The Count of Monte Cristo

LECLERC: There's a sealed letter.

Put it safely in your pocket.

You have to deliver it.

(calling): Mercedes!

MERCEDES: Oh, my God!

EDMOND: Fernand.

FERNAND: We are both Catalan.

It is our destiny to be married.

We have a common cause.

INSPECTOR: Edmond Dants.

You're under arrest.

To whom were you supposed to deliver this letter?

A Monsieur Noirtier.

I shouldn't be here-- this is a mistake.

(watch ticking) (governor speaking in hall) GOVERNOR: We have only two inmates in the dungeons at this time.

This first one, number 34, is a dangerous political prisoner.

The guards will go in ahead of us.

(door opens) PIERRE: Number 34, stand up.

(door closes) What's his crime?

Treason.

Are you well fed?

GOVERNOR: Answer the inspector.

(softly): Food is of little consequence to me, sir.

Excellent!

And is there anything you need?

You don't understand.

I'm the inspector of prisons, sent here by the government to hear any requests prisoners may have.

Inspector, uh, listen to me.

I was charged with being one of Napoleon's spies, and now he is emperor once more and the king deposed, I should be looked upon favorably as a hero of France, is it not so?

He marched into Paris a few weeks later.

A new constitution was drawn up-- everything has changed!

GOVERNOR: You know you are forbidden to converse with prisoners.

PIERRE: Forgive me, Governor-- it won't happen again, sir.

Um... Will you see to it that I am freed?

You have not heard, then?

Uh, heard what?

Napoleon lasted but 100 days.

He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

The English have exiled him to the island of Saint Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, and our dear king, Louis XVIII, has been restored to the throne.

Sir, I... (stammers, whimpers) I was falsely accused.

I was never a spy!

Please, Inspector, please, please, I implore you, look into my case.

I am an innocent man!

The deputy prosecutor of Marseille said as much to my face.

Monsieur Villefort will attest to my innocence!

Please, sir!

Please!

Please!

You are clearly mad.

Next prisoner.

Number 27 is also mad.

Last year, he promised your predecessor... Sir!

...five million francs of his treasure upon condition he be set free.

(door closes) INSPECTOR: And where is this so-called treasure?

GOVERNOR: Well, he'll only tell you that if you set him free.

(breath trembling) (gulls calling) (tools banging in distance) (knock at door, door opens) DANGLARS: Monsieur Morrel?

What is it, Danglars?

I am here to give notice that I will be leaving Morrel and Son at the end of this month, sir.

I've been offered a very lucrative post at a bank in Madrid which I'm going to accept.

Then you won't be leaving tomorrow with the Pharaon.

I would have, if you had made me captain of the vessel after Edmond was arrested.

But, well, it seems you had other ideas.

Before you go, I'd like to know why you've been telling people Edmond was arrested because he's a Bonapartist.

I have no idea what you're talking about, and, frankly, I find the accusation offensive.

Good day to you, Monsieur Morrel.

(horses trotting in background) GERARD: Didn't you come some months ago about the very same thing?

I did, and you said you would look into it.

What, what was his name again?

Dants, Edmond Dants.

Go down to the archives and bring me the files on Dants, Edmond.

(exhales) I promise you we shall see what we can do for Edmond Dants.

(knock at door) Thank you.

Let's see.

Charged with espionage... ...and... ...interned in the Castle d'If.

And... Oh, dear.

What?

He died.

Three months ago.

(stammering): Uh, no, no, no, that, that can't be right.

It says here he hanged himself in his cell.

But, um... Why, why has his father not been informed?

It's the duty of the prison authorities to inform next of kin when an inmate dies, so you should ask them.

I'm terribly, terribly sorry.

(no dialogue) (sobbing) (gasps) (waves crashing) (keys jangling) (hatch opens) Still not eating, are you?

In a case like this, I am obliged to report the matter to the governor, and I don't think you want the governor coming down here.

He doesn't like the dungeons much.

See, Governor?

Four days and he hasn't eaten a thing.

Stand for the governor.

(door closes) (grunting softly) (groans) GOVERNOR: Why do you not eat, number 34?

(hoarsely): I don't want to.

You are here to be punished.

For that, we need you alive.

