#Gérard de Villefort

[chateau-dilf]

[ninadove]

A word on Benedetto’s father figures

Because I’ve been thinking about it all week. Have some parallels and contrasts, my friends:

Villefort:

Starts off Benedetto’s story extremely strongly by literally burying him alive within minutes of his birth. No one has ever failed their son harder.

Might have been onto something when he said crime spread around him and from him like a disease. Seriously, look at this family! It’s so dysfunctional in so many ways!!! If you’re a nature-over-nurture person, it’s not that far-fetched to suppose Benedetto got the Criminal Gene™ from him.

Literally changed his name to hide his compromising origins (as much as humanly possible in the spheres he frequents).

Burnt Edmond’s denunciation letter. Guess who else likes to burn things?

Is brought down by the literal unearthing of his biggest secret, which in turn concludes Benedetto’s arc.

Bertuccio:

Is, literally, the one who gave Benedetto life, and the emissary of Providence™ who shows up to bestow blessings upon him at semi-regular intervals.

Unfortunately, those gifts are always cursed. Surprise salvation from the grave in the garden? Only happens because Bertuccio tried to murder the kid’s father first, and results in what is functionally a kidnapping. Surprise adoption? Results in Benedetto being raised by a literal criminal, who is #shocked when his protege starts hanging out with ill-intentioned older boys and disciplines him with what we can reasonably assume from the unreliable narration is the good old belt. Surprise life-changing information about his origins that Bertuccio held onto all these years? Only revealed to cement Benedetto’s status as Monte-Cristo’s puppet.

Crumbled the second Benedetto questioned his ascendance, therefore drawing a clear link between authority and paternity and reinforcing the kid’s desire to defy both.

“Major Cavalcanti”:

Is just Some Guy™.

And yet, they have so much in common: both are impostors trapped in Monte-Cristo’s web, both are passionate about scamming rich people. There’s a quasi-instantaneous recognition between the two and, because they share the same goal, they develop a strangely wholesome understanding…? It’s forced coexistence as much as it is respect, but it’s not deprived of a weird sort of warmth, and Monte-Cristo himself comments on how much it looks like actual familial love. The contrast with Caderousse could not be harsher.

In virtue of his fake wealth and fake fatherhood, the Major becomes the Ultimate Authority™ ‘Andrea’ name-drops every time he wants to advance in society.

Caderousse:

Outwardly, he adopts all the attributes of a good father. He taught Benedetto most of his tricks! He feeds him! He talks of all the hardships they’ve been through together, like a family would!

But, of course, what he’s really doing is blackmailing Benedetto. Caderousse wants money, and it’s taken him a while to actually get his hands dirty, but he’s finally graduating to murder! And his silly young friend should help him if he doesn’t want his blood spilled on Place de Grève.

Anyway Benedetto stabs that guy real bad. I thought it was hilarious of him.

Danglars:

As Andrea’s future father-in-law, Danglars is his ticket towards the life of luxury without effort he has always wanted.

Of course, Danglars is using Andrea for the same reason Caderousse uses Benedetto: for money. Both of them lie about what they own, ergo about who they are, to get their hands on what they think the other has. This is especially interesting when put in perspective with the brutal honesty Danglars employs when talking to Eugénie, who he treats like a son and almost business partner rather than like a daughter (Transmasc Eugénie Truthers, rise up!).

… But of course, he still wants people to think of he and Andrea as family to strengthen his own nobility: if his son (in-law) is a prince, a title Danglars repeats ad nauseam, doesn’t that make him a king?

All things considered, despite losing their freedom (temporarily in Danglars’ case), money and status, both of them get a relatively happy ending compared to most of the cast.

Monte-Cristo:

BUCKLE UP THIS IS THE MOST INTERESTING.

Twice Benedetto raises the possibility of Monte-Cristo being his biological father, a perfectly logical conclusion in light of what he has done for him; in turn, Monte-Cristo recognises Benedetto as one of God’s punishers, a title he otherwise only attributes to himself.

