Le Comte de Monte-Cristo
Synopsis
Long before Hollywood came to Comino, France got there first.
Directed by Josée Dayan and written by Didier Decoin, this lavish four-part French mini-series was a phenomenon on its release in September 1998, drawing approximately 12 million viewers per episode in France alone. It later premiered in the United States on Bravo in June 1999.
Gérard Depardieu takes on the role of Edmond Dantès, the young sailor falsely accused of Bonapartism and condemned to the dreaded Château d’If, from which no prisoner has ever escaped. Years later, transformed by suffering and armed with a vast hidden treasure, he returns to Parisian society as the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, a man of wealth, charm and ruthless patience.
The production boasts one of the finest casts ever assembled for a Monte Cristo adaptation. Ornella Muti plays Mercédès, Jean Rochefort is the treacherous Fernand Mondego, and Georges Moustaki brings quiet gravitas to the Abbé Faria. Behind the camera, the legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, whose credits include Apocalypse Now and The Last Emperor, gives the series its sumptuous visual grandeur.
Filming took place in Malta and Comino, continuing what would become a remarkable tradition of Monte Cristo productions returning to the same waters across four decades. We are currently researching the specific filming locations and will update this page with full details as soon as they are confirmed.
Production Info
Released
1998
Directed
Josée Dayan
Starring
Gérard Depardieu
Ornella Muti
Jean Rochefort
Le Comte De Monte-Cristo Scenes on Comino
Watch Trailer for Le Comte de Monte-Cristo
Did you Know
The Count of Monte Cristo (1998) was the first of five Monte Cristo productions to film in Malta and Comino, beginning a tradition that spans four decades. The cinematography was handled by the legendary Vittorio Storaro, whose previous credits include Apocalypse Now, Reds, and The Last Emperor , three Academy Award winning films. The series also features a remarkable family connection, Gérard Depardieu is joined on screen by both his son Guillaume Depardieu, who plays the young Edmond Dantès, and his daughter Julie Depardieu, who plays Valentine de Villefort.
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