The considerable athletic prowess of Douglas Fairbanks is on full display here in
The Mark Of Zorro. This film became the standard for all future Zorros including
Tyrone Power and TV's Guy Williams.
Don Diego Vega is back from Spain learning the latest in court fashion and etiquette, but also learning duelling from the best teachers. Seeing there is despotism developing in the person of Captain Robert McKim in charge of the garrison of His Majesty's troops. California is a very long way off from Spain and the chance of appeals is limited.
Leading the opposition is the Pulido family headed by Charles Hilles Mailes who has a beautiful daughter in Margaret DeLa Motte. She has everyone's eye including Fairbanks.
Fairbanks courts her both as the court fop Don Diego and as the masked mysterious man in black Zorro who is doing his Robin Hood thing. DeLa Motte is bored by Don Diego, but the masked mysterious stranger is one romantic devil outlaw or not.
Those duelling and chase scenes are the highlight of the film and the hallmark of any Douglas Fairbanks film. Fairbanks was 37 when he made The Mark Of Zorro, but he prided himself on his conditioning and fitness. That is Douglas Fairbanks doing all those stunts, he rarely used a stunt double. It's what makes The Mark Of Zorro hold up so well today.
I'm sure that the story of the fop Don Diego like Clark Kent and his Superman like persona Zorro will be filmed once again for the big and small screens. But folks, the standard is set here by Douglas Fairbanks.
Don Diego Vega is back from Spain learning the latest in court fashion and etiquette, but also learning duelling from the best teachers. Seeing there is despotism developing in the person of Captain Robert McKim in charge of the garrison of His Majesty's troops. California is a very long way off from Spain and the chance of appeals is limited.
Leading the opposition is the Pulido family headed by Charles Hilles Mailes who has a beautiful daughter in Margaret DeLa Motte. She has everyone's eye including Fairbanks.
Fairbanks courts her both as the court fop Don Diego and as the masked mysterious man in black Zorro who is doing his Robin Hood thing. DeLa Motte is bored by Don Diego, but the masked mysterious stranger is one romantic devil outlaw or not.
Those duelling and chase scenes are the highlight of the film and the hallmark of any Douglas Fairbanks film. Fairbanks was 37 when he made The Mark Of Zorro, but he prided himself on his conditioning and fitness. That is Douglas Fairbanks doing all those stunts, he rarely used a stunt double. It's what makes The Mark Of Zorro hold up so well today.
I'm sure that the story of the fop Don Diego like Clark Kent and his Superman like persona Zorro will be filmed once again for the big and small screens. But folks, the standard is set here by Douglas Fairbanks.