Both of them went through a symbolic rebirth after being buried alive.

Both of them were wrongly accused of being evil incarnate, but eventually graduated to Full-On Criminals. Talk about self-fulfilling prophecies.

Escape Artists™

Both had to completely reinvent themselves, down to their names and origins, to achieve their ambitions.

Ruined engagement ceremony!!! This also draws parallels to Villefort and, interestingly, to Valentine and Franz.

THIS:

🇫🇷 « Ce calme, cette parfaite aisance firent comprendre à Andrea qu’il était pour le moment étreint par une main plus musculeuse que la sienne, et que l’étreinte n’en pouvait être facilement brisée. »

🇬🇧 « This calm, this perfect poise told Andrea that he was presently held by a hand far stronger than his, whose grip could not be escaped easily. »

Both Edmond and Benedetto know they are prisoners of people more powerful than they are, of the narrative, of a superior power that wields them like knives; both Monte-Cristo and Andrea accept their role as knives in the hope of eventually slicing through their ties. Whether or not they succeeded in the end is up to the reader’s interpretation.

[vonlipvig]

he's got a list of names and theirs are in red underlined ❌❌❌

it's about time i sat down to doodle my versions of the characters from the count of monte cristo, so here's dantès and the three beloatheds lmao.

[fangemorose]

gérard de villefort has daddy issues and on top of that he's a workaholic. i mean, how could I not love him?

[bokettochild]

Opera House AU: Count of Monte Cristo

Lullaby, after finding out that Time's music skills allow for more than soothing their Opera Baby, decides to hunt for a musical in which she can cast their stunt coordinator so that he has to show off his talents.

She finally finds it, after the opera house has grown some and the youngsters are old enough to be of more help:

The Count of Monte Cristo

Time is dubious, sure, but once she convinces him (with some bribery and the promise that he'll be working with Malon some on this thing) he eventually agrees.

Hell to Your Doorstep has never sounded so amazing, and Time belts it out with all the rage and fury to make Dei himself impressed. Sure, Lullaby didn't get him on stage with his guitar, but he's singing like he used to, and if the Indi-Go's volunteered to feature (free of charge!) so they could back that song? Well, that will certainly draw the crowds in!

Dusk as Mercedes has some side effects (her tears are more real than the most of the others know) but she's too perfect in the role.

As for the rest of the cast, well! Twilight made a fine Fernand, although the military uniform Styla had on hand had to be altered considerably to fit him. It was a bit awkward pretending to be Dusk's husband, but with Legend as Albert they were able to have a good laugh about it (can they stop being cast as a family? this is getting weird, Lullaby, seriously.)

Hyrule made his first on stage appearance as Franz D'epiney, close to Legend's side through most of his appearances, just in case.

Fable as Valentine and Wild as Maximilien was a heart-winning couple (and adorable as all get out)

Warriors got to try his hand at the villain role for once, as Gérard de Villefort, joined by Sky's Caderousse and Twilight's Fernand Mondego. Playing a corrupted lawyer was an interesting experience, but the boys had fun with A Story Told and their various scenes challenging Time's character really were fantastic and full of fire.

Even Dei stepped in to join them, as he so very rarely does. Monsieur Morrel as a result was far...bigger than most audiences were expecting, but his and Time's scenes were surprisingly wholesome.

Wind had a lot of fun being "poisoned" in the ending act, and he very nearly ended up giggling when Warriors' character had to walk in to find his beloved child killed by his wife (Sun). He did an excellent job though, even if he's technically a bit older than the kid in question was supposed to be.

Four even made an appearance as Benedetto, and his charm and rizz sold the character perfectly.

-

There were some difficult scenes of course. The Scarlet Room was one of the worst, and was the main reason why Lullaby didn't ask Dusk to double as Mrs. Caderousse. Asking her to play the woman who had a child out of wedlock and then lost him to her lover was a bit...on the nose (Twilight went out of his way to keep her from getting the role). (Arty played the bitter noblewoman instead and killed it.)

