The Mark of Zorro (1940)

A young aristocrat must masquerade as a fop in order to maintain his secret identity of Zorro as he restores justice to early California.

Director:

Rouben Mamoulian

Writers:

John Taintor Foote (screenplay), Garrett Fort (adaptation),

Stars:

Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Around 1820 the son of a California nobleman comes home from Spain to find his native land under a villainous dictatorship. On the one hand he plays the useless fop, while on the other he is the masked avenger Zorro.

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Plot Keywords:

california | fop | swordsman | sword | secret identity | 

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Taglines:

Ride With Zorro . . . The Dashing Don Of California's Most Adventurous Era !

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

8 November 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Californian

Filming Locations:

Stage 6, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 90 min (censored)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Mark of Zorro is the movie that plays in Monarch Theater in Gotham City the night Thomas and Martha Wayne, Bruce Wayne's parents, are murdered. Bob Kane, Batman's creator, based his dark knight on Zorro.

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Goofs

When Esteban falls down, he knocks a picture off the wall, which then disappears and is not seen on the floor. In the next shot, the picture is seen on the floor in front of Esteban, when Diego throws his swords down on top of it

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Quotes

Captain Esteban Pasquale: Conditions have changed since you left, Don Diego. Your father resigned. Age, you know! Since then, the peons have become um... more industrious. As to the caballeros. they're encouraged to think of their own affairs. WE take care of the government!

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Connections

Featured in Precious Images (1986)

User Reviews

an exciting swashbuckler--every bit as grand as the films of Errol Flynn

I loved this film. In fact, because I loved this movie so much, I think it spoiled me for later versions of the Zorro story. Guy Madison and Antonio Banderas just CAN'T be Zorro, as I'll forever see him in the form of Tyrone Power. He is just wonderful--playing the role with a lot of gusto but a little less bravura than Errol Flynn would have done in the same role--and it works very well. This, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION and THE BLACK SWAN are the three absolute best films Power ever made. See them all and then you'll appreciate his work. Apart from Power, the film features a wonderful supporting cast, brisk pacing and a lavish (for Fox) budget.