While watching an old version of the Count of Monte Cristo movie staring Richard Chamberlain (1974) there were a number of events where lessons are learned. The book written by Alexander Dumas in 1844 has numerous screen adaptions and is a great story. In the opening scene of the movie is a celebration for a ship has arrived in port. What it really represents is the merchant(s) invested into a ship which went to India from France ( about a 2 year journey) to buy spices. The ship has returned and the spices hopefully will be sold at a healthy profit and the owner will stay in business for another voyage. The celebration is both for the crew and the merchandise.

In another part of the movie, the central character Edmond Dantes is thrown into an off shore prison where the inmates are forgotten and eventually meets a fellow inmate who gives him a map of potential riches. The theory being finders keepers – if you can go to the island and find the treasurer it will be yours. This of course expects the finder would know how to convert the treasure to currency of the country he or she is going to live in.

The central character Dantes has paid for the Count of Monte Cristo title, this means the wealthier you are, the more titles that are available to you. Those of us who have no titles are suppose to be impressed with a title, but it could just mean you are a friend or have done something good for the King, in many countries around the world where a monarchy can be found, titles can be bought.

The downfall of one of the “enemies” of Dantes was insider trading. However for the plan to have worked, the Baron had to have used inside information to become rich and stay that way. In the book Dantes used inside information to trade against the Baron and the Baron proves he is not that good of a banker for he robs a Hospital fund and runs off to another country.

Linking to dividend stocks, even watching movies there are lessons to be learnt for example: slow and steady gains makes fewer enemies. In the movie, the Dantes character originally only wanted to be ship captain for his income would increase and he could buy a small house for his father and marry his girlfriend. In the end, he finds treasurer to buy estates but his father has died and his girlfriend has married and is no longer is for him. There are trade offs but one thing you do not have to trade off is income plus potential capital gains but sticking to profitable stocks and holding them for their dividends.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.