The film emphasizes the theme of revenge and manipulation of characters by Dantès until the final swordfight with Mondego. The courtroom scene in which Dantès brings down crown prosecutor De Villefort is a highlight of the film, as is the scene between Dantès and Mercedes when he reveals Mondego's treachery to her (which occurs almost precisely as in the novel). However, important characters are omitted and several scenes differ from the novel. Villefort's wife for instance, never appears, and there is no mention of her ever having poisoned anyone. In the novel, it is Mondego rather than Danglars who commits suicide, and Dantès and Mondego do not engage in a swordfight. As in the novel, Dantès loses Mercedes because of his vengeful bitterness. Haydee has only a minor role in the film, and there is no confirmation that she and Monte Cristo become lovers as in the book.
The following participants in major sub-plots of the Dumas novel are not portrayed in the film:
Luigi Vampa
Maximilian Morrel
Hermine Danglars
Eugenie Danglars
Lucien Debray
Beauchamp
Heloise Villefort
Edouard Villefort
Marquis Saint-Méran
Marquise of Saint-Méran
Production
The film was produced by Norman Rosemont, who originally tried to do it as a mini series but could not sell it. Instead he signed a deal with NBC to make it as a TV movie, although the film would be released theatrically in Europe. The budget was one and a half million dollars.[1]
Rosemont remembered "grave doubts were expressed by the networks about whether there was a mass audience for period pieces. They were in costume, there was the worry about accents and inevitably they would cost more than a period drama".[3]
Filming took place in Rome starting in August 1974. There was location filming outside Marseilles.[4][5]
Rosemont said: "We tried to stick as closely as possible to the novel. And with Chamberlain in the lead I've got to say the show worked out better than anyone could want".[6]
Chamberlain called it "a great story" and said he chose not to see the previous movie versions because "I didn't want to copy even unconsciously".[1]
^ abIs that Richard Chamberlain?: 'Three Musketeers' Adventure story Henry James series Treading water by Arthur Unger. The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Jan 1975: 9.
^Eight Specials to Mark Bell Theater's 5th Year, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 1974: e14.
^Why Norman Rosemont Likes to Film the Classics: Norman Rosemont's TV Films, DAVID LEWIN, New York Times, 23 Nov 1980: D35.
^CHAMBERLAIN TO STAR IN NBC MONTE CRISTO', Los Angeles Times, 5 June 1974: e16.
^'Maltese Falcon' just gave birth to a 'Black Bird', Servi, Vera. Chicago Tribune, 19 June 1974: b6.
^A House Call ON A Former Dr. Kildare,
Kaufman, Bill. Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan 1975: g15.
^TV VIEW: Ma Bell Connects With 'The Man in the Iron Mask', O'Connor, John J., New York Times, 16 Jan 1977: 85.
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