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A "masterpiece" period drama divided into four episodes is available to stream free on BBC iPlayer.

The Count of Monte Cristo is a 2024 film adapted from Alexandre Dumas's classic 1844 novel.

Pierre Niney leads the cast as Edmond Dantes, portraying a young sailor who is wrongfully thrown into prison for treason on his wedding day.

After breaking free more than a decade later from the fortress where he has been held captive, he reinvents himself as a wealthy Count, forging a new life beneath a false identity.

Hidden behind this disguise, he embarks on a mission to exact revenge upon those who betrayed him, reports the Mirror.

The synopsis reads: "Falsely accused, imprisoned for 15 years - now he's out for revenge on those who wronged him. An epic drama of betrayal, love and vengeance starring Pierre Niney."

The 2024 film has been split into four parts for BBC iPlayer after becoming a huge hit when it first premiered.

One fan hailed it an "excellent adaptation from the beautiful novel, with another calling it "absolutely terrific".

One viewer branded it a "masterpiece", while someone else said: "I truly loved this movie and I am not an avid movie watcher, easily one of the best movies I've ever seen."

"A dream come true for Monte Cristo fans," one said, as another review was titled "Absolutely stunning".

"Go out of your way to see this one," one viewer advised, while someone else called it "unmissible". They continued: "I was absolutely captivated by the film from start to finish. Every moment kept me on the edge of my seat, and I wasn't bored for a single second."

"A gorgeous modern production of timeless epic," another person said, while one fan called it "spectacular".

Despite the widespread praise, French actor Pierre Niney previously admitted he was "pessimistic" about the project at the start.

He told Forbes: "I remember thinking 'It's not going to be made, they're not going to find the money'. It would take people crazy enough to embark on a 1200 pages book to make one movie.

"So I was pessimistic at the start, thinking it was too good to be true. And actually it's even better than what I had imagined, so it will stay engraved in my memory forever."

The Count of Monte Cristo is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.