The Sword of Monte Cristo ** (1951, George Montgomery, Rita Corday, Berry Kroeger) Classic Movie Review 10,984

Rita Corday (1920–1992).

Rita Corday stars as Lady Christianne, who discovers the titular blade, in the 1951 swashbuckling romantic action adventure film The Sword of Monte Cristo.

‘Her sword… Her lips… Her heart… Brought all of France to her feet!’ Well that’s a tough act to live up to!

Writer-director Maurice Geraghty’s 1951 American film The Sword of Monte Cristo is a rather sub-standard swashbuckling romantic action adventure B-movie, set in the era of the French Emperor Louis Napoleon III (David Bond), trading off its title rather blatantly and emptily, though, to be fair, it is supposed to be an adaptation from Alexandre Dumas and his novel The Count of Monte Cristo.

Rita Corday [Paula Corday] stars as Lady Christianne, the niece of the Marquis De Montableau (Robert Warwick), who discovers the titular blade once owned by the Count of Monte Cristo and finds herself caught between good guy Captain Renault (George Montgomery) of the Royal Dragoons and bad guy French Crown Minister Charles La Roche (Berry Kroeger) as they battle it out over the famed count’s legacy.

Corday’s court charmer Lady Christianne leads a double life as a masked Cavalier avenger stirring up the populace to revolt.

With its ideas from various famous stories, though loosely based on the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, it is second-hand goods. But Corday does make a feisty and dashing heroine, while Berry Kroeger, William Conrad (as Major Nicolet), Rhys Williams (as Mayor of Varonne), Steve Brodie (as Sergeant), and Robert Warwick (as Marquis de Montableau) are all good value. There are zesty moments in Maurice Geraghty’s direction, and Jack Greenhalgh’s SUPERcineCOLOR photography and Raoul Kraushaar’s music are worthwhile.

Also in the cast are Robert Warwick, William Conrad, Steve Brodie, Rhys Williams, David Bond, Lillian Bronson, Acquanetta, Trevor Bardette, Crane Whitley, John Davidson, George Baxter and Leonard Mudie.

It starts: ‘France in 1858 was torn by an underground rebellion against the dictatorship of Louis Napoleon and his ruthless advisors.’

The film was released by 20th Century Fox on 3 March 1951.

The Sword of Monte Cristo is directed by Maurice Geraghty, runs 80 minutes, is made by Edward L Alperson Productions, is distributed by 20th Century Fox, is written by Maurice Geraghty, based on The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, is shot by Jack Greenhalgh, is produced by Edward L Alperson, and is scored by Raoul Kraushaar .

The cast are George Montgomery as Captain Renault, Rita Corday (billed as Paula Corday) as Lady Christianne, Berry Kroeger as Minister Charles La Roche, William Conrad as Major Nicolet, Rhys Williams as Mayor of Varonne, Steve Brodie as Sergeant, Robert Warwick as Marquis de Montableau, David Bond as Emperor Napoleon III, Lillian Bronson as Pepite, Acquanetta as Felice, Trevor Bardette as Navarre, Crane Whitley as Hansmann, Leonard Mudie as Court Physician, John Davidson as Artist, George Baxter as Mocquard, Steve Darrell as Courdelay, Kenneth MacDonald as Chamberlain, Henry Corden as Bouchard, Michael Vallon as Viard, and Stuart Holmes as Chatelain.

Rita Corday (October 20, 1920 – November 23, 1992).

Rita Corday (born Jeanne Paule Teipo-Ite-Marma Croset; October 20, 1920 – November 23, 1992)  married producer Harold Nebenzal in 1947 and retired in 1954 to raise their two children. She appeared in 30 films in the 1940s and 1950s after RKO Pictures signed Corday to a long-term contract in 1942.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,984

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