I watched the 1975 version with Richard Chamberlain as Edmund Dantes and Louis Jourdan as Prosecutor Villefort. In this 1961 version, Louis Jourdan portrays Edmund Dantes, and does a far superior job of it. The emotional highs and lows, the torment--in his voice and on his face--every ounce of Edmund's soul pours forth as never done by any other actor I have seen in this role. Yes, it is a French film, spoken in French, but even if you do not know much (or any) French, that is no barrier. The actors are so brilliant at imparting the emotions and actions, that the plot is evident. (I happen to know some French, so that helps when watching Mr. Jourdan's French films.) This is, in my opinion, the perfect film version of this Dumas novel.
