"Le comte de Monte Cristo" (1998) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Josée Dayan

Writers:

Didier Decoin (writer)
Alexandre Dumas père (novel)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

21 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

The Classic tale from Alexandre Dumas. Edmond Dantes is unjustly sent to prison for 18 years. He escapes to reclaim his fiancée Mercedes and revenge against his nemesis, Mondego.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Revenge | Treasure | Sailor | TV Mini-Series

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Gérard Depardieu

...

Edmond Dantès / ... (unknown episodes)

Also Known As:

"Der Graf von Monte Christo" (Germany)
"Il conte di Montecristo" (Italy)
"The Count of Monte Cristo" (USA)

Runtime:

France:400 min | Germany:382 min (2 episodes) | 50 min (4 episodes) | Argentina:400 min

Country:

France | Germany | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:T | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Chateau de Villette, Condecourt, Val-d'Oise, France

Company:

TF1

Trivia:

According to Nielsen Media Research, Inc., Startrak Overnight Ratings for 6/21-6/24, 1999 (8PM & 11PM airings), beginning with a 1.4 GAA for the premiere, 'Le comte de Monte Cristo' sustained an average rating of 1.3 GAA for the entire 8-hour series, crowning Bravo's first mini-series as the highest rated original co-production in the network's history.

Movie Connections:

Version of A Modern Monte Cristo (1917)

faithful but not engaging

I have seen most of the versions of this movie and am an avid fan of the book. This version is frequently praised for its accuracy and faithfulness to the book, especially its portrayal of Dantes' very intricate revenge schemes. In this sense, as a transcript of the book, I completely agree and do not fault the movie and, indeed, uphold it as the most gratifying version.

Despite its faithfulness, I felt completely emotionally detached. The movie lacks the emotional involvement and engagement that really bring the story to life and make it more than a recitation of events. The acting performances, while visibly adequate, do not generate real people (not characters). It is difficult to articulate what element was missing, but I felt disengaged, detached, and apathetic. Despite their flaws, I found all of the other versions to be more stirring and true to the spirit, if not the letter, of the book.

To conclude, I would recommend this version to a Dumas purist who wants to see a faithful film reenactment without those irritating changes common to film adaptations. However, to truly feel the emotional impact of the story, I would look elsewhere.