So yeah, the school year is here, and one of my first assignments was to write some character essays on the movie of The Count of Monte Cristo. And I figured I could get some decent blog milage (bloggage?) out of them, so here you go. Yes, there are kind of spoilers, but I'm guessing the vast majority of you know the story outline anyway.

The priest is an intriguing character, if for no other reason that so little is known of him. He was a soldier before turning to religion and academics, he says, and appears to be a human incarnation of faith and patience. Confronted with his sin, he claims "I'm a priest, not a saint." But is it true? What defines a saint? Surely his undying resolution and conviction while faced with over a decade of loneliness, degradation, and pain must be considered saintly, along with his dutiful guidance of Edmond to a higher path in an attempt to give Edmond the tools to make something of his life beyond the revenge that has driven all else out. When faced with edmond denying belief in God, the priest merely smiles and says "It does not matter. He believes in you." The sheer level of acceptance shown there is awe-inspiring. He is content to die, having faith in God and in Edmond.

Jacopo's character seemed too buffoonish and clownish, fitting far too closely into the stereotype of the Bumbling Ethnic Sidekick. This detracts from the deeper, more resolute side of his character that we see in the carriage scene, where he reiterates his promise to protect Edmond, even from himself. In a very real sense, he embodies several of Edmond's good aspects (such as loyalty, faith, and reason) that Edmond appears to have lost touch with, as we see from the Count's argument with Mercedes: "If you truly love me, do not rob me of my hate. It is all I have left".

Even faced with a totally neglectful father and wonderful father figure, Albert takes the shattering of his life's illusion way too readily, and is far too accepting. Perhaps by that point Albert had already accepted Edmond's replacement of Ferdnand as a father, given the birthday toast, but when Albert learns the truth, he seems on the verge of mild tears, not what one might expect from a spoiled, paternally abused teenager. During the final climactic duel, Albert attempts to rush into the fray, but is held back by Jacopo. As such, Albert's intentions are left unclear, and only after Ferdnand lies dead do we see any overt sign of grief from Albert, as he falls to his knees and weeps before the man he knew as his father. The grief does not appear to last, however, as in the following scene, which takes place a scant three months after, Albert is seen smiling at and hugging his birth father, appearing not to blame him for Ferdnand's death or turning his world upside-down.