The Count of Monte Cristo Quotes
A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous "friend," escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge.
Edmond: Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you: as Albert Mondego, the man!
Luigi: So, mi amici, I would ask who you are, but in view of your shredded clothes and the fact that the Chateau d'If is two miles away... what's the point? As for me, I am Luigi Vampa, a smuggler and a thief. My men and I have come to this island to bury alive one of our number who attempted to keep some stolen gold for himself instead of sharing it with his comrades. Interestingly enough, there are some of his more loyal friends who are insisting that I grant him mercy. Which, of course, I cannot do, or I would quickly lose control of the whole crew. That is why you are such a fortunate find.
Edmond: Why is that?
Luigi: You provide me with a way to show a little mercy to Jacopo - that maggot you see tied up over there - while at the same time not appearing weak. And as a bonus, the lads will get to see a little sport as well.
Edmond: How do I accomplish all this?
Luigi: We watch you and Jacopo fight to the death. If Jacopo wins, we welcome him back to the crew. If you win, I have given Jacopo the chance to live, even if he did not take advantage of it, and you can take his place on the boat.
Edmond: What if I win and I don't want to be a smuggler?
Luigi: Then we slit your throat, and we're a bit shorthanded.
[pause]
Edmond: [smiles after consideration] I find that smuggling is the life for me, and would be delighted to kill your friend the maggot!
Luigi: Oh, and by the way, Jacopo is the best knife fighter I have ever seen.
Edmond: [unmoved, sarcastically] Perhaps you should get out more...
Luigi: [laughs, shouts to his crew] Release Jacopo, and give him back his knife. And we'll let the games begin...
Edmond: Why is that?
Luigi: You provide me with a way to show a little mercy to Jacopo - that maggot you see tied up over there - while at the same time not appearing weak. And as a bonus, the lads will get to see a little sport as well.
Edmond: How do I accomplish all this?
Luigi: We watch you and Jacopo fight to the death. If Jacopo wins, we welcome him back to the crew. If you win, I have given Jacopo the chance to live, even if he did not take advantage of it, and you can take his place on the boat.
Edmond: What if I win and I don't want to be a smuggler?
Luigi: Then we slit your throat, and we're a bit shorthanded.
[pause]
Edmond: [smiles after consideration] I find that smuggling is the life for me, and would be delighted to kill your friend the maggot!
Luigi: Oh, and by the way, Jacopo is the best knife fighter I have ever seen.
Edmond: [unmoved, sarcastically] Perhaps you should get out more...
Luigi: [laughs, shouts to his crew] Release Jacopo, and give him back his knife. And we'll let the games begin...
Edmond: Monseuir, I know you must hear this a great deal; I assure you I am innocent. Everyone must say that, I know, but I truly am.
Dorleac: Innocent?
Edmond: Yes.
Dorleac: I know. I really do know.
Edmond: You mock me?
Dorleac: No, my dear Dantes. I know perfectly well that you are innocent. Why else would you be here? If you were truly guilty, there are a hundred prisons in France where they would lock you away. But Chateau d'If is where is they put the ones they're ashamed of.
Dorleac: Innocent?
Edmond: Yes.
Dorleac: I know. I really do know.
Edmond: You mock me?
Dorleac: No, my dear Dantes. I know perfectly well that you are innocent. Why else would you be here? If you were truly guilty, there are a hundred prisons in France where they would lock you away. But Chateau d'If is where is they put the ones they're ashamed of.
Fernand: Monte Cristo!
Edmond: King's to you, Fernand.
Fernand: Edmond? How did you...
Edmond: How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure!
Fernand: So you've taken Mercedes.
Edmond: And everything else. Except your life.
Fernand: Why are you doing this?
Edmond: [pauses, remembering what Fernand said when he asked why he betrayed him] It's complicated. Let's just say it's vengeance for the life that you stole from me.
Edmond: King's to you, Fernand.
Fernand: Edmond? How did you...
Edmond: How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure!
Fernand: So you've taken Mercedes.
Edmond: And everything else. Except your life.
Fernand: Why are you doing this?
Edmond: [pauses, remembering what Fernand said when he asked why he betrayed him] It's complicated. Let's just say it's vengeance for the life that you stole from me.
Mercedes: You would have to be a mother to truly appreciate the service you have done for my son and me. Monsieur, I will never forget you.
Count of Monte Cristo: Please, madame, It was nothing; and I am sure in within a month you will not even remember my name
[to Fernand Mondego]
Count of Monte Cristo: May I steal your wife?
Fernand: Excuse me?
Count of Monte Cristo: For the waltz?