The only scene worse was Haydee's declaration of love for her master, and while Time and Dawn soldiered on, it was.... a lot of work. In contrast, Lullaby stepping up as Vampa was thrilling for all of them. Legend definitely recognized her playing up her Sheik persona, and Time and she had fantastic chemistry in their brief scenes together. None of the audience even guessed she was actually a woman and she loved every second of it.

-

Styla had the time of her life with the costumes and Legend and Wind were equally elated to get to create all the various sets. Wind in particular basically designed the whole ship set himself, with only a bit of advice and guidance from the vet. The whole of the backstage department had the time of their life and the show turned out fabulous.

Fable comments when they're done that she wishes her father could have seen it. He loved this story so much, and the songs Dusk sang... he used to rave about those ones all the time. He would have adored hearing them done such justice...

[smalltownfae]

The Count of Monte Cristo opinions so far. I read this book too many years ago and it was the abridged version. Now I am reading the 1000+ one and it's a joy so far. Still very engaging. I forgot a lot though.

Edmond Dantès: poor little meow meow that didn't care for politics and got involved in it anyway. So innocent, so pure. I can't wait for him to go apeshit. I can't believe he was only 19 at the start of the book.

Gérard de Villefort: damn, he is a little bit complex, isn't he? He was ready to free Dantès until he reads the letter that incriminates his father and that would look BAD on him. He is selfish and oportunistic, but also cares a bit about his father. He lies to poor Dantes and decides his fate. His father is iconic tbh the way he just changes his appearance so quickly in order to not be recognized and insults the king and his people? Iconic.

Caderousse: I can't help, but like him. He just wants to get drunk and have a good time (and get rich). He genuinely didn't want Dantès to be arrested, but he is too much of a coward to tell people what he knows. Fuck you, Danglars.

Danglars: the least interesting "villain". Just wanted to get a promotion and have Dantès' job. Could manipulate Fernand, but even a monkey could do it so that is not impressive.

Fernand: no thoughts, but Mercedès. A really really dumb man. I don't like him. I can't stand this kind of stupidity. You did all that and for what? Loser behaviour.

Mercedès: Not many thoughts about her, but I teared up when her room is the only light Dantès sees before getting on the boat for the prison, which means she is the only person still awake. Still hoping, still in pain. The tragedy of it.

[korrolrezni]

Gérard de Villefort, you fungal bitch!

[pedanther]

The Calendar of Monte Cristo: Chapter 67

February 1815: Gérard de Villefort and Renée de Saint-Méran celebrate their betrothal.

20 September 1817: Birth of the son of Hermine de Nargonne and Gérard de Villefort in the house at Auteuil. The child is thought to be dead, and de Villefort buries it in the garden. Bertuccio stabs de Villefort and takes the child, thinking the box contains treasure; finding a living child, he leaves it at a foundling hospital. De Villefort passes off his injury as a duelling wound and spends three months at death’s door.

c.December 1817: De Villefort household returns to Marseille for six months to continue de Villefort’s convalescence.

c.April 1818: Assunta claims the child from the foundling hospital.

November 1818: De Villefort returns to Paris. He learns that M. de Nargonne has died and Hermine has married Danglars. He returns to the house at Auteuil and discovers that the child is no longer buried in the garden. He investigates and learns about the foundling hospital, but is unable to trace the woman who claimed the child.

1838, Sunday: Madame Danglars visits M. de Villefort and they discuss the past. He tells her for the first time what happened to the child. De Villefort vows to find the truth about the Count. [R]

The dates that de Villefort gives for That Night at Auteuil and for Benedetto being claimed from the foundling hospital line up with the dates Bertuccio gave, which is more than I was expecting at this point. His account of his own activities in the same time has some gaps: he mentions three months of convalescence in Versailles, a journey to Marseille that would have taken a few weeks, and a further six months of convalescence in Marseille, which adds up to somewhere around July, but when he returns to Paris it’s already November.

