The Mark of Zorro

I saw this film on TV recently. The Daily Mail had listed it as one to miss, but I'm glad I taped it. I had previously seen the new version with Anthony Hopkins, and this one compares quite favourably with it. Gilbert Roland is fantastic playing both the role of Don Diego, where he puts on an air of bored arrogance. This contrasts brilliantly with his role of Zorro when he dresses up with the mask. The action is more than first rate: it is sublime. It doesn't rely on special effects, but on acting and style. Probably the best TV movie I have ever seen...

Frank Langela ( most famous for his role of Dracula in the late 70's) faithfully recreates the role made famous by Tyrone Power in the 1940's. Although they were using a cut down version of the script, and a considerably smaller budget, they produced a very good film. The cast was experienced and interpreted the characters quite well. Gilbert Roland having played several Zorro like characters himself, was a good choice as the father. For a low budget remake it is very entertaining. Definitely worth the time to watch. The completest would want to add this to their collection. Those Zorro fans who are not completest, would definitely want to consider this. Just over look the small crowd scenes and small scale sets.

JPMotis

Don Diego returns from Spain to his family in California to find that his father has been replaced as ruler of the area by the dastardly and cruel Don Luis Quintero. Despite being a bit of a swordsman, Diego downplays his skills in front of the wicked Captain Esteban and shows himself to be a bit of a clown in front of his family. However secretly Diego picks up the sword of justice as Zorro and fights to return justice to the region and his people.

I taped this film because I honestly expected it to be a silly film at best; at worst I feared it would be an awful mess of a film that would hopefully make me laugh. However I was very pleasantly surprised to find a film that, although a little cheesy and dated, was actually quite good fun to watch in an unassuming way. The film has a sort of cheesy tone to it that reminded me of badly dubbed movies from Europe in the 70's but this was actually much better without taking itself too seriously.

The story is pretty faithful to the original films and it has recognisable parts in spades. While it is never funny it does manage to be enjoyable in the way it is playful as well as having a bit of swash and buckle about it. While the majority of it only hints at action, the final swordfight between Zorro and Esteban is more fun than I expect it to be (as one who has grown accustom to CGI and so on).

The cast really helps the whole thing to be as much fun as it is. Langella has a habit of being a bit too heavy and serious but here he gets everything just right. His Diego is a comic fop while his Zorro is suitably heroic and upright without being dry or dull. Middleton is reasonable enough but it is the wonderful Montalban who enjoys the best villain role. He doesn't have that much to do at times but he has a good presence about him and has real charisma. It was a surprise to find Anne Archer in the support cast but she is good as well.

Overall this film quite took me by surprise because I enjoyed it. Of course it's not perfect and of course it's all a bit cheesy and silly at times but it enjoys itself and has a real sense of fun about it. The short running time plays to it's quick pace and to it's benefit as I think much longer and the faults would have begun to impose themselves, however as it is it is short, punchy and a lot more fun than I expected it to be!

Frank Langella makes you forget both Tyrone & Fairbanks - his Zorro is quieter, more serious, more sensual, whereas the other two played the role for laughs at times. And Langella's take on Don Diego the fop is not as effeminate or funny, more like lazy and yawning. And his eyes are very expressive and always moving.

Ricardo Montalban does pretty well as the villain, but can't compete against Basil Rathbone (1940). But the winsome, young Anne Archer is a big improvement over stiff Linda Darnell. Nice to see the still-fit, silent star Gilbert Roland as Zorro's dad.

The dialogue and script of this is very similar to the 1940 version, and it uses the same stirring theme and soundtrack composed by Alfred Newman.

You can catch this version on TV sometimes -- it's worth videotaping.

Personally, I actually like this film a little better than either of the arguably better known 1920 and 1940 film versions.

As a mid-1970s television feature, it looks more like a big budget film than some of it's studio tentpole brethren of the era. The film makes excellent use of the old FOX Ranch and period costumes to create a set design that looks "real" but has an aura of pageantry that makes the film a visual treat. The action is of a high standard for the day; in a world full of CGI heroes and digital backgrounds, it's nice from time to time to see actual human beings do actual physical stunts to sell the action.

The script and score are more or less recycled from the 1940 film version, but it is the cast that ultimately make the film worthwhile; particular note must be given to Ricardo Montalban, who has a certain ruthless charm that he brings to Captain Esteban Montenegro that makes his character a memorable and formidable villain. Frank Langella was, at this point in his life, a perfect Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro; portraying both aspects of the character perfectly. His danyish Diego is fun, but not over done. One can always see his intelligence behind his foppish exterior. As Zorro, he both heroically dashing and romantically charming, playing his scenes with Anne Archer perfectly.

I'm not aware of a DVD or Blu-ray release, but it is well worth watching when it appears on cable television.