The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

Dagmara Dominczyk: Mercedes

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mercedes : You would have to be a mother to truly appreciate the service you have done for my son and me. Monsieur, I will never forget you.

  Count of Monte Cristo : Please, madame, It was nothing; and I am sure in within a month you will not even remember my name

  [to Fernand Mondego] 

  Count of Monte Cristo : May I steal your wife?

  Fernand : Excuse me?

  Count of Monte Cristo : For the waltz?

• Mercedes : I don't know what dark plan lies within you. Nor do I know by what design we were asked to live without each other these 16 years. But God has offered us a new beginning...

  Edmond : God?

  Mercedes : Don't slap His hand away.

  Edmond : Can I never escape Him?

  Mercedes : No, He is in everything. Even in a kiss.

• Fernand : You pleased me some of the time.

  Mercedes : You never pleased me.

• Mercedes : What's wrong?

  Fernand : I'm bankrupt. All my debts have been called in. Also, I am to be arrested.

  Mercedes : For what?

  Fernand : Piracy, corruption, and murder.

  Mercedes : Did you do all these things?

  Fernand : Yes. But there's simply not the time to talk about it. The gendarmes are on their way, apparently, so hurry up and pack something.

  Mercedes : I'm not going with you, Fernand.

  Fernand : [Fernand turns towards her and angrily breaks a mirror] 

  [Panting] 

  Fernand : You are my wife. I have made arrangements for us. We shall be very well taken care of. Now go and find my son.

  [Fernand walks briskly away from Mercedes] 

  Mercedes : He's not your son.

  Fernand : [Fernand stops dead in his tracks]  I beg your pardon?

  Mercedes : Albert Mondego is the son of Edmond Dantes.

  [pause] 

  Mercedes : Why do you think I rushed off so quickly to marry you when Edmond was taken away?

  Fernand : [staring blankly in full realization]  Premature.

  [Fernand steps towards Mercedes and stares piercingly down at her] 

  Fernand : Well, aren't you a piece of work? So he's the bastard son of a dead traitor?

  [Mercedes smirks] 

  Fernand : He always was disappointing.

• Mercedes : Albert, I found the note you left explaining where you'd gone. But now I must explain something to you. Where you've really come from. Albert, you are the son of Edmond Dantes. The man you know as the Count of Monte Cristo.

  [Albert Mondego turns to Fernand Mondego] 

  Fernand : Well, I'm afraid it is true. You are the walking proof that your mother was as much of a whore in her younger years as she is today.

• Mercedes : I want to be free of you... the way you, obviously, are free of me.

• Count of Monte Cristo : This Edmond, you loved him?

  Mercedes : Yes.

  Count of Monte Cristo : For how long?

  Mercedes : For all of my life.

  Count of Monte Cristo : And how long after he died before you married the Count?

  Mercedes : That isn't fair.

  Count of Monte Cristo : We've reached your home, Countess.

  Mercedes : [getting out of the carriage]  You're right. You cannot be my Edmond.

  Count of Monte Cristo : Well, there you are. You said it yourself. Edmond Dantes is dead. Good night.

• Mercedes : I will never forget your kindness.

  Fernand : I shall never cease to give it.

• Mercedes : I know what you want, Fernand.

  Fernand : You do?

  Mercedes : Remember when we were kids and Edmond got that whistle for his birthday, and you got a pony? You were so mad that Edmond was happier with his whistle than you were with your pony. And I'm not going to be your next whistle.

• Mercedes : Albert wishes to talk with us.

  Fernand : Not now! Tell him I'm trying to protect his inheritance.

  Mercedes : Oh, are you afraid he's going to squander his as you have yours?

  Fernand : That's funny, I don't recall hearing your complaints when I elevated you from being a fishmonger's daughter. Now please, I must finish this, and then I shall be going out.

  Mercedes : May I remind you, my love, that in Paris there are mistresses aplenty, but you have only one son.

• Mercedes : Is Viscount Torville dead?

  Fernand : Well, unless his heart is situated somewhere other than the left side of his chest, I suspect he is.

  Mercedes : [choking up, and making the sign of the cross]  God grant him peace. He did no more than defend his family's honor.

  Fernand : Much good it did him. His wife and I were happy in our passion. You were happy in your ignorance. Now comes the viscount's valiant defense of his honor, and you are pained. She is ruined, and he is dead.

  Mercedes : Don't flatter yourself, Fernand. I was neither happy, nor ignorant, having known about the last three women before Madame Tourville.

  Fernand : I'm sorry that you are humiliated. The combination of Paris and me is hardly a recipe for fidelity, is it? But since my attempts at discretion have evidently failed, there seems little point in keeping up pretenses. It's actually quite... liberating. Wouldn't you say?

• Mercedes : Just a few answers from you, and I shall be gone forever.

  Count of Monte Cristo : Ask your questions.

  Mercedes : Where have you been?

  Count of Monte Cristo : Thirteen years in the Chateau d'If, and everywhere else you can imagine.

  Mercedes : The Chateau d'If for thirteen years. Did you suffer?

  Count of Monte Cristo : [scoffing]  Are you finished now? I have a good deal on my mind.

  Mercedes : What happened afterward?

  Count of Monte Cristo : Much.

  Mercedes : Why did you not come to me?

  Count of Monte Cristo : Why did you not wait? You married the very man who betrayed...

  Mercedes : [showing him the ring of string on her finger]  I told you that night on the rocks, remember? That it would never leave my finger. And it never has.

• Mercedes : [seeing Fernand leaving Albert's birthday party]  Fernand! The toast.

  Fernand : Not right now. I have state business to attend to.

  Mercedes : Our guests expect it. Albert expects it.

  Fernand : You give it, my dear. I'm sure it'll be splendid.

  Mercedes : You are his father! It's the least you can do. You know how he admires you.

  Fernand : Then he will forgive my absence.

• Count of Monte Cristo : I thought we had finished our conversation in the carriage.

  Mercedes : So did I. Until I realized... you said the name "Dantes." A name that I had never mentioned.

  Count of Monte Cristo : What do you want of me?

• Count of Monte Cristo : [dancing with Mercedes]  What's the matter?

  Mercedes : Uh, nothing. You just remind me of someone from long ago. Someone who was very dear to me.

  Count of Monte Cristo : I'm flattered. What happened to him?

  Mercedes : He died.