Watch The Son of Monte Cristo For Free

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Louis Hayward never got quite the acclaim that swashbuckling actors like Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn did for these roles. He was an independent and never had a big studio to back him. This film, The Son Of Monte Cristo was an Edward Small production released by United Artists and it shows Hayward at his best advantage as a larger than life hero who fought for honor, his lady's as well as a cause of freedom.As we know from Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count Of Monte Cristo, he became the wealthiest man in Europe with a taste for the cause of liberty and a man who as a banker knew how to settle all kinds of accounts. His son Edmond Dantes, Jr. is following in Dad's footsteps and they've brought him to the Duchy of Lichtenberg whose military dictator George Sanders rules with a brutal hand in the name of the Queen, Joan Bennett. But Sanders ambition knows no limits as the viewer of this film learns, he'll make Lichtenberg a satellite of a major European power if he can be king as well as military ruler.The film borrows from both The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Mark Of Zorro as Hayward turns Monte Cristo into a dandified fop representing his banking house. By night however he becomes the hooded Torch, symbol of liberty for the people of Lichtenberg who keeps striking where Sanders least expects it.This film along with The Man In The Iron Mask from the previous year marked Hayward's apex as a film star. His service as a combat photographer with the Marines during World War II earned him a Silver Star. But his absence from the screen put a halt to his rise to the top of the Hollywood pinnacle. Other stars like James Stewart, Tyrone Power, and Clark Gable made it all the way back, but sadly Hayward never did.Joan Bennett is a beautiful heroine willing to bear the unbearable for her people and life with Sanders as a husband and king is pretty unbearable. Montagu Love who is usually a bad guy in these kind of films is a good guy here as the minister Bennett has confidence in. Ian Wolfe who usually plays nebbish types is a particularly sneaky and nasty spy for Sanders and he really gets what's coming to him. You'll also recognize Clayton Moore with that distinctive voice in a part without the Lone Ranger mask and young Rand Brooks who was Olivia deHavilland's brother in Gone With The Wind plays another eager young patriot. As for Sanders this film is business as usual for him as he plays yet another distinctive cad as a villain.Heroes aren't real heroes in our more cynical age which is the reason that sadly films like The Son Of Monte Cristo aren't made any more.

This swashbuckler is developed in Europe on the epoch of Napoleon III empire .The Balkanes,steeped in the ancient traditions of romance and chivalry, people hold unswerving loyalty to the throne on which now sits the young great Duchess Zona(Joan Bennett)of Lichtenburg(a country similar to the ¨Prisoner of Zenda¨).She rules under the sinister shadow of one despotic tyrant(George Sanders)general Gurko Lamen who tries to take over . The son of Edmond Dantes (Louis Hayward), the famous Count of Montecristo ,simulating to be a foppish count and masked is ¨the Torch¨ helping the Duchess. She flees to find herself with the emperor Napoleon III.The picture is a sequel to ¨The Count of Montecristo (1934)¨ also directed by Rowland V. Lee , though none connection exception of the father and son relationship. In the film there are action,adventures,melodrama,fencing duels, a love story,derring-do and is pretty entertaining and funny. Louis Hayward as masked avenger is very fine , his following films were a series of swashbucklers during fifteen years. Joan Bennett as the attractive duchess is enjoyable and enticing .Both played in 1939,¨The man in the iron mask¨, and again teamed up for this agreeable adventure.George Sanders as always plays a dastardly villain. Besides appear as secondaries actors,Clayton Moore(Lone Ranger),Montagu Love,Henry Brandon,Ralph Bird and Ian Wolfe. Direction by Rowland V. Lee is excellent, is famous in his films the extensive use of low angle shooting by means of a special device to heighten the impact of the scene . The movie was nominated to the best production design for Edward Boyle by its imposing sets though obtain none. The flick will appeal to swashbuckler enthusiastic and adventures cinema fans.

Well, it might have a good bit of Ruritaninan clichés, and we might just guess the outcome, but it is a fun "B" sword dasher. George Sanders never looked so threatening until he showed up as Addison DeWitt in "All About Eve". He did have the face of menace. And it is good to see any of the Bennett sisters on screen. It does tweak your memory. Is it Joan? Is it Constance? Is it someone that I remember from some other movie on the Saturday afternoon filler? And then you do have Florence Bates as the best friend (maid) to the star. This role would be taken by Thelma Ritter in about ten years. Although, Thelma Ritter looked as if she contended with Macy's and Gimbels's. I cannot picture her in period costume. Unless, Klein's on the Square (14th Street and Union Square) ever went high hat. Thank goodness not!

Since this comment compares the entire plot of the movie to World War II in 1940, don't read this if you are avoiding spoilers.I could not help noticing while watching the movie that the basic roles of the characters in the story match very closely to the major nations' roles in the war going on at the time.Gurko Lanen - Powerful, corrupt, ruthless, uses spies, back stabs - he is clearly the Germans Zona - Strong heart, good intentions, pure but realistic. How can she win against such overwhelming force? - the British, who, at this time stood alone against the Germans.Baron von Neuhof - Allied with Zona, outwitted and imprisoned - The French Prince Paul Pavlov - Signs a secret treaty that protects Lanen against a war with the French, secretly 'selling off' the citizens of Lichtenburg (who represent the Poles (or perhaps all of the free peoples of Europe), I think) - The Soviets (who else?) And finally - 'The Torch'/Count Monte Cristo - The savior that is willing to risk his life for Zona, even though he has no interest in Lichtenburg - his ambition is to fight oppression wherever it lies - The USA Naturally Stadt represents the German SA (Ernst Rohm) that was betrayed by Hitler after building the Nazi party into a viable force, and also obviously the Gestapo (German secret police).Remember that in 1940, The Soviet Union was NOT at war with Germany. In fact, the Germans and Soviets conquered Poland and divided the nation in accordance with a 'secret' clause in their Non-Aggression Pact.It is so similar that I can't imagine that the movie wasn't a veiled attempt to encourage the USA to join the war on the side of Britain.In fact, the plot of the movie even has The Count lending money to Lichtenburg. The USA was officially neutral, but certainly mostly Anglophilic at the time, which would be consistent with this theme.Maybe I am reaching a little bit, but I have a strong feeling that this is the case.Does anyone know of any official connection? Has this been discussed before?