I’m also puzzled by his statement that when he returned to Paris he learned that M. de Nargonne had died and Madame de Nargonne had married Danglars, because we’ve had several indications that the former event had already happened and several indications that the latter event didn’t happen until some time later. I wouldn't have expected that Danglars had the social cachet to marry a Madame de Nargonne until after he made his reputation in Spain, which at this point was still several years in the future: Caderousse explicitly mentioned 1823. (Which is a pity, really, because if the Spanish Expedition had happened five years earlier in the world of the novel than it did in reality, that would explain more than one thing that’s puzzled me about the novel’s timeline.)

De Villefort mentions that his wife accompanied him on his convalescence, but not which wife it was. The balance of probability is that it’s Renée, his first wife, since he doesn’t mention any children and if my maths is right this should be before their daughter Valentine was born. Either way, since he presumably didn’t get engaged and married after being stabbed and nearly killed, that means he was carrying on with Madame de Nargonne behind his wife’s back.

De Villefort says to Madame Danglars that much has changed since “we all sat at a table” at his betrothal feast in Marseille, a choice of words which implies that she was also there. But she isn’t mentioned in that chapter… or is she? I’ve seen it suggested that she’s Renée’s friend, the “pretty young thing” who asks young de Villefort for a chance to witness an exciting trial, a possibility interesting enough that I’m going to give it its own post. If true, this throws a very different light on the question of where and when and how these two first met.

[rainsofcamelot]

BIRD SONG BY FLORENCE + THE MACHINE BUT IT'S GÉRARD DE VILLEFORT

[faiseuse-d-histoires]

Ce sont deux adaptations différentes, prévues pour des générations différentes et des enjeux différents. Si tu regardes les séries et films du moment, très peu d'entre eux vont aborder la vengeance comme jouissive, ni présenter ceux qui la pratiquent comme des héros, bien au contraire.

L'adaptation avec Gérard Depardieu est plus légère, comme un jeu qui finit mal. Cela se retrouve dans les dialogues, dans ces petites moqueries des manières aristocratiques, cette façon de penser que tout peut s'acheter, et ce plaisir assumé de faire justice par soi-même... jusqu'à ce que le vengeur se rende compte que cela a des répercussions sur les personnes qu'il veut protéger.

L'adaptation de Pierre Niney n'a pas cette légèreté, ces moments où Edmond se joue allègrement du monde qui l'entoure. Tout est froidement calculé, et Edmond apparait un homme brisé, se retenant à un seul fil, sa vengeance, quand l'Edmond de la premiere adaptation demeure une force de la nature et garde une appreciation des bonnes choses. Il n'y a pas de moments où l'on rit du comique de situation, qui se retrouve avec Gérard Depardieu. Il y a surtout une volonté de montrer que la vengeance est une folie qui peut perdre le héros s'il ne s'en détourne pas, avec des personnes qui sont là pour l'avertir de cela. Tout est orienté vers cette leçon, ce qui tend à donner une vision en noir et blanc. Il y a une volonté de montrer qu'en voulant se venger des méchants(et Danglars, Villefort et Morcerf ont encore moins d'amabilité que dans les autres adaptations) on devient méchant soi-même. Dans ce cadre, Edmond ne peut etre présenté comme un véritable héros.

Quant à l'orientalisme, difficile d'y couper, car le livre en est rempli.

Je suis d'accord sur le fait que c'est dommage qu'ils aient coupé Marseille, et le fait que Mercedes et Fernand n'aient jamais été nobles, ils viennent d'une famille catalane pauvre. C'est aussi ce qui fait que leur avancée est si impressionnante, et ce qui a construit leurs personnalités actuelles. La noblesse pour eux n'est pas encore acquise comme elle l'est dans cette nouvelle adaptation.

