The Mark of Zorro [1940]

Classic swashbuckling adventure starring Tyrone power as the hero and Basil Rathone as the evil villain.
If you have read my top 25 swashbuckling films list on Amazon, this classic is number 2. The reason is because it has a good story and there is an excellent sword fight between Tyrone and Basil.
Basil starred as villains in other classic swashbucklers such as "Captain Blood" 1935 and "Robin Hood" 1938 and he was a proffessional fencer in real life.
I think the quality of the colour version is brilliant and I was surprised because when most movies are remastered in colour, the quality is usually awful.
Another must see swashbuckler which stars Tyrone Power is "The Black Swan" 1942 and it's ranked number 11 on my list.It also has excellent colour and George Sanders does a good performance as the villain.

This is the remake of the original silent film, and I haven't seen that one, but this is far better than the recent Banderas/Zeta-Jones versions. We showed this on a large screen to 15 7 year-olds for my son's birthday, and although some were faintly bemused that a film could be black and white, all agreed this one was better. The crucial swordfight is fantastic, and despite primitive special effects, everyone was riveted. Well worth a look.

20th Century Fox present "THE MARK OF ZORRO" (Special Edition) (Released: November 8, 1940) (93 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- "The Mark of Zorro" is a 1940 feature motion picture directed by Rouben Mamoulian and produced by 20th Century Fox --- It starred Tyrone Power as Don Diego de la Vega (Zorro), Linda Darnell as his love interest, (Lolita Quintero), Montagu Love as (Don Alejandro Vega), Gale Sondergaard as the naughty (Inez Quintero), Eugene Pallette as (Fra. Felipe), with Basil Rathbone, one of the most durable of screen villains who has mastered stage fencing but never won a sword fight, plays the cruel (Captain Esteban Pasquale), the Alcalde's military adviser and J. Edward Bromberg was the corrupt governor (Don Luis Quintero ) --- The film was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and produced by Raymond Griffith and Darryl F. Zanuck.

Based on the Johnston McCulley story "The Curse of Capistrano", originally published in 1919, which introduced the masked hero Zorro, the movie's story is set in Southern California during the early 19th century --- It deals with the foppish son of a wealthy ranchero who returns to California after a sojourn at school in Spain, only to be horrified at the way the common people are being mistreated by Governor Quintero --- Don Diego adopts the guise of Zorro ("the Fox"), a Robin Hood like outlaw who becomes a defender of the people --- In the meanwhile, he romances the governor's beautiful niece, Lolita, and fends off the governor's ablest henchman, the malevolent Captain Pasquale --- The high point of the picture is the fantastic duel between Power and Rathbone, a masterpiece of screen Swordplay --- Tyrone Power had joined Errol Flynn as the reigning 'kings' of swashbucklers, a title both would find amusing, if limiting, but which would be how both actors are best remembered, today! (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Under Rouben Mamoulian (Director), Raymond Griffith (Producer), Darryl F. Zanuck (Producer), John Taintor Foote (Screenwriter), Garrett Elsden Fort (Screenwriter), Johnston McCulley (Short Story Author), Bess Meredyth (Screenwriter),Arthur C. Miller (Cinematographer), Alfred Newman (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Robert Bischoff (Editor), Richard Day (Art Director), Joseph C. Wright (Art Director), Thomas K. Little (Set Designer), Travis Banton (Costume Designer) - - - - This film is essentially a remake of the 1920 United Artists silent version, "The Mark of Zorro", which starred Douglas Fairbanks --- This 1940 version under Alfred Newman's Oscar-Nominated score and despite the unusual absence of Technicolor, the film (the first of the great Tyrone Power swashbucklers ) is great fun, full of vitality and suspense, an exciting, deliciously ironic swashbuckler

the cast includes:
Tyrone Power ... Don Diego Vega/Zorro
Linda Darnell ... Lolita Quintero
Basil Rathbone ... Captain Esteban Pasquale
Gale Sondergaard ... Inez Quintero
Eugene Pallette ... Fray Felipe
J. Edward Bromberg ... Don Luis Quintero
Montagu Love ... Don Alejandro Vega
Janet Beecher ... Señora Isabella Vega
George Regas ... Sergeant Gonzales
Chris-Pin Martin ... The Turnkey
Robert Lowery ... Rodrigo
Belle Mitchell ... Maria de Lopez
John Bleifer ... Pedro
Frank Puglia ... Propietor
Eugene Borden ... Officer of the Day
Pedro de Cordoba ... Don Miguel
Guy D'Ennery ... Don José
Stanley Andrews ... Commanding Officer
Ralph Byrd ... Student/Officer
Charles Stevens ... Jose, a Peón

BIOS:
1. Tyrone Power
Date of Birth: 5 May 1914 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Date of Death: 15 November 1958 - Madrid, Spain.

2. Linda Darnell
Date of Birth: 16 October 1923 - Dallas, Texas
Date of Death: 10 April 1965 - Glenview, Illinois

3. Basil Rathbone
Date of Birth: 13 June 1892- Johannesburg, South Africa
Date of Death: 21 July 1967 - New York, New York

4. Gale Sondergaard
Date of Birth15 February 1899 - Litchfield, Minnesota
Date of Death: 14 August 1985 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

5. Eugene Pallette
Date of Birth: 8 July 1889- Winfield, Kansas
Date of Death: 3 September 1954 - Los Angeles, California

6. J. Edward Bromberg
Date of Birth: 25 December 1903 - Temesvár, Austria-Hungary. [now Timisoara, Romania]
Date of Death: 6 December 1951 - London, England, UK

7. Rouben Mamoulian (Director)
Date of Birth: 8 October 1897 - Tiflis, Georgia, Russian Empire. [now Tbilisi, Georgia]
Date of Death: 4 December 1987 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. All new Colorized feature
2. Restored Black & White feature
3. Commentary by Film Critic Richard Schickel
4. Tyrone Power: :The Last Idol" as seen on Biography on A&E Network
5. Special Edition - Collectible Movie Photos from the film "The Mark of Zorro".

Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO, CTO & Board Member) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 93 mins on DVD ~ 20th Century Fox ~ (10/18/2005)