the lead role with Calhern, Blackmer and Walburn suitably evil as the villains of the piece. Elissa Landi makes a good long suffering heroine and Irene Hervey as Valentina Albert's intended stands by Merecedes during her ordeal at Dantes' trial.There seemed to be a few gaps in the story. For instance how did Dantes go from finding the hidden treasure on a remote island to the rich and sophisticated Count of Monte Cristo. How did he get all of this wealth to civilization? Also, it seems highly unlikely that the Abbe who had been digging his tunnel for six years, would just happen to tunnel into Dante's cell. And the scraggly beards...how is it that the whiskers grew while the hair on their heads barely did? Just asking.

thinker1691 In 1844, French author Alexander Dumas completed his most famous work called " The Count of Monte Cristo. " Since then, not only has it become a Standard Classic among the great works of literature, but has been rendered onto the Silver Screen, five times. This is the 1934 version which hosts the great film star, Robert Donat as Edmond Dantes. If you have read the book, following the movie is not difficult. The story tells of Edmond Dantes, a young sailor and 1st Mate to the Captain, who returns to his home port of Marseille, to marry Mercedes (Elissa Landi) his intended, despite the fact a young Mondego (Sidney Blackmer) want to marry her too. After, explaining to the owner, that the ship's Captain, died during the voyage, he is promoted Captain, to the dismay of the supercargo Danglars (Raymond Walburn), but which is used in a plot by Mondego and Danglars and furthered by the ambitious prosecutor De Villefort (Louis Calhern). Imprisoned in the infamous prison, the Château D'if, Dante's is befriended by the Italian monk, the Abbe Faria (O.P.Heggie) who bequeathes to the falsely accused man, a fabulous fortune with which to seek revenge with. This version is the original film directed by Rowland Lee and is in Black and white. It's a structured movie with a children's fairy tale attitude. The author, Alexander Dumas would have approved of it. ****

bkoganbing As a story The Count of Monte Cristo still has great power. Case in point, the movie Sleepers where four young men from Hell's Kitchen were sexually abused in a reform school they were sentenced to. They found in the Alexandre Dumas novel a man they could understand very easily given their street code. Edmund Dantes code of street justice translates very easily to just about every culture in the world, be it the mean streets of New York or the post Napoleonic Era in France.Robert Donat is Edmund Dantes an ordinary seaman who carries a letter from Elba about Napoleon Bonaparte's imminent return to France in 1815. Now he doesn't know he's carrying the letter, it was given to him by his dying captain. Three men who have their own reasons not to see the truth come out imprison Donat without trial in an island prison off Marseilles. After years there Donat effects his escape and plans to wreak vengeance on them, but not just to kill them, to expose them because all three have risen to importance in France. He's the Count of Monte Cristo now, having been bequeathed a hidden treasure by another inmate.The kids from Sleepers as well millions of others have learned what Dumas tried to convey, that hot blooded revenge killing won't do. If you have to take vengeance make sure it is an extremely calculated series of moves.Monte Cristo is the perfect kind of role for the cerebral Robert Donat. Donat makes us believe his transformation from the young and hopeful Edmund Dantes to the calculating Monte Cristo. If it were not for the Oscar Donat received for Goodbye Mr. Chips this one would have been the signature role of his career.Also look for some good acting by Elissa Landi, Louis Calhern and especially Raymond Walburn in their parts. He's usually the jovial gladhanding type, often a knave, but never a villain as he is here. Not a Walburn you're used to.