Pour Morcerf dans cette nouvelle adaptation, je dirai que la vengeance apparaît plus intime, car on voit au début leur camaraderie, donc j'avoue que ça ne me choque pas qu'elle soit privée, d'autant plus que l'Haydee du film n'a plus ni l'intérêt ni l'envie de ruiner Morcerf, car elle est tombée amoureuse de son fils et a renoncé à la vengeance. Pas d'Haydee comme témoin, ça fait moins de possibilité d'exposer Morcerf publiquement.

En mieux au niveau de l'adaptation récente par rapport au livre et au film, je dirai en effet que c'est le traitement d'Haydee et d'Eugénie Danglars, là où l'adaptation avec Gérard Depardieu l'avait évité en supprimant totalement Eugenie et en ne faisant apparaître que très peu Haydee, se contentant de l'utiliser comme une princesse déchue devenue esclave sexuelle qui a pour un court moment une tribune pour parler de ses malheurs (mais très peu de temps pour vraiment approfondir le personnage, car elle est surtout l'instrument pour faire tomber Morcerf).

Je pense qu'ils ont coupé Maximilien, Valentine et Éloïse car ça prenait trop de temps, et ils tenaient surtout à montrer Villefort comme un véritable méchant, prêt à se débarrasser des membres de sa famille, ce qui n'est pas le cas dans le livre et l'adaptation de Gérard Depardieu. Mais ça signifie aussi qu'on enlève à Edmond la possibilité de montrer la science de Faria.

Je viens enfin de voir le Comte de Monte Cristo, et je vais pas mentir, même si j'ai majoritairement passé un bon moment, pas mal d'aspects m'ont déçue.

Premièrement, contrairement à beaucoup de gens si je me réfère aux quelques posts que j'ai vu passer, j'ai pas assez ressenti le côté jouissif de la vengeance. Au contraire, le film prend clairement parti de dire que la vengeance a un coût, et que Monte Cristo a tort, quelque part (avant qu'il mette de l'eau dans son vin). Étrangement, la réputation de Morcerf n'est pas ruinée, c'est une vengeance privée, presque sordide, alors qu'il est le plus gros morceau des trois, et donc celui qui aurait dû ressentir la justice le plus fortement.

Mais surtout, il y a la vengeance, okay, mais où sont les récompenses, dont il parle dans le même souffle ? Elles sont tout aussi jouissives que la rétribution, normalement : le pouvoir de faire le bien, autant que de se faire justice. De tout le film, Dantès ne sauve personne. Il arrive toujours trop tard. Angèle meurt. Morell est mort, et, bien qu'on aie pris la peine de nous présenter son fils, qui sans doute est dans une situation difficile après la ruine de son père, il n'y a pas de scène où Monte Cristo arrive tel un deus ex machina pour le sortir de la misère avec ses diamants et ses faux documents. Puisqu'il n'y a pas de justice publique pour Morcerf, il n'y en a pas non plus pour Haydée.

Ensuite, et c'est adjacent, on ne la sent pas, la fortune de Monte Cristo. Certes, ils ont tout donné dans les demeures, les décors, mais montrez-nous de l'or, des diamants, du pognon ! Le diamant à peine montré à Caderousse devrait faire l'amour à la caméra, qu'on sente vraiment le poids, la valeur, de ce diamant, ce qu'il représente pour changer la misérable vie de Caderousse. Montrez-nous les extravagances de Monte Cristo, son pouvoir. Il est austère, sinistre, comme dans le livre, certes, très bien, mais là tout ce qui l'entoure l'est aussi.

Où sont ses serviteurs ? C'est à peine si son bras droit, qui est censé être son portier (un rôle d'une importance capitale, et qui fait que normalement on n'entre pas chez lui comme dans un moulin, faut pas déconner), a un rôle dans le film, et il n'y a littéralement personne d'autre.

