MovieChat Forums > The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) Discussion > The treasure was NOT his most valuable a...

The treasure was NOT his most valuable asset...

posted 10 years ago by creatorof2002
12 replies | jump to latest

His most valuable asset was not the treasure, it was his friend. How rare is that? To have someone who is a loyal ally and partner for life not because they are being paid and not because they are afraid of you or being forced into it like a slave but because they feel indebted to you. This literary device comes way before Chewbacca. This man was to Edmond what Chewbacca was to Han Solo.

I loved the scene where he left the guy alone with the treasure for a few days while he went on an "errand". His friend could have stolen the entire thing and the only security he had was his trust in the man's loyalty.

That kind of loyalty is so rare that I think it is worth more than the treasure worth more than money. You can pay people to do things for you with money but no amount of money can pay for that level of loyalty.

Don't get me wrong lots of money is great too but I am wondering, if you could not have both and had to choose between a huge amount of money (maybe several million dollars) or an ally who is 100 percent loyal to you for life which would you pick? Personally I would pick the loyal friend.

[–] stick500 10 years ago

The loyal friend character was one of my favorites in the movie. My buddy met the actor who plays him on a set he was working on and said he's a pretty cool guy in real life.

[–] wendycscott9 9 years ago

He seems pretty cool. I've seen in in some other roles, and he always does well.

[–] transmentalist 9 years ago

I liked the shout-out at the end, when Edmund recognizes Jacopo along with Mercedes and Albert as "the only things he cares about."

And despite the anachronistic street-accent, I still think it was cool of Jacopo to take the initiative in "poe-tecking" Edmund from himself

[–] wendycscott9 9 years ago

Well, let's face it, accents were all over the place in that movie, but I didn't care. Everyone should have been speaking French, of course, which the movies always translate into British English for some reason, but of course Edmond didn't have a real English accent, Jim Caviezel settling for a sort of Mid-Atlantic accent, as I recall reading about, and then everyone else had variations on British English including Cockney. But none of this really mattered to me. It was just such a well-done movie especially given it had such a low budget. I saw it in the theater before getting the DVD, and I was thrilled.

[–] nywilson 9 years ago

In the commentary, the director said something about Luis Guzman's accent being so BKNY. He basically said that he loved him so much, eff it, he's a pirate, so he's been around cthu

[–] wendycscott9 9 years ago

Yes, he was terrific, and I didn't mind his rather blatantly NY accent. Somehow it seemed to fit.

---

"How was the war, sir?" "As any war, ma'am, a waste of good men." (Poldark)

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] gljbradley 8 years ago

I absolutely agree. That truly is rare!

Once Jacopo became his loyal companion, he couldn't have been perfect! In fact, he seemed more like Edmond's right hand man/wingman. Something that Fernand never was to him. As you said, once Edmond and he found the treasure, he could've chosen to have steal it for himself. But he didn't! He instead became his confidant and voice of reason. Especially concerning Mercedes and making peace with the past.

[–] katlinkelly 8 years ago

I love it when there is movement on this board! This movie is so epic it should be talked about forever.

Jacopo was a wonderful character! So loyal, and like the OP said, not for the sake of money but because he truly cared for Edmond.

[–] wendycscott9 8 years ago

And Luis Guzman has shown up on my TV screen lately in ads for Code Black, I guess (I haven't watched it), and I see he's got a bunch of movies in post-production. I wonder if it was his role in The Count that got him all these gigs. His list of projects is very long.

—
"How was the war, sir?"
"As any war, ma'am, a waste of good men." (Poldark)

[–] The_paranoid_android 8 years ago

Luis Guzman is an absolutely terrific actor and he brought so much character and warmth to the role as Jacopo. Not to mention that he was great and natural comic relief that never came across as "obvious comic relief", but a real fleshed out character, who just so happened to deliver some of the best laughs in the entire film.

This is honestly one of my favorite films ever made.

...

[–] bainz 8 years ago

but he looked so out of place with the fancy clothes after Edmond cashed in ... and his haircut ... I just couldn't keep a straight face.

Check out Carlito's Way when you get a chance.