I wonder when Johnston McCully wrote a short tale called THE CURSE OF CAPISTRANO he realized that he created a literary figure who would create a line of movie, television, and radio stories that are the equal of Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, Batman (a type of accidental spin-off, belatedly), and Superman. Add to that list Diego De La Vega, who as "Zorro" is the secret hero of the story, and with his wits and swordsmanship takes on and overturns a local tyrant governor and his military aide in old California. The role would be played by many people starting with Douglas Fairbanks Sr., and going to Tyrone Power, George Hamilton, and Antonio Banderas. Indeed now, to keep up with current trends, Zorro's wife is as good a swords-person as he is.
The version in this 1940 production was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, and it has been criticized (why, I have never understood) as being too still. Certainly it lacks some of the athletic tricks the 1920 silent version had due to Doug Fairbanks, but the action is fast enough. And it presented a fascinating dual role for star Tyrone Power, and gave enough early 19th Century Spanish-American/Mexican-American background to satisfy Mamoulian's love of stylistic sets and direction.
Power is the son of Montague Love, and has been sent to Spain for his education. Love was the Alcalde of the town Power came from in California, but when he returns he discovers Love was replaced (we never exactly learn how), and the new governor (J. Edward Bromberg) and his wife (Gale Sondergaard) are a pair of vultures who are stealing everything they can from the local population through heavy taxes - with a large share going to their military aide (Basil Rathbone). Rathbone is quite a good swordsman, and quite ruthless. He sees no reason not to use force on the locals to tow the line. And nobody is around to stop him.
The only possible brake on them is Eugene Palette, the local mission father - thus representing the Roman Catholic Church, but while they can't act against him they can ignore his anger. Love and his cronies have to keep quiet or their lands will be seized.
Nobody knows that Power became a brilliant swordsman in Spain, and was even offered a military post there. When he returns he decides to fully pretend that Spain "emasculated" the splendid boy he once was as a young kid, and left him a tepid and tired fop. His biggest social claim is a tired joke about his handkerchief.
This relieves (or is dismissed by) the villains. Rathbone, in particular, would love to face a worthy sword foe-man (we constantly see Basil prepping himself for fighting, and at one point he anxiously inquires if Power fancies the sword as a weapon). Love is disappointed by this worthless fop who has returned, as is Palette.
Then, a mysterious night rider comes around the area and starts beating up and running through various troops sent to collect taxes or other forms of extortion. The masked rider calls himself "Zorro", and only Palette learns it is Power. He goes from one escapade to another, including robbing Bromberg and Sondergaard in their coach. At the same time, while goading Esteban (Rathbone) by showing how ineffective the latter is in keeping the lid on the kettle, Power also twits the latter by becoming a romantic rival to the latter over the niece of Bromberg and Sondergaard (Linda Darnell).
Nice touches abound in this film. This is the swordsmanship film where Power uses his sword to cut a set of candles in half without them apparently moving (Rathbone supposedly cut them in half but his halves fell to the floor). It also has moments of comedy - Rathbone finding Bromberg in his office tied up and blindfolded with a sword at his throat (placed there by Power before he left), asks the alcalde if he is trying to commit suicide!
Altogether a very superior adventure story.
The version in this 1940 production was directed by Rouben Mamoulian, and it has been criticized (why, I have never understood) as being too still. Certainly it lacks some of the athletic tricks the 1920 silent version had due to Doug Fairbanks, but the action is fast enough. And it presented a fascinating dual role for star Tyrone Power, and gave enough early 19th Century Spanish-American/Mexican-American background to satisfy Mamoulian's love of stylistic sets and direction.
Power is the son of Montague Love, and has been sent to Spain for his education. Love was the Alcalde of the town Power came from in California, but when he returns he discovers Love was replaced (we never exactly learn how), and the new governor (J. Edward Bromberg) and his wife (Gale Sondergaard) are a pair of vultures who are stealing everything they can from the local population through heavy taxes - with a large share going to their military aide (Basil Rathbone). Rathbone is quite a good swordsman, and quite ruthless. He sees no reason not to use force on the locals to tow the line. And nobody is around to stop him.
The only possible brake on them is Eugene Palette, the local mission father - thus representing the Roman Catholic Church, but while they can't act against him they can ignore his anger. Love and his cronies have to keep quiet or their lands will be seized.
Nobody knows that Power became a brilliant swordsman in Spain, and was even offered a military post there. When he returns he decides to fully pretend that Spain "emasculated" the splendid boy he once was as a young kid, and left him a tepid and tired fop. His biggest social claim is a tired joke about his handkerchief.
This relieves (or is dismissed by) the villains. Rathbone, in particular, would love to face a worthy sword foe-man (we constantly see Basil prepping himself for fighting, and at one point he anxiously inquires if Power fancies the sword as a weapon). Love is disappointed by this worthless fop who has returned, as is Palette.
Then, a mysterious night rider comes around the area and starts beating up and running through various troops sent to collect taxes or other forms of extortion. The masked rider calls himself "Zorro", and only Palette learns it is Power. He goes from one escapade to another, including robbing Bromberg and Sondergaard in their coach. At the same time, while goading Esteban (Rathbone) by showing how ineffective the latter is in keeping the lid on the kettle, Power also twits the latter by becoming a romantic rival to the latter over the niece of Bromberg and Sondergaard (Linda Darnell).
Nice touches abound in this film. This is the swordsmanship film where Power uses his sword to cut a set of candles in half without them apparently moving (Rathbone supposedly cut them in half but his halves fell to the floor). It also has moments of comedy - Rathbone finding Bromberg in his office tied up and blindfolded with a sword at his throat (placed there by Power before he left), asks the alcalde if he is trying to commit suicide!
Altogether a very superior adventure story.