Treasure of Monte Cristo (1949)

Hmmm! Maybe this looked better on the page but sadly this attempt to modernise (and Americanise) the Monte Cristo tale just fell a bit flat for me. The one-gear Glenn Langan picks up the role of modern-day sailor "Edmund Dantes". He arrives in San Francisco only to find himself the victim of some thugs as he rides to the rescue of damsel in distress "Jean" (Adele Jergens). Consoling her leads to a quickie marriage but is she all she seems? Might she be trying to get him to reveal the location of the legendary treasure of his distant ancestor (which somehow might have managed to cross the Atlantic and the continental USA!). If you are expecting any swash and buckle, or a tale of vengeance and betrayal then don't bother. This is neither - it is a cheap and cheerful film-noir that uses the Monte Cristo treasure as a template for a rather far-fetched and silly story peopled by actors who are mediocre at best and who deliver a rather sedentary script that, along with some basic production standards, left me feeling just a bit hoodwinked!

A very enjoyable B noir thriller, unusual in using the Count of Monte Cristo as a backstory. Worth it for Adele Jergens and her chemistry with Glenn Langan, a very handsome couple that were married in real life after meeting on this film.