The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo
Author: Alexandre Dumas
This was an excellent book, and one of the better novels I’ve read in a long time. I read the abridged version, which clocked in at a paltry 500 pages, down from the 1,500 page original. I can’t even imagine what Dumas managed to fill the other 1,000 pages with. My guess is its similar to Les Mis (which I am still trying to sludge through after about a year now), which goes on never ending tangents about sewer systems, nuns, etc.
I watched the movie many years ago, and thought I recalled enjoying it, so I was excited to watch the movie again after reading the book. Ugh. The movie did the book so dirty. The only elements that were truly like they book was Dantes going to prison, and wanting to get revenge on everyone responsible for his wrongful imprisonment, and stealing his fiancé. The revenge was so satisfying in the book, and so bland in the movie. And of course it didn’t really drive home the ultimate theme in the book where the pursuit of revenge was actually damaging Dantes.
Danglers was a completely different character in the movie. Just some drunk idiot, and not the most powerful banker in France like in the book. The movie completely skipped the storyline of the Villeforts, and the redemptive aspect of Dantes helping Valentine and Maximillian Morrel be together. Not to mention the great storyline of Valentine’s grandfather (Monsieur Noirtier de Villefort) who protects Valentine from her stepmother who is on a poisoning spree. Noirtier is in the movie briefly, but only to serve as the justification for Villefort to throw Dantes in prison (to protect Nortier, who is an anti-royalist, and supports Napoleon). The romance between Mercedes and Dantes is absurd in the movie, and feels like the relationship dynamics and complexities of Mercedes finding out Dantes identity over time was dumbed down to a kindergarten level. And Dantes revenge on Villefort in the book is just sending him to jail? Ridiculous. Dantes revenge on Villefort in the real story is so complete, that Villefort is driven mad after watching his life and family be torn apart. But no, lets just send him to jail and that will be the brilliantly thought out revenge.
If you are going to read this book, don’t bother with the movie, it will just make you mad. I guess the movie is ok if you aren’t going to read the book. But I’d highly recommend reading the book as I found it very enjoyable.