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Romantic drama

The Son of Monte Cristo (1940): Cast & Plot

The Son of Monte Cristo (1940) movie poster

The Son of Monte Cristo is a 1940 romantic drama directed by Rowland V. Lee, starring George Sanders as Gurko Lanen, Joan Bennett and Montagu Love. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes.

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The Son of Monte Cristo (1940) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 42m (102 min)
Director
Rowland V. Lee
Genres
Drama , Romance , Action , Adventure
Original language
English
Studio
Edward Small Productions
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Son of Monte Cristo About?

The premise of The Son of Monte Cristo without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Swords flash in the night as romance rides on danger. The rightful ruler of the kingdom, the Duchess of Zona, is locked in a fierce power struggle against the ruthless General Gurko. Edmond, the son of Monte Cristo, adopts a series of clever disguises to aid the Duchess in her struggle.

The Son of Monte Cristo Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • year 1865
  • dictator
  • balkans
  • reference to napoleon iii
  • masquerade
  • banker
  • rapier
  • swashbuckler
  • swashbuckler adventure
  • sword fight
  • rescued from hanging
  • sequel
+38 more
  • palace guard
  • army lieutenant
  • sword duel
  • rich man
  • army general
  • duplicity
  • wading through sewer
  • blacksmith
  • secret tunnel
  • priest
  • catacombs
  • baron
  • escape from prison
  • horseback chase
  • wild boar hunt
  • personal secretary
  • marquis
  • prologue
  • chamberlain
  • wanted for treason
  • sentenced to hang
  • dungeon prisoner
  • newspaper publisher
  • rich suitor
  • turnkey
  • costume drama
  • tailor
  • the count of monte cristo character
  • treachery
  • archbishop
  • unwanted sexual advances
  • count
  • horse drawn carriage
  • 1860s
  • disguise
  • nobility
  • informer
  • meet cute
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Cast & crew

The Son of Monte Cristo Cast & Characters

George Sanders leads the cast as Gurko Lanen, with Joan Bennett as Grand Duchess Zona of Lichtenburg and Montagu Love as Prime Minister Baron Von Neuhoff. Directed by Rowland V. Lee; 40 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Son of Monte Cristo

· 36 more
Show all 40 cast members
From the director

More from Rowland V. Lee

More films directed by Rowland V. Lee: The Son of Frankenstein, Captain Kidd, The Bridge of San Luis Rey and Powder Town.

Full filmography
Plot

The Son of Monte Cristo Plot Summary

What happens in The Son of Monte Cristo from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1865, the proletarian Gurko Lanen becomes the behind-the-scenes dictator of the Grand Duchy of Lichtenburg, a Balkan realm where he suppresses the clergy and the free press and even imprisons the Prime Minister Baron Von Neuhoff. The rightful ruler of the Grand Duchy, Grand Duchess Zona, clings to the hope of aid from Napoleon III of France and makes a daring escape, pursued by Gurko’s Hussars. During a hunting trip, the visiting Count of Monte Cristo rescues her, and the Count escorts the Grand Duchess Zona to a neutral country. Yet Gurko’s Hussars ignore international neutrality and press on, returning Zona and her lady-in-waiting to Lichtenburg against the odds.

Full summary

The whole story of The Son of Monte Cristo, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

The Son of Monte Cristo Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Son of Monte Cristo.

Son of Monte Cristo Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Son of Monte Cristo?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which character becomes the behind‑the‑scenes dictator of the Grand Duchy of Lichtenburg?
Details

The Son of Monte Cristo Also Known As

9 alternative titles, including “El hijo de Montecristo” and “Monte Cristo fia”.

Also known as
  • El hijo de Montecristo
  • Monte Cristo fia
  • Die Stunde der Vergeltung
  • 基督山之子
  • Сын Монте-Кристо
  • Le fils de Monte-Cristo
  • Greven af Monte Cristos søn
  • El fill de Monte Cristo
  • O Filho do Conde Monte Cristo

Seen The Son of Monte Cristo?
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Movies Like The Son of Monte Cristo

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Sword of Monte Cristo, The Count of Monte Cristo and El conde de Montecristo.

FAQ

The Son of Monte Cristo FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Son of Monte Cristo, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Son of Monte Cristo?

The Son of Monte Cristo runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).

When was The Son of Monte Cristo released?

The Son of Monte Cristo was released on December 5, 1940.

Who directed The Son of Monte Cristo?

The Son of Monte Cristo was directed by Rowland V. Lee.

More films by Rowland V. Lee

Who is in the cast of The Son of Monte Cristo?

The Son of Monte Cristo stars George Sanders as Gurko Lanen, Joan Bennett as Grand Duchess Zona of Lichtenburg and Montagu Love as Prime Minister Baron Von Neuhoff, among 40 credited actors.

Does The Son of Monte Cristo have a post-credit scene?

No. The Son of Monte Cristo has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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