The Mask of Zorro (1998)

A young thief, seeking revenge over the death of his brother, is trained by the once great, but aged Zorro, who is also seeking a vengeance of his own.

Director:

Martin Campbell

Writers:

Johnston McCulley (character Zorro), Ted Elliott (story),

Stars:

Antonio Banderas, José María de Tavira, Anthony Hopkins

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Antonio Banderas	...	Alejandro Murrieta / Zorro
José María de Tavira	...	Young Alejandro Murrieta (as Jose Maria de Tavira)
Anthony Hopkins	...	Don Diego de la Vega / Zorro
Diego Sieres	...	Young Joaquín Murrieta
Emiliano Guerra	...	Boy Crying
Yolanda Orisaga	...	Woman Crying (as Yolanda Orizaga)
Paco Morayta	...	Undertaker
William Marquez	...	Fray Felipe
Stuart Wilson	...	Don Rafael Montero
Tony Amendola	...	Don Luiz
Pedro Altamirano	...	Squad Leader
Luisa Huertas	...	Nanny
María Fernández Cruz	...	Baby Elena de la Vega (as Maria Fernandez Cruz)
Mónica Fernández Cruz	...	Baby Elena de la Vega (as Monica Fernandez Cruz)
Julieta Rosen	...	Esperanza de la Vega

Storyline

The original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega, is captured and imprisoned just as Spain concedes California to Santa Anna. 20 years go by and his mortal enemy, Don Rafael Montero, returns to California with a plan to become wealthy at the expense of the peasants. The original Zorro escapes from prison and trains a new Zorro to take his place. Much swashbuckling and derring-do ensues.

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Plot Keywords:

zorro | california | revenge | swordsman | mask | 

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Taglines:

No one has seen his face....but everyone....knows this mark.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some intense action and violence

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mark of Zorro

Filming Locations:

Atotonilico de Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£889,829 (UK) (11 December 1998)

Gross:

£6,453,319 (UK) (5 February 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, David Foster Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (CFI)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Montero goes to the prison to seek out Zorro, several of the prisoners claim to be Zorro in a scene reminiscent of a similar scene in Spartacus. Anthony Hopkins provided the voice of Crassus during the restoration of the earlier film.

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Goofs

Tornado, the black horse of Zorro, isn't an Andalusian (as called by Diego) but a Friesian. (It has the typical feathers on its hoofs and is of stockier build.)

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Quotes

Fray Felipe: This is the house of God!
Captain Harrison Love: We'll be gone before he gets back.

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

"I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You"
Music by James Horner
Lyrics by Will Jennings
Produced by Jim Steinman
Performed by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena
Tina Arena appears courtesy of Sony Music (Australia)

User Reviews

Zorro for a new generation.

I just finished watching The Mask Of Zorro, and it was a spectacular achievement. It all seemed cliched at first, and even though it isn't that original, it still pays off quit well. The cast is great. Anthony Hopkins seems to get away with an English accent in every movie he does,but his acting was solid as usual. Antonio Banderas is teriffic as the new Zorro and there's funny moments between Hopkins and Banderas as teacher and student respectively. Catherine Zeta-Jones is very appealing in her role also. The only real complaint I have is that the bad guys never seem like a real threat. The direction by Martin Campbell is very good and the editing was great. A very good movie.