5 Bowls of Popcorn (over a game of chess)
Do your worst, for I shall do mine.
– Edmond Dantes, The Count of Monte Cristo
This was my high school mantra. Watching this movie was always oddly empowering for me. I have always known that words inspire and motivate me in ways that little else does, but it wasn’t until years later that I actually appreciated why this movie was so great.
Dantes and his best friend (who is really a douche) Fernand Mondego** meet up with Napolean (yeah, the Napolean) and Dantes, being the trusting* guy that he is, agrees to deliver a letter for Napolean. From there, all hell breaks loose for Dantes. He is accused of being a traitor to the crown and is sent to Chateau d’If (the French Alcatraz). Everything after that is a story of revenge and redemption.
While in Chateau d’If, Dantes abandons all hope, then he meets The Priest (very “let go of everything you fear to lose” right?). The Priest makes him a deal: Help me escape and I’ll give you something priceless. Dantes thinks The Priest means his freedom, but he doesn’t. The Priest intends to educate him, because no one can take your knowledge from you.
The concept that knowledge is power isn’t new, but watching its power play out (first in a book, then…) in a movie, it was enchanting to me.
There is another powerful theme in this movie that didn’t really sink in for me until I was old enough to vote: Long-term second chances.
Let me do some simple math for you… Dantes is approximately 30 years old when he was imprisoned in Chateau d’If. He spent over 13 years in prison. He spends some time sailing with Luigi and his crew. He then spends at least a few years collecting the Treasure of Sparta and establishing himself as the Count of Monte Cristo. It’s not unreasonable to think that he lost two decades of his life. [Please Note: my math is based on the movie, not the book]
Dantes lost 20 years, 20 long years. That seemed like an eternity to me until I suddenly realized that he had an entire life after his imprisonment and revenge. The best part of his life came after Chateau d’If and his quest for vengeance. When I realized this, it gave me an odd sense of hope. So what if I haven’t conquered the world by 30. Maybe my best is yet to come. We live in a world so focused on instant gratification (you can microwave a pop-tart in 3 frickin’ seconds for the love of all that is right and holy!) that we sometimes forget how much time we have. Yes, yes, I know – everyone says life is short or fleeting and it is, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have time. What matters is what we do with that time.
*Dantes is trusting to a fault. His innocence, his willingness to see the best in people, is his undoing.
**Mondego (played by the wonderful Guy Pierce) says a line that always gets me. When he is confronted by Dantes and Dantes asked “Why are doing this?” Mondego responds, “Because you’re the son of a clerk. I’m not supposed to want to be you.”
Josh’s words: “I thought it was cool. I was surprised that I enjoyed it.” (Whatever the hell that was supposed to mean…)
The Movie Marathon 
Leave a comment