Feed him.

There are maggots in his food, sir.

Guards, hold the prisoner down!

PIERRE: He has no eating utensils, sir.

Use your hands!

(struggling) (gags, retches, spits) (coughing) (kick lands, Edmond grunts) Leave him.

Let him die.

(gasping) (door opens and closes) (groans, panting) (panting) (tool tapping faintly) (tool stops) (tool resumes) (tool stops) (tool resumes) (tool stops) (Edmond exhales) (tool tapping faintly) (shatters loudly) (shard scratching) (tool tapping) Who's there?

(tool stops) (scratching) (footsteps echoing in hall) Breakfast, Abb.

(tool tapping more loudly) (tool stops) (tool resumes) (tool stops) (tool resumes) What... Who, who are you?

ABB: I'm number 27.

Number 27?

Mm-hmm.

Are you standing close to the wall?

Yes.

Then, well, move away-- move away.

(Edmond grunting) (Abb groaning) (exhales) (groans) (groaning) (panting): Thank you.

(sighs) You must be... ...number 34.

34, yes.

Edmond Dants.

I am the Abb Faria.

(chuckles) How... How, how did you get, get in there?

Oh, I've been tunneling for, for seven years.

But... (exhales) ...I must have miscalculated-- I... I didn't know there was a cell here.

I was going for the sea wall.

How, how did you get a chisel?

Well, I got it from a strut under my bed.

(chuckles) May I... (both laughing) Forgive me, I, I haven't touched another person in years.

Oh, nor I!

And you, and you have a, you have a lamp, a light, a chisel!

(shushing) How, how did you come... (softly): ...by these precious things?

Yes, I've had 14 years to practice my ingenuity, but... ...I have other things, too.

Huh?

(chuckling) It's very tight, but dusty.

(groans) (murmuring) Are you there?

The oil for the candle I get from what little meat they give us.

(grunting) (sighs) It is surprising how, how productive, how productive our food can be.

Here you see, look.

Fish bones make very good needles.

You see?

Look at this.

Sew with that.

And the lamp?

How do you, how do you light that?

Well, I persuaded my jailer that I needed sulfur for my skin condition.

Huh.

Today is June the 12th, 1825.

So ten years?

I find keeping track of time is one of the ways I can stimulate my mind.

See, uh, 1815, that's when you came.

I read and... (chuckles): And I write-- let me show you.

It was views like these, because I am outspoken by nature, that got me imprisoned and arrested.

You said you read-- where, where do you keep your books?

In my head.

Art, science, chemistry, astrology, history.

Can I, can I sit?

Please, please, I'm sorry, yes, please.

Help yourself.

(clears throat) (sighs) (sniffs) (exhales) Are you unwell?

I, uh, I haven't eaten for many days.

Do they not feed you?

Uh, they've tried to.

What do you mean?

I, uh, I stopped eating.

Why?

Oh, no.

To kill yourself is a mortal sin.

You must have hope.

You cannot live without hope.

Look, today we meet!

(chuckles) And you start to eat.

Now, I cannot finish this.

Eat it for me.

I can't eat your food, Abb.

You are my guest.

I will be hurt if you do not-- please, eat.

Do you know, I need you to be strong to help with our escape.

(chuckling, pouring) You will help me in our escape, will you not?

I can think of nothing better.

Then we will start tomorrow.

Now... ...we will dig towards the sea wall under the window in your cell.

No, no, no, no, there's a 30-meter drop from my cell window to the rocks below.

30-meter?

Yes.

What does your window look out onto?

Mm-- courtyard, patrolled day and night, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Well, then, we should dig in that direction.

Dig in that direction.

And then once in the courtyard, we kill the guard and use his keys to escape.

No, I'm a priest.

Killing is not an option.

Well, then, then, we'll tie him up, gag him, and, and then we'll make our escape.

When, when did you say we'd start?

Your enthusiasm warms my heart.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow we start.

Tomorrow.

(Abb speaking in cell) (outer door slams) (blows out) So if the wind from the east blows the corn into the next field, for a moment, there is... Talking to yourself again, Abb, are you?

Who else can I talk to?

Huh?

(grunting) (groans) ABB (exhales): Good morning, neighbor.

