The Count Of Monte Cristo (1958)

A young sailor (Hurd Hatfield) is falsely accused of treason and unjustly imprisoned for 18 years. He escapes and flees to the island of Monte Cristo to recover a hidden treasure told to him by a fellow prisoner (George Voskovec). Now wealthy, he returns to Paris to get his revenge on those who conspired to send him to prison. Based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas and directed by Sidney Lumet (NETWORK). A compressed one hour and 17 minute version of the Dumas classic performed live on CBS. It can never capture the richness and details of the thousand plus pages of the novel. But for what it is, it moves along swiftly (too swiftly) and it all seems rushed but it's such a compelling story that it continues to hold your attention. The acting is quite good especially Torin Thatcher and Colleen Dewhurst as a royal prosecutor and his ambitious wife. With Elizabeth Sellars, Ina Balin, John Colicos and Max Adrian.