Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Reed Hadley | ... | Don Diego Vega / Zorro | |
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Sheila Darcy | ... | Volita |
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William Corson | ... | Ramon |
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Leander De Cordova | ... | Governor Felipe |
Edmund Cobb | ... | Gonzalez | |
John Merton | ... | Manuel [Ch. 1-9] | |
C. Montague Shaw | ... | Pablo | |
Budd Buster | ... | Juan | |
Carleton Young | ... | Benito Juarez [ch 1-2, 12] | |
Guy D'Ennery | ... | Don Francisco [Ch. 1] | |
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Paul Marion | ... | Kala [Ch. 10-12] (as Paul Marian) |
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Joe Molina | ... | Tarmac |
James Pierce | ... | Moreno (as Jim Pierce) | |
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Helen Mitchel | ... | Doña Maria |
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Curley Dresden | ... | Tomás |
It'a 1824 and Don Del Oro, a man completely hidden in a suit of armor, plans to become emperor of Mexico. Don Diego arrives and as the masked Zorro takes up the fight. He organizes the Legionnaires to fight Del Oro's henchmen and the Yaqui Indians. CHAP. 1, GOLDEN GOD: An explosion sends a landslide down on Zorro. CHAP. 2, FLAMING Z: Zorro is trapped in a building as it explodes. CHAP. 3, DESCENDING DOOM: Zorro is trapped in an elevator shaft with the car plummeting down at him. CHAP. 4, BRIDGE OF PERIL: Zorro is on a narrow suspension bridge when the suport ropes are cut. CHAP. 5, DECOY: Zorro is on a wagon that explodes. CHAP. 6, ZORRO TO THE RESCUE: Zorro is locked in a dungeon cell with a moving wall that is about to crush him. CHAP. 7, FUGITIVE: Zorro falls beneath a runaway stagecoach. CHAP. 8, FLOWING DEATH: Zorro is in a mine shaft when an avalanche of water is released. CHAP 9, GOLDEN ARROW: A man at close range shoots an arrow at the unsuspecting Don Diego. CHAP. 10, MYSTERY... Written by Maurice VanAuken <vanauken@comcast.net>
Along with "King of the Rocket Men", this was still being repeated on BBC TV in the early to mid eighties. If I was loading up a time capsule of this period both these series would definitely go in.
Someone watching it for the first time will think it is silly but this is one of the best examples of the "Serials". Don Del Oro will make you laugh (When I was little my nickname for him was Mr Dustbin head) and it was funny upon being shot at he says "Your bullets can't harm me" then he stumbles back, seemingly less than happy. I also like the way he dispenses with Sebastian in the first episode.
I watched this again because I had good memories of it from years back, there are some good stunts and good music, it has the ingredients you expect including water,rockfalls,runaway carts... Apart from the first episode(with Ralph Faulkner)the swordplay wasn't nearly as good as I remembered it, and yes it features the inevitable "flashback" episode! It gets 8 out of 10 because it still suffers from slow pace, padding and the other tricks. If you are interested in these serials I recommend the book by William Witney, "In a Door, Into a Fight, Out a Door, Into a Chase" although there is only a small entry about this series in it.