Zorro (1975/I)

Director:

Duccio Tessari

Writer:

Giorgio Arlorio (story)

Release Date:

June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Western

Tagline:

The All New Zorro

Plot:

A newly arrived governor finds his province under the control of the corrupt Colonel Huerta. To avoid assassination by Huerta...

Plot Keywords:

Zorro | Sword Fight | One Word Title | Hero | Spaghetti Western

Cast

Alain Delon	...	Don Diego, the false Miguel de la Serna / El Zorro
Ottavia Piccolo	...	Contessina Ortensia Pulido
Enzo Cerusico	...	Joaquín, Don Diego's servant
Moustache	...	Sgt. Garcia
Giacomo Rossi-Stuart	...	Fritz von Merkel (as Giacomo Rossi Stuart)
Giampiero Albertini	...	Brother Francisco
Marino Masé	...	Miguel de la Serna (as Marino Mase')
Raika Juri	...	Senoria de la Serna (as Rajka Jurcec)
Adriana Asti	...	Aunt Carmen
Stanley Baker	...	Col. Huerta

Also Known As:

El Zorro
El Zorro la belva del Colorado (Italy)
Zorro (USA)

Runtime:

124 min | Spain:120 min | USA:120 min | USA:87 min (DVD)

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | West Germany:12 (nf) | Germany:16 | Finland:K-12 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | USA:G | Netherlands:12

Company:

Mondial Televisione Film

Trivia:

The last feature film of Stanley Baker.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XX (#21.4)" (2009)

Zorro's back and Alain's got him!

Falling in between Guy Williams' and Antonio Banderas' renditions of the legendary masked figure is this oddball, campy, yet somehow still watchable Spanish-made entry. Delon wears the cape and the mask this time around and does an admirable job for the most part. He disguises his way into the role of governor to a South American province which is riddled with corruption, much of it at the hands of slimy colonel Baker. While Delon (who, in his prime, was one of the most gorgeous men ever created) does well as Zorro and looks dashing in his costume--his blue eyes jutting from behind the mask, he wildly overplays the foppish role of the governor. It's meant to be funny, but it falls short of humorous and winds up rather annoying. In fact, a lot of the humor doesn't seem to translate from what the Spanish consider funny to what American audiences will enjoy. For example, the film offers up a goofy, dim-witted mute, a rotund, hairy guard whose pants rip open and a little "Buckwheat"-style kid for comic relief. None of these is remotely amusing. The strength of the film lies in the animosity and rivalry of Delon and Baker (put to good use as the villain.) The movie is helped immeasurably by some gorgeous locations and a lot of authentic and regal settings. The costumes tend to be pretty decent as well. Also, there are several elaborate stunt sequences. These aspects cover up some of the lack of budget in the picture. Piccolo, as the heroine resembles Linda Blair, excepting that Piccolo can actually act. She makes a lovely damsel in distress. The story is really a duel between the two men. First it's a battle of wits and then an extended, well-executed and staged battle of swords. This creative, elongated battle is the highlight of the film. Unfortunately, the very, very end of the film is choppy, disjointed and unsatisfying. The theme song (heard over and over) is sung by Oliver Onions (!) and should be used in CIA interrogations. It's hellacious lyrics, vocals and music attack the brain and cling on for hours and hours after the film has been viewed.