The Count of Monte Cristo (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

Excuse me.
There's a man named Louis Dantes.
Does he still live here?
He died many years ago.
- When did he die?
- Five, six years ago.
- Do you know where he's buried?
- St. Augustine's.
Thank you.
Excuse me, sir. Can you help me?
See?
"Louis Dantes.
Died of grief, 1825".
And there next to him
is his son, Edmond Dantes.
He died 10 years before the father.
Shame, isn't it?
Good day to you, sir.
You live here?
I do, yes.
A woman once lived here, who mended nets.
Do you know where she is now?
- Her name is Mercedes.
- She's long gone.
- Gone where?
- She married and moved to Paris.
Hey! Stop! Halt!
Free me!
Free me, my friend!
Go that way.
Get away from me!
Hey, you, go that way!
Are you mad?
Go now, while it's clear!
- Why are you running from them?
- You'd be better off without me.
Go, while you have a chance.
I knew I should stick with you.
- Where are you from?
- Talamone.
- What's an Italian doing in Marseille?
- Smuggling.
- Smuggling what?
- Wine, brandy.
They catch us on the beach
with the crates of the stuff.
Now I don't know what to do
about the boat and the mute.
I know shit about sailing.
- What mute?
- My nephew.
We left him guarding the boat.
- Where is this boat?
- Anchored in a cove, down the coast.
Ettore!
Ettore, it's me!
Don't shoot, you idiot!
Put the musket down!
It's me.
We were arrested, all of us.
I escaped with the help of my friend here.
He will sail us home.
Jacopo tells me you know
how to work the sails.
You can trust him.
He saved my life.
What's he saying?
He said you look more
like a farmer than a sailor.
We'll see about that.
What are you?
Who are you?
I'm Sinbad the Sailor.
The previous helmsman,
did he have maps, charts, a compass?
They are below.
Bring them to me.
I don't see the land.
The wind's changed direction.
Where are we?
About 10 leagues
from the island of Monte Cristo.
Monte Cristo is far from Talamone.
Why not go straight?
- There's weather coming in.
- Weather?
We'll put in at the island,
let it flow over,
and then we'll head across to Talamone.
Are you crazy? The weather?
What weather? The sky is blue.
You want to take over sailing the boat?
Go ahead, take over.
- You've put in here before?
- A few times.
There's a landmark on the island
called Rabbit Rock.
- Do you know it?
- Never heard of it.
Collect some wood for a fire.
I'm gonna go find us a goat for dinner.
- I'll come with you.
- No, you stay here with the mute.
Watch the boat.
We don't want smugglers
commandeering it.
28, 29, 30, 31
Rabbit, rabbit
Where is it, Abbe?
Where is it?
Tell me!
60 steps
26, 27,28, 29, 30
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36
What are you doing, man?
You need a compass
to catch a goat?
I was just orientating myself.
The weather is good.
We sail.
Come.
Ettore!
We're living.
He didn't get any goat.
- You go.
- We want to go home, now!
Get in the boat, please.
Get in the boat!
What is it?
What do you see?
Sinbad!
What are you looking at?
When we get to Talamone,
what happens to this boat?
We'll deliver it to my uncle.
It belongs to him.
You like the food?
The fish is very good.
Tomorrow we go catch more.
You have a boat?
A small one. That one.
Red sail boat.
My sister Arianna, she has made
a bed for you in the house.
It's very kind of you, but I think
I'll sleep outside, if you don't mind.
You don't like my sister?
I like looking at the stars.
You're a funny man, Sinbad.
Funny man.
Antonio, play for us.
It's a map
of the island of Monte Cristo,
where a great treasure hoard
is hidden.
I believe it's still there.
What? What is it?
Sinbad!
God bless you, Abbe Faria.
Bless me, Father,
for I have sinned.
When was your last confession?
Fifteen years.
You must have committed
many sins in that time.
Do you wish to confess them?
I fear I have forsaken God.
And have you?
I wish to avenge myself
for a grave injury that befell me.
What was done to you, my son?
I was robbed
of 15 years of my life.
The only woman I ever loved
was taken from me in that time.
And now, I want revenge.
My son, you need to forgive
whoever did this to you.
If you do not,
you will enter the gates of hell
where you will be
consumed by perpetual fire.
Do you wish to be absolved
of your sins, my son?
I want justice.
That is all I want.
God grants justice, not man.
And what
if He doesn't grant it to me?
- Then providence will provide it.
- And if it doesn't, who will?
God cannot grant me
justice nor providence.
And surely I must achieve it
by my own means.
No.
Promise me in God's name
and the name of His son
that you'll never do these things
that you're contemplating.
You must forgive my son,
for without forgiveness
you'll never find love again.
Jacopo!
This arrived for you
at the post office yesterday.
You sure it's for me?
Has your name on it.
You know, I can't read.
"Dear Jacopo, I've bought two big
fishing boats for your family,"
"and I've authorized a notary to buy
three houses for you and your brothers."
"But you, in exchange,
have to come to Marseille."
"Book into the Hotel Le Pinson
outside the city."