Morning.

(groans) I trust you slept well.

(sighs) Best sleep I've had in years.

Now, listen-- come and sit down.

I've been thinking about our new plan for the tunnel, and I think we should break into the wall.

We tunnel in three meters, four, 90 degrees to the right, and come up inside the wall to the corner of the courtyard.

But that will take months and years.

Why, why don't we just go through this wall here?

No, no, because, because this wall is too visible for Pierre when he looks through.

He'll see it immediately-- I can cover this.

And inside, the mortar is much softer.

It's quicker to dig.

So we break through and then work our way up here.

(rock tapping) (gasps) (murmurs) What do you do with all these loose chippings?

I bury them in my slop bucket, and every couple of days, Pierre is kind enough to flush it all into the sea.

(laughs) (rock tapping) Abb.

Yes?

I would so love to become more learned.

We tunnel during the day, and in the evening, I will hold classes and teach you everything I know.

I'd like that.

Good.

(rock tapping) Do you know, when we get out of here, we are going to be very rich men.

Both of us, very rich.

In knowledge?

No, in wealth.

And you will be living among other rich men.

So, we're going to have to eat with very, very wealthy people.

Upper class-- aristocrats.

For that, you have to learn two things: you have to learn patience, 'cause these meals go on forever and ever and ever, and you're gonna have to learn table manners.

ABB: So you put the napkin around your neck and you tuck it into your shirt to save your beautiful clothes... (chuckles) ...from being splashed by food.

You have many glasses, but some for white wine, some for red wine.

ABB: Water.

First course, you start from the outside, you go in to the next course, in to the next course... Now, I want you to imagine that that is a fork.

Show your beautiful... You'll probably have rings on your fingers.

(Edmond laughs) So show your beautiful fingers.

That's right, and bite in with the, that's right.

Good.

How many courses are there?

Oh, they've got thousands.

It goes on forever-- it's a nightmare.

Patience you'll need.

Now you're taking your soup... No, you take soup the other way, take it, that's... Away from you, so you don't splash your beautiful clothes.

That's right.

And meanwhile, you must talk to the lady on your right.

But keep your spoon over your soup.

Don't wave it over her frock.

And in-- very good, excellent!

(watch ticking) (church bell ringing) (men talking in background) (church bell ringing) (knocks) Caderousse?

Mercedes!

I hardly recognized you.

Where is Monsieur Dants?

We buried him.

One week ago.

I think he couldn't face living another year without him.

Where is he buried?

St.

Augustine's-- I can take you there if... If you wish.

Thank you, Caderousse.

(birds chirping) Dear Lord, take care of Louis' gentle soul.

In your son's name, amen.

I will arrange for a headstone to be erected in his memory.

(debris falling) (Edmond grunting, panting) (groans) (groans, gasps) Edmond.

(gasps) Abb?

Abb!

Is all well?

My legs are trapped.

How much room do you have?

Two meters, at most.

How much?

Two meters.

Oh!

(groans, gasps) Well, don't, don't try and move-- just stay there.

Relax-- don't consume oxygen.

(softly): Hurry.

Edmond!

(panting) (Abb grunting) (grunting) (panting) Edmond-- Edmond.

Come on, breathe.

Breathe, come on.

Breathe!

(breathes raggedly) In.

That's right, in-- now you have air now.

Good.

Good, good, good.

(weakly): Thank you, Abb.

Now, very carefully, we'll get back out of here.

(grunts) (waves crashing, gulls calling) From what you tell me... ...it seems to me... ...that the prosecutor has something to do with it.

He was convinced of my innocence.

Tell me again exactly what happened before he had you arrested.

GERARD: I have information that your political opinions are extreme.

Someone delivered this letter to the police today.

They claim that you have been entrusted with a letter from the usurper Napoleon with instructions to deliver it to a Bonapartist committee in Paris.

It confounds me, Abb.

It keeps me up at night.

Strange.

To whom were you supposed to deliver this letter?

Uh, a Monsieur Noirtier, Paris.

ABB: Perhaps the prosecutor knew Noirtier.

There's no way.

He said he was going to check on the man, find out who he was.

And yet, you say everything changed after the name was mentioned.

GERARD: Stop.