Où est sa science ? L'abbé Faria lui a enseigné bien plus que juste l'italien, l'anglais et le roumain (dont par ailleurs, Pierre Niney a fait une excellente performance !). Je sais bien qu'il n'y avait pas le temps pour la science et les poisons et la philosophie, mais je le regrette.

Autre point qui me dérange : tout le monde est blanc. Haydée, le serviteur à peine aperçu, absolument tout le monde. C'est bien dommage quand on est en train d'adapter une œuvre de Dumas, et une histoire aussi cosmopolite.

En parlant de ça, où est Marseille ? Où est la Provence ? Pas une trace d'accent ou de cigales, on sent à peine qu'on est dans le sud, je trouve ça vraiment dommage :/ Même Mercédes est blanche et française (et déjà noble ??).

Autrement, Pierre Niney est très bien, la musique superbe, et c'est certain qu'on doit faire des choix drastiques pour adapter une histoire aussi fournie, simplement je trouve que le scénario aurait pu être un poil plus cohérent avec une dernière passe. Cela dit, il y a eu des moments où on ricanait joyeusement de ce que le Comte manigançait donc tout n'était pas décevant dans l'exécution de la vengeance...

Et puis j'ai adoré quand ils ont fait du Comte une figure Draculesque en lui donnant ses loups qu'il commandait en roumain ! Et, même si c'était par force maladroit (manque de temps) ils ont inclu explicitement Eugénie et Suzanne.

Mais enfin, mon adaptation préférée reste la série de téléfilms avec Gérard Depardieu pour l'instant.

[chateau-dilf]

Save me 2024 Villefort save me (Edmond says this and it doesn't work)

[fobbich]

I'M BACK from my deep deep slumber.

I present to you the collab with @man-zi-ka-ro!

🌹🎭🌼

[lirgus]

And Halloween art with Gérard de Villefort

"you completely lost control of the situation"

[captain-harpo]

Benedetto building up anticipation in order to properly and dramatically reveal that Villefort, the manifestation of the law, is his illegitimate father before all of Paris:

[adorablecrab]

Villefort’s dad is still the best The Count of Monte Cristo character

“There’s a Bonapartist club a rue whatever” “I know I’m the president” :)

This is an amount of sass we should all strive for. Inspiring.

[pedanther]

The Calendar of Monte Cristo: Chapter 17

c.1789: Birth of Gérard de Villefort. [R]

1801: Louis I becomes King of Etruria. [H]

1803: Death of Louis I. His widow Maria Luisa rules as regent for three-year-old Louis II. [H]

Abbé Faria meets Noirtier at the court of the Queen of Etruria.

1807: Kingdom of Etruria annexed into the French Empire by Napoleon. [H]

1807: Abbé Faria suffers his first seizure. [E]

?: Edmond goes on a voyage to India. (The only indicator is “while still almost a child”, which doesn’t narrow it down much since he’s only 18 at the beginning of the story.)

26(?) February 1815: Danglars meets with Caderousse and Fernand. [R]

c.1821: Abbé Faria completes his manuscript on the monarchy in Italy. [R]

c.1821: Edmond meets Abbé Faria. [R] The day is a Sunday. [E]

c.1822: Edmond and Abbé Faria commence digging a new escape tunnel. [R]

c.1824: Escape tunnel completed. Abbé Faria suffers his second seizure. [R]

Another complication in the question of what day Edmond was arrested: Edmond tells Abbé Faria that the meeting between the conspirators happened two days before his wedding day, which doesn’t fit with any earlier date. In Chapter 5 it said the wedding day was the next day after the meeting, and if we go with the explicitly stated dates (24 and 28 February) the gap should be larger.

On a happier note, one of the fun things about doing a project like this is that you learn interesting things because you start paying attention to details that would normally just go past you. It had never occurred to me before to be curious about who the Queen of Etruria was, or why she was the former Queen of Etruria.