The Count of Monte Cristo

I have just started re-reading 'The Count of Monte Cristo for the first time for more than 30 years, and find, as I read, sharp reminders of the wonderful BBC Sunday Serial from 1964. In fact, Alan Badel's charismatic performance as the Count still remains my foremost image of the character. As I recall, even as a child, performance values were excellent, with fine period detail, dialogue which didn't sound like a novelette, a real ability to tell the story and wonderful performances from some great actors. I found the IMDb site by searching the Internet for a possible copy of the serial, and reiterate with other contributors, that if anyone can trace such a copy, it should be made available to a new audience. In passing, the BBC serialisation of 'The Three Musketeers', from roughly the same time, also had a similar blend of fine acting, period detail and story telling, with Jeremy Brett the ultimate D'Artagnan. Another classic that would be well worth re-issuing.

I agree with all the reviews of this excellent adaptation. I can still hear the trumpet solo in the opening bars of Roberto Grehrd's wonderfully atmospheric and dramatic music.

I will never forget the way Alan Badel (surely the most perfect Dantes)whispered "Mercedes!", and who could forget his entrance when he appeared in silhouette in the doorway on the stroke of nine o'clock - pure drama.

Can anyone who has connections with the BBC please try and find out if some or all episodes could be made available? I believe that another series (that incidentally contained music by Roberto Gerhard) is available on tape - "War in the Air", broadcast in the 50s, so maybe there is hope.

It's without frills. It's black and white. It's on TV. Set mostly on a stage. You know the story by heart. You know what each character must say and do. And yet... I could not tear myself away. The extra time allows for so much more dialog, so much more verbal sparring. So much more innuendo. The acting is superb. I'm sure there are faults. But the series was so skillfully written and acted, that I could not focus on the faults, nor remember any, if there were.

I couldn't agree more with Fudge-4's comments. I watched this BBC Sunday teatime serialisation of The Count of Monte Cristo back in my childhood and was completely enthralled. The casting was perfect and when I later read the book and listened to a BBC radio version I always pictured the actors from the TV version.

I can still recall the striking theme music which opened each eagerly awaited episode. Alan Badel as the count was a commanding presence, even when viewed on the small black and white TV screens of that era, and I also recall the presence of the late Sandor Eles (not mentioned in the cast list above), playing the wonderfully handsome son of the count's principal enemy, Mondego.

Let's hope that this superb dramatisation was not wiped when the BBC culled its videotape archive.

We watched this adaptation on BBC Television when the serial version was shown in 1964. It was our first contact with both Alan Badel and The Count Of Monte Cristo. The impact of both the story and the adaptation was spellbinding. I can still hear Dantes saying "Hi-eee-day". There has never been another adaptation to match it. I have since read the book several times and, irrespective of whoever may have appeared in subsequent versions, my vision of Dantes is always Alan Badel. Why is the BBC serial version not available? The world at large deserves to be able to see this treasure. The fact that it was transmitted in Black and White is no bar to its worldwide acceptability. Even if large parts have been destroyed, whatever remains will be acceptable to the viewing public. Please! Please! Anyone who knows where it is, do come forward. It is one of the media world's great treasures.