Come back.

Surely Villefort would've said something if he knew Noirtier.

Why wouldn't he?

Uh... Did you say Villefort?

Monsieur Villefort, the prosecutor.

(chuckles) Well, there we have it.

What?

Noirtier's original family name was Noirtier-Villefort.

He changed it when he became a Bonapartist.

Just was known as Noirtier.

Monsieur Noirtier-- now, if the prosecutor, Mr.

Villefort, recognized him as being a family member, he would be most concerned to protect him.

So concerned, he would be prepared to wipe you from the face of the Earth.

It, it can't be.

ABB: The man you thought was the champion of your innocence.

(clicks tongue) You're sure about this?

Oh, yes, I knew of Noirtier.

(muted) damn you, Villefort!

(shouting): (muted) damn you!

(softly): It won't be God's doing.

It'll be my doing!

It'll be by my hand that you will suffer, and you will suffer way worse than I have suffered!

(shouts) (panting) Pray he live till we meet again.

(breathing heavily) (gulls squawking) I think we've gone about three meters.

Tomorrow, we should turn right towards the courtyard.

All right.

Brucine is related to strychnine.

It is mainly used in the East for muscle spasm and, and arthritic pain.

But it's a very dangerous drug.

Would kill a grown man in a matter of minutes.

I find it so fascinating, that so lethal a poison can also be used beneficially.

ABB: Oh, yeah, it's all a matter of dosage, like many things in life.

(chuckles) ABB: F equals G times the sum of the masses divided by the square root of their distance apart.

(exhales) Hm!

It is, it is simple.

Hm, well, yes.

Mr.

Newton made it simple.

(chuckles) (grunts) ABB: Come on, Edmond.

That's enough for today-- lesson time.

ABB (voiceover): Now, after a full moon, the illuminated portion of the moon begins... "Such a sight as this... Bid the soldiers shoot."

Hm!

(claps) And so ends one of the greatest tragedies ever written.

I think it's his best play by far.

Hm.

Well, tomorrow, I'll, I'll tell you about chloroform.

Very interesting, yeah.

(grunts) (panting) EDMOND: Abb?

Yeah.

I'd like to add two hours a day to my digging.

Well, you know, you should balance your labors with your learning.

Yeah, but the sooner I get out of here, the s... The what?

I... I've been dreaming of revenge.

You must be careful, Edmond.

When planning revenge, it is best to dig your own grave first.

(carriage rattling) Countess.

What an honor to finally meet you.

Could you tilt your head slightly, Countess?

(gulls squawking) (exhales) (people talking in muffled voices) (conversation continues) (breathing deeply) (softly): Abb!

Abb!

We're so close.

I can hear the guards' footsteps.

Then stop tapping!

Listen, listen, listen.

The guards must hear nothing more than the scratchings of a mouse.

(chuckling) Oh, we must be so careful, Edmond.

You must prepare so that we are ready to break through suddenly in the dead of night... Right.

...surprise the guards.

Oh, how long, oh, God, have I waited for this moment!

We must pray for a calm sea, while we must do it in the dead of night, when there's no moon.

Next week, Saturday night.

Such a long wait!

Ten days in 15 years?

It's, it's a blink of an eye!

(laughing) I mean, what do you... Do you have an appointment in Marseille?

(laughing) Do you have some young filly waiting for you?

(laughing) Abb.

You have saved me, Abb Faria.

No, no, no, my son.

No, we've saved each other.

(whimpering) ABB (calling weakly): Edmond.

Hm.

Edmond.

(grunting, exhaling) (weakly): Edmond.

Abb!

(grunting) Abb!

Edmond, here.

What happened?

I fell.

(weakly): I, I... I can't get up, I can't... (groans) (Edmond grunts) (slurring): I can't feel, I can't feel my left side.

(murmurs) (sighs) We're so close to the end, Abb.

You will have to escape on your own, Edmond.

No, no, no, no, I'll, I'll carry you.

You can hold onto my neck with your right hand.

I'll, I'll swim with you on my back.

And if we get to shore, what, then, eh?

(breathes deeply): No.

I'll stay here with you.

You'll recover, you'll get better, and when you do, we'll leave this place together, as planned.

