The Count of Monte Cristo (1979)

The Count of Monte Cristo DVD Cover Country France Canada Italy West Germany Directed by Denys de La Patellière Release Date 1979 Language French Studio Bavaria Atelier Edizioni Farnese Europa Films FR3 Rex Cinematografica Main Cast Character Actor Edmond Dantès / Count of Monte-Cristo Jacques Weber Mercedes Carla Romanelli Abbot Faria Henri Virlojeux Fernand Mondego, Count de Morcerf Manuel Tejada Danglars Roger Dumas de Villefort Jean-François Poron Caderousse Claude Brosset Haydée Virginie Vidal Valentine de Villefort Marie Matile Maximilien Morel Diogo Dória

The Count of Monte Cristo (Le comte de Monte-Cristo) is a 1979 French 5-part (4-part in DVD release) mini series adapted from the famous novel by Alexandre Dumas, directed by Denys de La Patellière and starring Jacques Weber. This version is known to be the most true to the original book.

This page is for the 1979 French mini-series starring Jacques Weber. For the 1954 French film starring Jean Marais, see here. For the 1961 French-Italian film starring Louis Jourdan, see here. For the 1975 British film starring Richard Chamberlain, see here. For the 1998 French miniseries starring Gerard Depardieu, see here. For the 2002 English-language film starring James Caviezel, see here.

The following weapons were used in the miniseries The Count of Monte Cristo:

Pistols

Percussion Cap Pistol

In the scene when Mr. Morel (Paulo Renato), the shipowner from Marseille, is ruined and is going to commit suicide, he takes a Percussion Cap Pistol from a drawer. This is some compact civilian model. Morel's son Maximilien (Diogo Dória) holds a percussion cap pistol when he gets news that his belowed woman is dead. Several of the Roman brigands carry pistols when they kidnap Danglars. The locks aren't seen clear but these are probably also percussion cap guns.

For reference: a percussion cap travel pistol converted fron a flintlock. Manufacture d'arme de Liege, Belgium.

Morel draws a pistol from the drawer.

He puts the pistol to his head. The cocked hammer is seen.

Morel lowers the pistol when his son comes into the room.

The pistol on the table.

For reference: Chatellerault Model 1822 T Percussion Cavalry Pistol - .69 cal

Count of Monte-Cristo (Jacques Weber) takes the pistol from the hands of Maximilien Morel.

He puts the pistol on the table.

For reference: Henry Parker long sea service pistol (percussion conversion) - .60 calibre

The grip of the pistol of a Roman brigand is seen at the left.

The pistol is tucked at the brigand's belt. This is a large, military style model.

Percussion Dueling Pistol

Count of Monte-Cristo (Jacques Weber) trains with Percussion Dueling Pistols in several scenes.

Mang in Graz Match Percussion Dueling Pistol - .38 inch

Count of Monte-Cristo holds a percussion dueling pistol in his lowered hand.

A pair of pistols is seen in the box.

Count of Monte-Cristo trains in shooting. Manservant Ali (uncredited) is ready to give his master the second pistol.

When Monte-Cristo fires, the hammer moves and there is a faint smoke on the lock.

Monte-Cristo takes the second pistol.

Luigi Vampa (uncredited), the chieftan of the Roman gang, carries a pistol tucked into his belt. It has nearly vertical grip that is common for dueling and target pistols. The lock is barely seen.

Another view of Vampa's pistol. The shape of the grip is seen better here.

Muskets

Flintlock Musket

When Edmond Dantès (Jacques Weber) embarks on the Island of Monte Cristo in 1829, he is armed with a Flintlock Musket.

Dantès holds a musket when he embarks on the Island of Monte Cristo. The shape of the buttstock of this musket is more common for hunting guns than for military ones.

Dantès' musket leans against a stone. The lock can be seen, but not very clear.

Dantès holds the musket when he finds the cave. The frizzen can be seen.

The musket is seen from another side.

Dantès uses the buttstock of his musket to seach for the buried treasure chest.

Percussion Cap Musket

Anachronistic percussion cap muskets are seen in several scenes. There are definitly several models that differ in stocks and muzzle caps, but the exact models hardly can be identified.

Soldiers carry muskets during the arrest of Edmond Dantès in 1815.

The barrel of a musket is seen at the far right. This musket, notably its muzzle cap, differs from common French patterns, being more similar to British models, like Enfield Pattern 1853.

The lock of the musket at the left can be seen.

Soldiers stand in formation. Muskets at the right, at least three of them that are seen better, have French Charleville style muzzle caps.

Baron Franz d'Epinay (Carlos de Carvalho) holds a percussion cap musket, probably a hunting gun, when he embarks on the Island of Monte Cristo in 1838 and is invited to be a guest of the Count of Monte Cristo.

d'Epinay hands the musket to the captain of his yacht.

When Albert de Morcerf is kidnapped in Rome by the Luigi Vampa's gang, a musket is seen in hands of a brigand. The lock is seen unclear but tends to be a percussion cap.

Kabyle Musket

A Kabyle Musket is seen on the wall in Count de Morcerf's house.

Kabyle musket

The buttstock is seen.

The lock and barrel are seen.