THE MARK OF ZORRO
1940
COLOURISED VERSION

Based on the story The Curse of Capistrano written by Johnston McCulley, originally published in 1919, which introduced the masked hero Zorro. The story is set in Southern California during the early 19th century.

PLOT:
Don Diego Vega, the seemingly foppish son of wealthy ranchero Don Alejandro Vega, returns to California after his education in Spain. Horrified to find his native land under a villainous dictatorship headed by Luis Quintero, Don Diego adopts the guise of El Zorro ("the fox"), a masked outlaw who becomes the defender of the common people. Meanwhile, he romances the Alcalde's beautiful niece, Lolita, while simultaneously flirting with the Alcalde's wife Inez, filling her head with tales of Madrid fashion and culture and raising her desire to move there with her corrupt husband. In both guises, Don Diego has to contend with the governor's ablest henchman, the malevolent Captain Pasquale.

The film features a climactic duel between Zorro and Pasquale played by Basil Rathbone. Rathbone was already known in Hollywood as an outstanding classical fencer, but Power's own excellent skills are here displayed for the first time. The duel in The Mark of Zorro is considered by many movie buffs to be one of the finest swordfights seen on screen. It is ornate and full of subtlety, as opposed to Rathbone's duel with Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Rathbone suffered two scratches on his forehead during its filming, and later said of Power, "He could fence Errol Flynn into a cocked hat."

CAST:
Tyrone Power ... Don Diego Vega / Zorro
Linda Darnell ... Lolita Quintero
Basil Rathbone ... Capt. Esteban Pasquale
Gale Sondergaard ... Inez Quintero
Eugene Pallette ... Fray Felipe
J. Edward Bromberg ... Don Luis Quintero
Montagu Love ... Don Alejandro Vega
Janet Beecher ... Senora Isabella Vega
George Regas ... Sgt. Gonzales
Chris-Pin Martin ... Turnkey
Robert Lowery ... Rodrigo
Belle Mitchell ... Maria
John Bleifer ... Pedro
Frank Puglia ... Propietor
Eugene Borden ... Officer of the Day
Pedro de Cordoba ... Don Miguel
Guy D'Ennery ... Don Jose

Directed by Rouben Mamoulian  

RUNNING TIME: 94 MIN