Count of Monte Cristo: Please, madame, It was nothing; and I am sure in within a month you will not even remember my name
[to Fernand Mondego]
Count of Monte Cristo: May I steal your wife?
Fernand: Excuse me?
Count of Monte Cristo: For the waltz?
Edmond: If you ever presume to interfere in my affairs again, I will, I promise you, finish the job I started the day we met! Do you understand?
Jacopo: I understand you are mad.
Edmond: Mad? My enemies are falling into my traps perfectly!
Jacopo: Mad, your grace, for ignoring this: you have a fortune, a beautiful woman who loves you. Take the money, take the woman, and live your life! Stop this plan, take what you have won!
Edmond: I can't.
Jacopo: Why not?... I'm still your man, Satara. I swore an oath I will protect you. Even if it means I must protect you from yourself. I'll drive you home now.
Jacopo: I understand you are mad.
Edmond: Mad? My enemies are falling into my traps perfectly!
Jacopo: Mad, your grace, for ignoring this: you have a fortune, a beautiful woman who loves you. Take the money, take the woman, and live your life! Stop this plan, take what you have won!
Edmond: I can't.
Jacopo: Why not?... I'm still your man, Satara. I swore an oath I will protect you. Even if it means I must protect you from yourself. I'll drive you home now.
Mercedes: I don't know what dark plan lies within you. Nor do I know by what design we were asked to live without each other these 16 years. But God has offered us a new beginning...
Edmond: God?
Mercedes: Don't slap His hand away.
Edmond: Can I never escape Him?
Mercedes: No, He is in everything. Even in a kiss.
Edmond: God?
Mercedes: Don't slap His hand away.
Edmond: Can I never escape Him?
Mercedes: No, He is in everything. Even in a kiss.
Jacopo: I bid you good afternoon, sir. I am here to purchase your lovely home.
Mansion Owner: [laughing] The very cheek! I shall have you horsewhipped! Now get off my property, you vagabond, before I set the dogs on you, you hear?
Jacopo: [Jacapo lowers the wagon lid and reveals the treasure. The mansion owner sobers up and hands him the property contract] Thank you.
Mansion Owner: [laughing] The very cheek! I shall have you horsewhipped! Now get off my property, you vagabond, before I set the dogs on you, you hear?
Jacopo: [Jacapo lowers the wagon lid and reveals the treasure. The mansion owner sobers up and hands him the property contract] Thank you.
Mercedes: Is Viscount Torville dead?
Fernand: Well, unless his heart is situated somewhere other than the left side of his chest, I suspect he is.
Mercedes: [choking up, and making the sign of the cross] God grant him peace. He did no more than defend his family's honor.
Fernand: Much good it did him. His wife and I were happy in our passion. You were happy in your ignorance. Now comes the viscount's valiant defense of his honor, and you are pained. She is ruined, and he is dead.
Mercedes: Don't flatter yourself, Fernand. I was neither happy, nor ignorant, having known about the last three women before Madame Tourville.
Fernand: I'm sorry that you are humiliated. The combination of Paris and me is hardly a recipe for fidelity, is it? But since my attempts at discretion have evidently failed, there seems little point in keeping up pretenses. It's actually quite... liberating. Wouldn't you say?
Fernand: Well, unless his heart is situated somewhere other than the left side of his chest, I suspect he is.
Mercedes: [choking up, and making the sign of the cross] God grant him peace. He did no more than defend his family's honor.
Fernand: Much good it did him. His wife and I were happy in our passion. You were happy in your ignorance. Now comes the viscount's valiant defense of his honor, and you are pained. She is ruined, and he is dead.
Mercedes: Don't flatter yourself, Fernand. I was neither happy, nor ignorant, having known about the last three women before Madame Tourville.
Fernand: I'm sorry that you are humiliated. The combination of Paris and me is hardly a recipe for fidelity, is it? But since my attempts at discretion have evidently failed, there seems little point in keeping up pretenses. It's actually quite... liberating. Wouldn't you say?
Dorleac: And if you're thinking just now 'Why me, oh God?' the answer is: God has nothing to do with it. In fact, God is never in France this time of year.
Edmond: God has everything to do with it. He's everywhere. He sees everything.
Dorleac: Alright. Let's make a bargain, shall we? You ask God for help and I'll stop the moment he shows up.
Edmond: God has everything to do with it. He's everywhere. He sees everything.
Dorleac: Alright. Let's make a bargain, shall we? You ask God for help and I'll stop the moment he shows up.
On Screen Text: [first lines, the text that appears on screen] In 1814, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Elba, off the coast of Italy. Fearing an attempt to rescue him, his British captors would shoot anyone who came ashore...
On Screen Text: ...no matter how innocent or desperate.
On Screen Text: ...no matter how innocent or desperate.