Edmond, I have something I have to tell you.

It's, it's most important.

Now, go, take out... My writing in it, take the rock from the wall.

No, behind it.

Feel, feel at the back-- there should be a piece of parchment.

Yes, bring it here.

Right.

When I was clearing out Count Spada's library, I found a piece of parchment, which is, nothing on it, not interesting-- I threw it in the fire.

But as it began to smolder, I saw letters appearing, and I snatched it back.

It was written on in invisible ink.

But what, what is it?

It's a map.

It's a map of the island of Monte Cristo.

With instructions of where a great treasure hoard is hidden.

You see, in 1502, Cardinal Spada was a great enemy of that terrible Borgia pope, Alexander VI, and the Borgia pope wanted his fortune, and so the cardinal hid it, and he left these instructions for his son.

Well, the cardinal was murdered by the pope, and also, the son was murdered before he knew, even, of his father's death.

And so this was lost.

Until now.

Now, some of the writing was burnt, but I've spent years working out what the lost words are.

"20 paces west of Rabbit Rock "lies a concealed entrance.

"Enter the cave.

"There is a fork to the left.

"Cross the rocks and you will find my treasure."

Find it, Edmond.

I bequeath it all to you.

It probably isn't there anymore, Abb.

300 years is a very long time.

Boats put in there often.

Smugglers use the island to store their contraband, it's... Maybe it is gone, but... ...I believe it's still there, Edmond.

Find it.

(exhales) Find it.

And use it to live a full life.

I won't leave you here alone, Abb.

You'll recover.

I know you will.

(chuckles) Bless you, my son, for your faith.

(breathes deeply) Now leave me-- I must... If I'm to recover, I must sleep a while.

(watch ticking) (ticking continues) (door and watch close) (latch slides) Soon, you'll be strong enough to swim.

(chuckles) I don't know why, but I feel like an old man today.

(laughs) It's, uh... Oh!

It's the watch Mercedes gave me the night of our engagement celebration.

It's beautiful.

(chuckles): I know.

Huh!

You've kept it all these years.

Yes.

(watch closes) This is what's kept you alive, Edmond.

Yes.

When you get out of here, find her again.

Marry her, Edmond.

(exhales) Uh.

Bless you, my son.

Bless both of you.

(exhales) (sighs) PIERRE (in hallway): Guard!

Call the governor!

Number 27 is dead.

(grunts) GOVERNOR: Are you sure he's not pretending?

They do that sometimes, you know?

Give me the torch.

Lift his foot.

He's dead, no doubt.

Sew him in the sack and bury him.

We'll bury him after dinner.

Come on, let's go eat.

(door closes) (grunts) (panting) (crying) (panting) Forgive me, Father.

(sack tearing) (groans) (grunts) (grunting) (grunting) (gulls squawking) Ooh, God, he's a heavy old bastard!

Come on.

Let's get it over with.

(both gasping) (rope tying) (guards gasping) GUARD: Easy on.

All right, ready, Pierre?

Yeah.

BOTH: One, two, three.

(moaning) (moaning) (inhales deeply, gasping) PIERRE: Where's your bowl, Number 34?

Number 34, wake up!

Guard!

Call the governor!

I don't know what to make of it, sir... Be quiet!

Move the bed away from the wall.

See if you can move that stone.

(guard groaning) Torch!

Follow me.

Pull it out.

Faster, faster!

(sword clatters) Come on, Pierre!

(grunts) Hurry, Pierre!

Move, move.

They had tools.

He could have used those tools to set himself free from the body bag.

Well, don't just stand there!

Run!

Sound the cannon!

Muster the guards!

(panting) (cannons firing) (panting) Do you know what a Forsyte is?

A Forsyte is a London elite.

JUNE: In this family... (exhales) ...I have an obligation to marry well.

ANN: Free of scandal.

Where do you suggest our loyalties lie?

ANN: And inconvenient truths.

I loved you.

You would not have been allowed to love me.

It would be catastrophic.

Are you prepared?

EDMOND: Mercedes-- do you know where she is now?

She's long gone.

Moved to Paris.

Where are we?

About ten leagues from the island of Monte Cristo.

I was robbed of 15 years of my life.

I want justice.

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