The Mark of Zorro (1920)

In old Spanish California, the oppressive colonial government is opposed by Zorro, masked champion of the people, who appears out of nowhere with flashing sword and an athletic sense of ... See full summary »

Director:

Fred Niblo

Writer:

Johnston McCulley (based on the story by: "The Curse of Capistrano" published in "All-Story Weekly")

Stars:

Marguerite De La Motte, Robert McKim, Noah Beery

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marguerite De La Motte	...	Lolita Pulido
Robert McKim	...	Capitán Juan Ramon
Noah Beery	...	Sgt. Pedro Gonzales
Charles Hill Mailes	...	Don Carlos Pulido
Claire McDowell	...	Doña Catalina Pulido
Snitz Edwards	...	Short Innkeeper
Sidney De Gray	...	Don Alejandro (as Sydney De Gray)
George Periolat	...	Governor Alvarado
Walt Whitman	...	Fray Felipe
Tote Du Crow	...	Bernardo
Douglas Fairbanks	...	Don Diego Vega / Señor Zorro

Storyline

In old Spanish California, the oppressive colonial government is opposed by Zorro, masked champion of the people, who appears out of nowhere with flashing sword and an athletic sense of humor, scarring the faces of evildoers with his Mark. Meanwhile, beautiful Lolita is courted by villainous Captain Ramon, rich but effete Don Diego... and dashing Zorro, who is never seen at the same time as Don Diego. As Zorro continues to evade pursuit, Ramon puts the damsel in distress...

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Plot Keywords:

zorro | california | sword | masked hero | hero | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

5 December 1920 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Zeichen des Zorro

Filming Locations:

Raleigh Studios - 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Douglas Fairbanks Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min 90 min (1970 alternate) 107 min (DVD) 97 min (Academy archive print)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White (color toned)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Noah Beery Jr..

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Goofs

When Fray Felipe is receiving his lashes, there are horizontal lacerations along the left side of his back. The camera angle then widens to reveal two vertical lacerations - one in the center of his back and one to the right - while the laceration on the left side of the back is gone.

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Quotes

[Diego is apathetically wooing the woman his father commanded him to marry]
Zorro: I have a servant - a wonder at the guitar. Tonight I shall order him to come out and play beneath your window.
Lolita Pulido: I have a maid - passionately fond of music!

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Connections

Referenced in V for Vendetta (2005)

User Reviews

Douglas Fairbanks as the masked bandit in Old California...

Enjoyable silent film provided with a musical soundtrack by TCM.

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS is the famous masked bandit, balancing a nice sense of humor and heroics, demonstrating the athletic side of Don Diego which has to be hidden by the more effete man who tires so easily. He's a Spanish version of the Scarlet Pimpernel. MARGUERITE DE LA MOTTE is a lovely heroine and ROBERT McKIM does everything but twirl his mustache as the villain from whose clutches Fairbanks must rescue the damsel in distress.

Obviously a high-budget production with rich settings, nicely photographed in Sepia or blue tints for the night scenes. What's really astonishing is Fairbanks doing all those climbing stunts in the last reel, with so much ease. Full of youthful vigor and high spirits, he found a role that suited him to perfection, able to show two sides of his personality with charm and/or vigor while not ignoring the stunts that made him famous.

It's an enjoyable and swaggering adventure, remade many times in the future, most notably with the 1940 sound version starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Basil Rathbone.

Summing up: Familiar yarn, well done and standing the test of time better than many other silent films thanks to good production values.