Released: 1997
Runtime: 49 mins
Language: English
Production company: Burbank Animation Studios
The Lowdown
This is a cartoon version made by Australian studio Burbank as part of a range of classic stories. It's under an hour and aimed at a younger audience.
Some Observations
- As usual, with only an hour to play with, the story focuses mainly on the betrayal and imprisonment aspects of the story and rushes through the revenge. In this version, instead of finding the treasure Edmond is given a magic emerald by the Abbe Faria, which shows "the truth of men's hearts" (although this doesn't actually come up that much.)
- As with other short versions, one of the betrayers is elevated to the position of chief baddie, in this case Danglars. In this one, he blackmails Fernand into allowing him to marry his daughter, Valentine. Albert and the Villeforts are entirely omitted.
- This version was produced by Burbank animation studios, an Australian production company that had a pretty impressive output in terms of volume for this kind of thing in the 1990s. Other titles include Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
- Abbe Faria is a lot sillier in this version. Probably the silliest of all versions.
The Verdict
If you want to watch a cartoon version of The Count of Monte Cristo that is aimed at children and is less than an hour, then this is probably your second best bet.
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) | Present |
Danglars | Present | Conspirators - stage 2 (betrayed by Villefort) | Omitted |
Gerard de Villefort | Omitted | Imprisoned in the Chateau d'If | Present |
Gaspard Caderousse | Present | Escape by posing as another prisoner | Present |
Pierre Morrel | Omitted | Finding the treasure | Omitted |
Maximilian Morrel | Omitted | Visiting Caderousse | Present |
Louis Dantes (Father) | Omitted | Return to Marseilles; Morrel suicide attempt | Omitted |
Abbe Faria | Present | Franz meets Sinbad the Sailor on Monte Cristo | Omitted |
Jacopo | Omitted | 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 | Present | 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 | Present | 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" | Present |