The Return of Monte Cristo (1946): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1946, The Return of Monte Cristo is an action and adventure film directed by Henry Levin, running about 91 minutes.

What it’s about. Louis Hayward, star of 1940's Son of Monte Cristo, returns to Alexandre Dumas territory in Columbia's Return of Monte Cristo. This time, Hayward plays the grandson of his namesake Edmond Dantes, who, it will be recalled, was cheated out of his fortune and falsely imprisoned, only to escape and wreak vengeance on his betrayers by assuming the guise of the Count of Monte Cristo. Just like grandpa, the younger Dantes is framed by a trio of connivers and shipped off to Devil's Island. Escaping with a fellow convict, political radical Bombelles (Steven Geray), Dantes adopts the bearded guise of an elderly man in order to destroy his enemies and reclaim his birthright. One of his principal antagonists - at least during the first half of the film - is haughty aristocrat Angele Picard (Barbara Britton), who because she wasn't a part of the original conspiracy genuinely believes that Dantes is a criminal.

Who’s in it. The Return of Monte Cristo stars Louis Hayward as Edmond Dantes, Barbara Britton as Angela Picard, George Macready as Henri de la Roche and Una O'Connor as Miss Beedle, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Return of Monte Cristo has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Return of Monte Cristo page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Return of Monte Cristo tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.