Actor Henry Cavill is best known for his blockbuster role as DC’s iconic superhero, Superman, as well as monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia, in the smash-hit Netflix series, The Witcher. But now, it’s time to travel back in time to the early days of Cavill’s film career. Twenty-two years ago, a teenage Cavill made only his second film appearance in the underrated historical adventure film, The Count of Monte Cristo. The 2002 feature is based on the classic novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. A young Cavill appears in the pivotal role of the young Albert Mondego, the son of Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce). Throughout the film, Edmond Dantes (Jim Caviezel) seeks revenge upon Fernand, not realizing his deep connection to Albert. How does this movie stack up against the rest of Cavill’s filmography?
What Is ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ About?
In The Count of Monte Cristo, the upstanding merchant sailor, Edmond Dantes, is betrayed by his longtime friend, Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce), a wealthy son of a nobleman. Pearce envies Dantes’ life and covets his fiancée, Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk). Dantes receives a promotion after risking his life in an attempt to gain medical treatment for their ailing captain on the island of Elba, where Napoleon Bonaparte (Alex Norton) is living in exile. Mondego conspires with one of Dantes’ resentful shipmates, Philippe Danglars (Albie Woodington), to inform about Dantes to Monsieur Villefort (James Frain), the city’s chief magistrate. Villefort imprisons Dantes for life at the Château d’If, as he’s the only one who knows about a letter Napoleon wanted to send to Villefort’s father, Clarion (Freddie Jones).
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During his imprisonment, Dantes meets Abbé Faria (Richard Harris), a priest who was also imprisoned at the Château d’If for refusing to reveal the lost treasure of the Spada family. During their time together, Faria tutors Dantes on his vast knowledge and also the ways of the sword and shares the location of the lost treasure of Spada. After Faria dies while attempting to dig their way out of the prison, Dantes uses the opportunity to escape, finding his freedom and locating the lost treasure of Spada, using his newfound wealth to assume his new identity, the Count of Monte Cristo, to exact his revenge against those who wronged him. Cavill is introduced in the second half of The Count of Monte Cristo as the son of Fernand Mondego and Mercedes.
‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ Movie Significantly Alters Edmond and Albert’s Relationship
Later, Dantes learns about Albert while collecting information on his targets. He opts to utilize Albert in his plot and concocts a fake kidnapping scheme with Albert while he’s on a trip to Carnival in Rome. Dantes uses the ruse to get closer to the Mondego family to take his revenge. However, Mercedes later reveals that Albert is, in fact, Dantes’ biological son. Since Mercedes believed her lover had been executed, she quickly married Fernand Mondego early in her pregnancy with Albert, making Fernand and others believe that Fernand was Albert’s true father. This backstory element is a major deviation from Dumas’ original novel, in which Albert is not Dantes’ biological son. In the film, Albert still highly reveres and respects his father and does not realize the depths of Fernand’s immoral actions. During the film’s climax, when Dantes confronts Fernand, Albert intervenes on his presumed father’s behalf. Then, Mercedes appears and reveals the truth to Albert about Fernand and Dantes and that Dantes is Albert’s true father. Dantes then defeats Fernand in a duel, renounces his quest for revenge, reunites with Mercedes, and becomes a father to Albert.
The film significantly alters events from the original book, where Albert is still the son of Fernand Mondego and was never revealed to be the biological son of Dantes and Mercedes. In the novel, Dantes confronts Mondego, driving his bitter enemy to die by suicide. Later, Albert blames Dantes for his father’s downfall and seeks to fight the count in a duel. To avoid any further bloodshed, Mercedes reveals the truth about Fernand’s treachery to her son, putting a stop to the duel. Albert publicly apologizes to the Count for his father’s treachery and renounces his father’s titles and wealth. The book ends differently from the film’s happy ending, with Dantes being given a second chance at a family with Mercedes and Albert. Albert enlists to become a soldier in the military, moving into Dantes’ old home in Marseilles with his mother. Dantes never reunites with Mercedes and Albert in the book. Instead, Dantes sails eastward to start a new life with his lover, Haydee.
Henry Cavill Fits the Role of Albert Perfectly
Cavill asserts himself exceptionally well in the role of Albert. While Albert does not appear until much later in the film, he proves to be a crucial character in the narrative. Albert plays an unwitting pawn in Dantes’ plot of revenge against his enemies before he eventually learns the truth about his birth from his mother. He proves to be a benevolent character and is blind to the evil nature of his father, Fernand Mondego. After learning the truth about Fernand’s treachery, Albert displays loyalty to his mother and biological father, Dantes. Cavill, impressively, exhibits charisma and presence beyond his years. As Albert, he shows courage and grace under pressure, qualities he would later bring to some more notable roles, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible – Fallout.
Cavill’s role in The Count of Monte Cristo showcased his leading man potential for the aforementioned blockbuster film roles that he would land later in his career. He also displayed great poise and adeptness at performing in historical period pieces, which would come in handy for his other roles in shows such as Tristan + Isolde, The Tudors, and the iconic Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes. Cavill delivered an impressive performance as a budding young actor in his second movie role and the first major studio performance of his career.
The Count of Monte Cristo is available to rent on Prime Video in the U.S.