"I'll see you there at noon
on the last day of the month."
"Come dressed as a gentleman.
Sinbad."
- What else is in there?
- Just paper.
Thank you.
Cocles, is that you?
To whom do I have the pleasure?
Mr. Lavitt.
I did some business with Morrel & Son
many years ago.
I read in a newspaper
that Morrel & Son is up for sale.
Do you know the reason for this?
Things aren't going well
for Mr. Morrel, are they?
- You could say that.
- His warehouse is almost empty.
To what extent is he in debt?
I don't think I'm at liberty
to divulge that, sir.
Does Mr. Morrel still have
the Pharaon?
No, it's sunk,
along with his other two ships.
And the crew?
Did they go down with the ship?
Fortunately, they were saved.
I wish I could say the same
for the crews of the other two ships.
- Sinbad!
- Jacopo.
Good to see you back in Marseille.
- I'm so glad you came.
- How could I not?
Sit.
Tea for me, please.
Fishing boats, the houses
How can I thank you enough?
The pleasure is mine.
But I have to ask,
how did you do it?
- I went through a notary.
- No. You're funny, man.
No, I mean, how did you
come into so much money?
Oh, that?
No, no, no.
I received an inheritance,
a very handsome one.
Jacopo, I need your help.
- For you, I'd do anything, my friend.
- I want you to work for me.
Some of the things I will require of you
could place your life in danger.
- Are you planning a robbery?
- Not exactly.
What I'm going to tell you now
must remain between us and us alone
for the remainder of your life.
Is that clear?
Very clear.
What if I told you there is a graveyard
not far from here with a headstone,
and on that headstone is written
my name in the year of my death, 1815?
That is strange, very strange.
What?
The name is on the headstone?
Edmond Dantes.
I was born here in Marseille.
And for the last 15 years, I've been
in prison for a crime I didn't commit.
I need your help,
because I intend on finding out why.
And when I do, I'm going to punish
those people responsible.
Well?
Villefort doesn't work here anymore.
He's a prosecutor in Paris now.
The higher they rise,
the further they fall.
What about the archives?
- I can break in there easy.
- We'll do it tomorrow.
There is a problem, sir.
A big problem.
What?
I can't read or write.
But I can get you in and
you can find the file.
At the risk of sounding ruthless,
if I were caught breaking into this building,
my life would be over.
I'm sorry, sir.
Maybe there's another way.
COURTHOUSE
- Mr. Garnier?
- Yes?
You're in charge
of the archives here, I believe.
What can I do for you?
My name is Mr. Dupont.
I am deputy editor
of the Journal de Paris.
We're doing an article
on political prisoners, circa 1820,
and we came across this intriguing
story of a prisoner
who was detained
without trial at the Castle d'If.
- A man by the name Edmond Dantes.
- I know of him.
I wonder if you would be so kind
as to let me have a look
at his prison records,
charge sheets, whatever documents
you have pertaining his internment.
I can't do that.
Prisoner files are classified.
Then Mr. Villefort was wrong.
Did you say Villefort?
Yes, he told me you would go
out of your way to help me,
but it seems he was mistaken.
I'm sorry about wasting your time.
And mine.
I came all the way
from Paris for nothing.
Wait.
Ah, I'm sure we can
How is Mr. Villefort these days?
Busy, as you can imagine.
He's Chief Prosecutor of Paris,
after all.
I know.
He's done very well for himself.
I knew him from when
he was a young man.
Come, Mr. Dupont. Let us go through
and find this file on Dantes.
D Da Dan
Yes.
When I first started working here,
a shipping company owner kept coming
and pestering me to look at the same
file you have in your hand.
- I never let him, of course.
- What was his name?
Morrel.
A Bonapartist, by all accounts.
He seemed convinced that Dantes
was an innocent man.
- Please, take a seat.
- Thank you.
- Some tea? Coffee?
- No, thanks.
I'll I'll bring this back
as soon as I'm done.
And when I return to Paris, I'll put in
a good word for you with Mr. Villefort.
Thank you, Mr. Dupont.
It is much appreciated.
"The Honorable King's Attorney"
"is hereby informed that Edmond Dantes
of the ship The Pharaon,"
"arrived this morning from the east,
having touched off at the island of Elba,"
"where he was entrusted with a letter
from the usurper Napoleon,"
"with instructions to deliver it
to the Bonapartist committee in Paris."
"As proof, look for the letter
either on his person or in his home."
Caderousse
- You've been very helpful, Mr. Garnier.
- My pleasure, Mr. Dupont.
Good day to you.
Tavern Caderousse.
You have the pistols?
Yeah, I have one of them.
Keep it handy.
You sure this is wise, Edmond?
Never call me Edmond again.
From now on, I'm the Count of Monte Cristo,
do you understand?
I understand.
Can I help you, gentlemen?
- Where's Caderousse?
- Caderousse?
He's no longer here. He sold
this place to me four years ago.
Where can I find him?
I believe he bought a small inn
on the road to Pont du Gard.
You take the back door.
Anybody here?