Danglar: [while he is about to be hanged by Monte Cristo from a ship's plank, holding onto Cristo's coat] Who are you?
Edmond: I'm the Count of Monte Cristo...
[beat]
Edmond: But my friends call me Edmond Dantes!
Danglar: [in full realisation] Dantes...
Edmond: [Edmond knocks away Danglar's hands, hanging him, walks away calmly and speaks to the chief Gendarme] Cut him down before he can't talk...
Edmond: I'm the Count of Monte Cristo...
[beat]
Edmond: But my friends call me Edmond Dantes!
Danglar: [in full realisation] Dantes...
Edmond: [Edmond knocks away Danglar's hands, hanging him, walks away calmly and speaks to the chief Gendarme] Cut him down before he can't talk...
Mercedes: Albert, I found the note you left explaining where you'd gone. But now I must explain something to you. Where you've really come from. Albert, you are the son of Edmond Dantes. The man you know as the Count of Monte Cristo.
[Albert Mondego turns to Fernand Mondego]
Fernand: Well, I'm afraid it is true. You are the walking proof that your mother was as much of a whore in her younger years as she is today.
[Albert Mondego turns to Fernand Mondego]
Fernand: Well, I'm afraid it is true. You are the walking proof that your mother was as much of a whore in her younger years as she is today.
Mercedes: What's wrong?
Fernand: I'm bankrupt. All my debts have been called in. Also, I am to be arrested.
Mercedes: For what?
Fernand: Piracy, corruption, and murder.
Mercedes: Did you do all these things?
Fernand: Yes. But there's simply not the time to talk about it. The gendarmes are on their way, apparently, so hurry up and pack something.
Mercedes: I'm not going with you, Fernand.
Fernand: [Fernand turns towards her and angrily breaks a mirror]
[Panting]
Fernand: You are my wife. I have made arrangements for us. We shall be very well taken care of. Now go and find my son.
[Fernand walks briskly away from Mercedes]
Mercedes: He's not your son.
Fernand: [Fernand stops dead in his tracks] I beg your pardon?
Mercedes: Albert Mondego is the son of Edmond Dantes.
[pause]
Mercedes: Why do you think I rushed off so quickly to marry you when Edmond was taken away?
Fernand: [staring blankly in full realization] Premature.
[Fernand steps towards Mercedes and stares piercingly down at her]
Fernand: Well, aren't you a piece of work? So he's the bastard son of a dead traitor?
[Mercedes smirks]
Fernand: He always was disappointing.
Fernand: I'm bankrupt. All my debts have been called in. Also, I am to be arrested.
Mercedes: For what?
Fernand: Piracy, corruption, and murder.
Mercedes: Did you do all these things?
Fernand: Yes. But there's simply not the time to talk about it. The gendarmes are on their way, apparently, so hurry up and pack something.
Mercedes: I'm not going with you, Fernand.
Fernand: [Fernand turns towards her and angrily breaks a mirror]
[Panting]
Fernand: You are my wife. I have made arrangements for us. We shall be very well taken care of. Now go and find my son.
[Fernand walks briskly away from Mercedes]
Mercedes: He's not your son.
Fernand: [Fernand stops dead in his tracks] I beg your pardon?
Mercedes: Albert Mondego is the son of Edmond Dantes.
[pause]
Mercedes: Why do you think I rushed off so quickly to marry you when Edmond was taken away?
Fernand: [staring blankly in full realization] Premature.
[Fernand steps towards Mercedes and stares piercingly down at her]
Fernand: Well, aren't you a piece of work? So he's the bastard son of a dead traitor?
[Mercedes smirks]
Fernand: He always was disappointing.
Old Man Dantes: [Making a toast] May this moment be the dawn of a new and wonderful life for you both...
Gendarmes Captain: [after smashing open the door] Which one of you is Edmond Dantes?
Edmond: I am.
Gendarmes Captain: Edmond Dantes, you are under arrest by order of the chief magistrate of Marseille.
Old Man Dantes: Arrest?
Edmond: On what charges?
Gendarmes Captain: That information is privilaged
[gestures to his men]
Gendarmes Captain: Take him!
Edmond: [Struggling with guards] I demand an explanation! I demand an explanation!
Gendarmes Captain: [after smashing open the door] Which one of you is Edmond Dantes?
Edmond: I am.
Gendarmes Captain: Edmond Dantes, you are under arrest by order of the chief magistrate of Marseille.
Old Man Dantes: Arrest?
Edmond: On what charges?
Gendarmes Captain: That information is privilaged
[gestures to his men]
Gendarmes Captain: Take him!
Edmond: [Struggling with guards] I demand an explanation! I demand an explanation!
