I watched the Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) twice in a row in two nights, first time in Italian and second time in English. This film by Kevin Reynolds struck a chord in me: let me call it “finding blessing in the pain.”This is actually the “theme song” I’ve been singing these days while listening to the lot of different persons, especially the sisters I live with. Each one has a story to share, whether it be of injustice suffered, suffering endured, endurance tested and eventually rewarded.
Two lines I love in the film, or perhaps three: (i) the writing on the wall – “God will give me justice!” (ii) the dialogue between the priest-teacher and Edmond Dantès: the latter – “I don’t believe in God,” and the former, “It doesn’t matter; God believes in you!” (iii) the dialogue between Edmond Dantès and Mercedes: the former – “I can’t escape God,” and the latter, “No, you can’t, God is everywhere… even in a kiss.” And so the reconciliation begins and the “blessing” is slowly revealed, or maybe I should say “blessings…”
Another thing I found so striking in this film is the cinematography and especially the “imitations” of the suffering and agonizing Christ in the person of the protagonist, Edmond Dantès. There is one specific shot, the one after the flagellation of Dantès in the prison cell in Chateau d’If, where I was reminded of the statue of the agonizing Christ in the Basilica of San Marco in Florence, Italy. Very impressive indeed! Actually, I didn’t realize that the actor in the film, Jim Caviezel, is actually the same person chosen by Mel Gibson in the Passion of the Christ (2004). To conclude, I guess what I’m trying to say is that perhaps the actor was not simply acting in this film, he was also expressing his faith conviction!