Yes, I'll be down in a moment.
How can I be of service, monsieur?
I have something for you.
I want you to look at me
and tell me if you recognize me.
I am Edmond Dantes.
I beg you, please don't kill me.
Sit there.
Did you write this letter?
I swear by almighty God, I did not.
Do you know who did?
Yes.
Who?
- If I tell you, he'll kill me.
- If you don't tell me, I'll kill you.
Or my friend here will.
- Let's just kill him, no worries.
- No, wait.
Who?
There were two of them.
- Thought you were dead, Edmond.
- I want their names, Caderousse.
Danglars
and Fernand, the Catalan.
I was very angry with them,
Edmond.
I told them you were
a fine young man, that it was all lies.
You're accusing him
of being a Bonapartist!
So, you saw them write it
and did nothing to stop them.
You did nothing to stop an innocent man
being arrested on a falsehood.
A young man
who almost withered to death
in the dungeons of the Castle d'If
for 15 long years!
My God
- And now you're gonna pay for it.
- No, wait. But
What would you do
if you were in my shoes?
I would gouge out his eyes.
Then to stop him screaming,
cut out his tongue.
God, what is wrong with you?
Edmond, listen to me.
You know your father passed away.
What of it?
I looked after him
to the day he died.
You see, I'm not lying.
He used the money in it
to live off.
When it ran out, I would help him,
bringing food. Me and Mr. Morrel.
He never got over the loss of you.
- Danglars and Fernand?
- Yes.
Danglars, I can understand.
Fernand?
It doesn't make any sense.
- You don't know, do you?
- Know what?
Fernand married Mercedes.
I'm sorry, Edmond.
What do you think, Jacopo?
Do you think this man
can redeem himself?
- There, I draw a line.
- No, but I can.
I can redeem myself. I will.
Do you truly want
to redeem yourself, Caderousse,
or is this just fear speaking?
You do not know how long I have lived
under the shadow of this guilt.
I will do anything you ask.
Sit.
Where are Fernand
and Danglars now?
They live in Paris.
Danglars is a banker,
a very successful one.
And Fernand, would you believe it,
is a politician.
They're both very powerful men.
Fernand even has a title now.
He's known
as the Count de Morcerf.
Caderousse, how would you like to enter
the service of the Count of Monte Cristo?
All right.
Who's the Count of Monte Cristo?
I am.
I'm a wealthy man now.
Don't ask how or why.
And I need someone
to be my eyes and ears in Paris.
- Doing what?
- Jacopo, get my purse from my saddlebag.
I'll put you up in an apartment
and pay you a monthly salary.
In return, you will investigate Fernand,
Danglars, and a man named Villefort,
the prosecutor who convicted
me without a trial.
- How am I going to do this?
- By whatever means possible.
Start off with libraries,
newspaper archives.
Track each man's history.
Find out about their children,
their servants, homes,
friends, wives, lovers.
I want to know everything,
especially their weaknesses.
And I want the details
of all Villefort's victims.
You'll do all this in secret.
As far as you're concerned,
Edmond Dantes is dead.
This should get you started.
5,000 francs.
Do you mind
Do you mind if I get myself
a glass of wine?
I will also have some.
Jacopo here will drop in on you
from time to time to check on your progress.
One more thing.
You must find a way
of accessing their bank records.
Bank records are very revealing.
You wish to bring
these three men down?
Without them knowing.
That is very important to me.
The headstone on my father's grave,
is that your doing?
No, Mercedes arranged that.
And the one next to it?
The one that said I died in 1815?
Mercedes also.
How long did she wait for me?
She was told you were dead,
Edmond.
By whom?
The prosecutor, Villefort,
told Mr. Morrel that
that you'd taken your own life.
That makes this all
the more humiliating.
A friend of mine broke into your house
and stole some items.
Now, he wishes
to compensate you for your loss.
- This is far too much.
- Yes, I know. You're welcome.
- Mlle. Morrel?
- Yes?
Please, give this to your father.
Max, you won't believe
what just happened.
A man who I've never seen before
gave me a purse to give to Papa.
So what's in it?
Oh, I wouldn't know.
It's not for me to look into it.
- Is he here yet?
- Yeah, he's upstairs in his office.
Papa?
What are you doing with that?
I was just about
to put it somewhere safe.
Are you alright?
I didn't sleep well last night,
Julie.
This is for you.
From who?
Some stranger gave it to me
on the wharf.
Asked me to give it to you.
What is it?
It's
It's receipts from my creditors
stating that all my debts
are paid in full.
How?
"Dear Mr. Morrel,"
"I hope this helps you overcome
the difficulties you are presently facing."
"Please use the diamond
to replace the lost Pharaon."
What diamond?
I recognize this purse.
I gave it to Edmond Dantes
as an engagement gift.
But it cannot be the same purse.
Papa, we are saved!
We are saved!
I don't understand why
we don't just go to Paris
and kill these Villefort,
Danglars and Fernand.
It would be too easy for them.
No, Jacopo
The vengeance I will deliver
will equal the crime.