Starring: George Dolenz, Nick Cravat, Robert Cawdron
Release date: Feb 1956
Runtime: 39 episodes (25 mins each)
Language: English
Production company: Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
The Lowdown
This is a TV series made in 1956 starring George Dolenz. It doesn't follow the events of the novel but features the 'continuing adventures' of the Count. Each episode is 25 minutes and has a self-contained plot.
Some Observations
- This has practically nothing to do with The Count of Monte Cristo. They have just used the name and made reference to the back story in order to have a kind of weekly swashbuckling adventure story. The Count is now a dashing rogue who is constantly getting into sword fights and helping the innocent. He's more like a 19th century A-team.
- At first glance it appears to be set after the events of the novel, so this really shouldn't be covered here (under the 'no sequels' rule) but actually the first episode is set in 1833 (in the novel, the count resurfaces in Rome in 1838) so in fact it seems to be cataloguing that interim period where he is off travelling the world and building his mysterious persona. But no, then we have Mercedes turning up, with the Count having to help Fernand out of a bind when he is falsely accused of robbing a stagecoach (??), without even a single bit of revenge. Basically, it's nonsense.
- Later, we get the story of how he was imprisoned in the Chateau d'If, but in this version the Abbe Faria teaches him the value of helping others instead of revenge. This is a much less interesting story.
- At the end of pretty much every episode, they resolve things with a big sword fight, where people dramatically fall over tables and several unconvincing stunt doubles are used.
- Of the 40 or so episodes made, a large proportion of them have the word 'affair' in the title (as in 'The Sicilian Affair', 'The Portuguese Affair') as if the writers ran out of energy when naming them.
- The only recurring character to be carried over is Jacopo, who is now an acrobatic mute who follows the Count around and gets him out of scrapes.
The Verdict
This isn't very good. Or, at least, if you like The Count of Monte Cristo it's not what you're looking for.
Characters and Plot Elements
Character | Status | Plot Element | Status |
Edmond Dantes | Present | Landing on Elba and meeting with Napoleon | Omitted |
Mercedes | Present | Return to Marseille | Omitted |
Fernand Mondego | Present | Conspirators - stage 1 (accused by enemies) | Referred to |
Danglars | Omitted | Conspirators - stage 2 (betrayed by Villefort) | Omitted |
Gerard de Villefort | Omitted | Imprisoned in the Chateau d'If | Present |
Gaspard Caderousse | Omitted | Escape by posing as another prisoner | Present |
Pierre Morrel | Omitted | Finding the treasure | Referred to |
Maximilian Morrel | Omitted | Visiting Caderousse | Omitted |
Louis Dantes (Father) | Omitted | Return to Marseilles; Morrel suicide attempt | Omitted |
Abbe Faria | Present | Franz meets Sinbad the Sailor on Monte Cristo | Omitted |
Jacopo | Present | Hallucinogenic drugs | Omitted |
La Carconte | Omitted | Rome - Albert kidnapped by Luigi Vampa | Omitted |
Julie Morrel | Omitted | Count as a vampire | Omitted |
Emmanuel Herbaut | Omitted | Breakfast at Albert's - Count's arrival in Paris | Omitted |
Noirtier de Villefort | Omitted | Dinner at Auteiul | Omitted |
Luigi Vampa | Omitted | The Vendetta - Bertuccio and Villefort | Omitted |
Albert de Morcerf | Omitted | Manipulation of the telegram | Omitted |
Lucien Debray | Omitted | The dappled greys - wild horses | Omitted |
Beauchamp | Omitted | Affair between Madame Danglars and Lucien Debray | Omitted |
Baron de Chateau Renaud | Omitted | Noirtier paralyzed | Omitted |
Franz d'Epinay | Omitted | Love story between Maximilian and Valentine | Omitted |
Madame Danglars | Omitted | Toxicology - poisoner in the Villefort household | Omitted |
Eugenie Danglars | Omitted | Ali Pacha story | Omitted |
Louise d'Armilly | Omitted | Implied sexual relationship between Eugenie Danglars and Louise d'Armilly | Omitted |
Heloise de Villefort | Omitted | Arranged marriage between Valentine de Villefort and Franz d'Epinay | Omitted |
Les Saint-Merans | Omitted | Benedetto and Caderousse | Omitted |
Valentine de Villefort | Omitted | Benedetto and Eugenie | Omitted |
Edouard de Villefort | Omitted | Villefort's spies | Omitted |
Barrois | Omitted | Revenge against Caderousse - stabbed by Benedetto | Omitted |
Benedetto | Omitted | Trial of Fernand | Omitted |
Major Cavalcanti | Omitted | Duel between Albert de Morcerf and the Count of Monte Cristo | Omitted |
Haydee | Omitted | Albert joins the army | Omitted |
Bertuccio | Omitted | Revenge against Fernand - his treachery revealed, he kills himself | Omitted |
Baptistin | Omitted | Revenge against Danglars - unlimited credit | Omitted |
Ali | Omitted | Revenge against Villefort - trial of Benedetto, he goes mad | Omitted |
Abbe Busoni | Omitted | Mercedes' end - return to Marseilles | Omitted |
Sinbad the Sailor | Omitted | Danglars' escape and Luigi Vampa's bill of fare | Omitted |
Lord Wilmore | Omitted | Edmond gets together with Haydee | Omitted |
The phrase "wait and hope" | Omitted |