James Frain: Villefort

The Count of Monte Cristo

Villefort

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Mondego's the one who pulled the trigger! He'd never confess in a million years!
Count of Monte Cristo: You're right, he wouldn't... but you just have.

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: I am the chief magistrate, an official of the new regime. And I cannot afford to have my own father mixed up in treasonous affairs!
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: You know... in the end, treason is a matter of dates. And I shall be the patriot, and you the traitor, when the emperor returns.
Valentina Villefort: Stop it. Stop, you old ruin. Those days are over. Napoleon Bonaparte is no longer the emperor of anything. And if you continue to dabble in this lunacy, you run an excellent chance of being arrested and ruining our entire family, all because of your idiotic sympathies.
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: Well, at least I have sympathies.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: For God's sake, Father, all Valentina is saying is that as a family, our fates are intertwined. Surely you can see that.
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: See? Ah! I'm an old ruin. I don't see as well as I did.

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: I don't see how any of this has anything to do with our business relationship!
Count of Monte Cristo: [calmly] I'm about to tell you.

Fernand: Not that I don't appreciate the embroidery of the crimes, but still, murder?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: It's quite simple, really. When you reported Dantes' receiving the letter to me, I didn't quite understand why you were betraying him, but now, having seen his exquisite fiancée, I understand completely.
Fernand: What prompts you to be so accommodating?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Sit down, Mondego.

Count of Monte Cristo: Your father was a loyal supporter of Napoleon, wasn't he? Possibly involved in plotting Napoleon's escape from Elba.
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: [flashback] The emperor arrives soon!
Count of Monte Cristo: An inconvenient parent for an ambitious civil servant like yourself. But then he died suddenly, and opportunely murdered, again some sixteen years ago.
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: [flashback] The emperor Napoleon.
[he's shot in the back]
Count of Monte Cristo: The murderer never apprehended. How hard did you look for them?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: You have no proof, no witnesses. You just have theories. J-Just conjectures.
Count of Monte Cristo: On the contrary. I have Count Mondego.
Colonel Villefort, aka: Clarion: [flashback; Fernand reveals himself] Young Mondego. Why?
Fernand: Because your son lacked the courage.

Abbe Faria: You once told me that Villefort had you re-arrested just after he had cleared you of all the charges.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: [flashback] You may go.
Edmond: Yes, that's true.
Abbe Faria: Then why would he go through that charade unless he had reason to change his mind about letting you go? Think, Edmond.
Edmond: I'm trying.
Abbe Faria: What happened?
Edmond: He asked me...
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: [flashback] Did Napoleon tell you who was supposed to pick up this letter?
Edmond: I told him...
[flashback]
Edmond: A monsieur Clarion.
Abbe Faria: And nothing more?
Edmond: Nothing. He burnt the letter and said I could go.
Abbe Faria: Ah. He burned... the letter.

Fernand: I thought we agreed not to meet socially.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: How could I pass up the Count of Monte Cristo?
Fernand: Quite. What do you know of him?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: He's foreign, rich. I hear he aided your son.
Fernand: Why does he seek your counsel?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Why should I tell you?
Fernand: When my son returned from Rome, he mentioned he'd heard Monte Cristo saying he was expecting a shipment. He also heard the words "gold" and "Spada".
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: You don't believe...
Fernand: Monte Cristo has found the treasure of Spada.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Not an hour ago, he asked me to help him avoid troublesome inspection on a shipment coming from Marseilles. I could have him arrested.
Fernand: Don't do that. Let's just relieve him of it.

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Well, I must say, Dantes, you don't have the look of a traitor.
Edmond Dantes: Traitor?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Now, attend me well, Dantes, for your life may depend on it. Did you have any personal contact with Napoleon when you were on Elba?
Edmond Dantes: Elba. Yes, I did. Well, we did. I was with the Count Mondego's son, Fernand, almost the entire time. Do you know Fernand?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: He's a recent acquaintance, yes.
Edmond Dantes: Oh, there you are. He'll vouch for me.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: No doubt, but you said "almost the entire time."
Edmond Dantes: Except for when Napoleon asked me to deliver a personal letter to a friend in Marseilles.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Well, Dantes, it is for accepting that treasonous correspondence that you have been denounced by your own first mate, a monsieur Danglars.
Edmond Dantes: What?

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Now, did you deliver the letter?
Edmond: No, sir. Someone was supposed to find me. It's... it's still in my jacket. Here.
[a guard takes it and gives it to Villefort]
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: [opening it and reading the contents] Have you read this?
Edmond: No, sir, I can't read.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Well, Dantes, this is a letter to one of Napoleon's agents. It gives the times and locations of the British beach patrols on Elba.
Edmond: Sir, I swear on my mother's grave, I had no idea. He swore its contents were innocent.

J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Did Napoleon tell you who's supposed to pick up the letter?
Edmond: Monsieur Clarion.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: What... what name did you say?
Edmond: [louder and more clearly] Monsieur Clarion.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Have you mentioned this name to anyone else? Monsieur Mondego or anyone?
Edmond: No, sir. In fact, monsieur Mondego knows nothing of this letter.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: [burning the letter] This is very dangerous information. One can never be too careful in times like this.

Valentina Villefort: My dear Count, allow me to introduce to you my husband, monsieur Villefort, Chief Prosecutor.
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Very kind of you to think of us.
Count of Monte Cristo: Oh, I am the one honored with your presence. Now, please, enjoy yourselves tonight.
Valentina Villefort: [watching him leave] What do we know about him?
J.F. Villefort, Chief Magistrate: Not enough.