6 faces for the immortal Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Robert Donat, Jorge Mistral, Pepe Martín, Richard Chamberlain, Gerard Depardieu and Jim Caviezel.

El conde de montecristo is one of most popular classics of all time and its author, the French Alexandre Dumas father, a great of universal literature. It was published in 1844 and since then this revenge story par excellence It has not ceased to fascinate. Perhaps we have seen it more than read, but it certainly likes it as it is.

In those film and television adaptations over the years Edmund Dantes has had many faces. I have chosen all six of these actors: a Briton, two Spaniards, two North Americans and, of course, a French. And personally I prefer the French.

The novel

Edmond Dantes, his fiancee Mercedes, the abbe Faria, Fernando Mondego, Earl of Morcet, the baron danglars, The prosecutor villefort, Morell, Caderousse, the servant bertuccio, the princess Haydee, the bandit Luigi wampah… It is impossible to name so many characters in this novel that tells of the masterful plan of revenge of the young sailor Dantès after being unjustly accused of a crime that he has not committed for Fernand Mondego, that disloyal friend who betrays him.

Their 20 years in the dungeons of if castle, one of the most sinister places in literature. His friendship with Abbe Faria, who will tell him about the place where a big treasure. His escape and conversion into a rich and powerful man that he will dedicate the rest of his life to take revenge on those who locked him up and left him with nothing ... We all have different images, or prefer one to another, about this universal history. But we all share the same feelings and that same desire for revenge. These were some of the faces that brought him to life on a screen.

robert donat

One of the first versions. From 1934, directed it Rowland V Lee and starred in it robert donat, an English actor also known for his roles in 39 steps, Hitchcock, or Goodbye Mr. Chips.

Jorge Mistral

Premiered in 1953, this Argentine version was directed Leon Klimovsky on his own script based on the novel. It was starred in the Valencian actor and great star of the time who was Jorge Mistral, in a recreation full of elegance.

Pepe Martin

It was in 1969 when TVE aired the first episode of the series El conde de montecristoDirected by Pedro Amalio Lopez. Its premiere was a overwhelming success that elevated both the series and its main protagonist, the Catalan actor Pepe Martin, that never repeated so much fame. For the most nostalgic you can see complete both in A la carte from RTVE as in Youtube.

Richard chamberlain

This co-production of Great Britain and Italy is 1975. It starred in a Richard chamberlain at his best, which was accompanied by other actors of the stature of Kate nelligan (Mercedes), Tony curtis (mongo), Trevor howard (Abbé Faria) or louis jourdan (Villefort).

Gerard Depardieu

And could not miss the quintessential french actor to play not only Edmond Dantès, but other great characters in French literature such as D'Artagnan, Portos, Cyrano de Bergerac or Jean Valjean or even his own Alexandre Dumas. This miniseries television of 4 episodes is 1998 and we have seen it many times already in the reruns of any channel.

Depardieu was accompanied her two sons in secondary roles, the Italian Ornella Mutti, or greatest of the Gallic cinema like Jean RochefortPierre Arditi. I usually recommend seeing the original versions of everything, and of this series in particular, although the Spanish dubbing was very good with an exceptional Ramón Langa as always.

Jim caviezel

Finally in 2002 we could see this movie, Revenge of the Count of Monte CristoWho he led Kevin Reynolds. It was a somewhat freer version, but it preserves the essence of the work. It starred in an international cast with the North American Jim caviezelThe Australian Guy Pearce (Mondego), the Irish Richard Harris (Abbe Faria) or the British James frain (Villefort).


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  1.   ALVARO FLORES CID DE LEON said

    There is no doubt that there have been many versions of the Count of Monte Cristo, but no one has managed to capture the true plot of the book, although revenge is the main actor, love is still the supporting actor, because in the end it is out of love. Come and forgive me for love

    how difficult it will be that in this same report they say «... Fernadno Mondego, that disloyal friend who betrays him»

    Fernando was never his friend, on the contrary, he was his rival; Well, he was a cousin of the Catalan Mercedes, whom he also wanted to marry, but she was in love with Dantes

  2.   Alejandro Sosa Aguilar said

    There is also a film played by Arturo de Córdova, to my taste a very good performance and with the resources of the cinema of the time, it is a well-made film.