MARK OF ZORRO

US, 1920, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Douglas Fairbanks, Margueritte de la Motte, Robert Mc Kim, Noah Beery, Walt Whitman.
Directed by Fred Niblo.

Douglas Fairbanks was the master-hero of the films of the 1920s. This was one of his early films that he was to appear in, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as well as Robin Hood and The Gaucho.

This film was based on the story by Johnston Mc Cluskey. It became the basis for many Zorro films, and the 1997 film with Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas. And many more, including television series.

The story is familiar, the Robin Hood of California. Fairbanks is Don Diego, who seems an effete member of the nobility, lounging around, lazy. Nobody suspects that he is actually Zorro. Fairbanks enjoys both aspects of his character. And there are various fights, sword fights. They are filmed with fixed camera and action within the frame, still very effective.

Margueritte De La Motte is the heroine, Lolita. There is the usual decadent governor, an ambitious commander of the military, a rather stupid local commander, and noble family in poverty, the family of the heroine. There is also a scene with a Franciscan friar, wearing his habit and emboldened against the governor with it, who is lashed for his beliefs. Zorro is strong in his praise of the friar and his beliefs in denouncing tyranny. However, one of the early captions in the film praises of Oliver Cromwell as being a religious savior!

The film was directed by Fred Niblo, who appeared in two silent films in Australia, returned to the United States and became a noted director, especially for his 1925, Ben Hur.

Despite its age and the silent style, it is still an enjoyable version of the Zorro legend.

1. The status of the film in 1920? Hollywood establishing spectacles and adventures? The status of Douglas Fairbanks, the athletic and swashbuckling hero?

2. The now-familiar story, the Robin Hood of California, the scourge of the rich and powerful, the supporter of the poor and the Indians?

3. The black and white photography, fixed camera, action within the frame? How effective? The captions and their literary style?

4. The situation in California at the beginning of the 19th century? The influence of Spain, its hold over the people? Don Diego and his going to Spain to study? Expectations of him? His return, his pose? People believing it? Not suspecting him of being Zorro?

5. Zorro and his sign, his costume, his mask? The laughing cavalier style? His attacking the military, his criticisms of the governor, the local police chasing him? His courting of Lolita? The action adventures scenes, the sword fights?

6. Don Diego, seemingly lazy, his father ashamed of him? Lolita not responding to him? His cover for his actions? The scenes in the inn? His excuses for leaving, enabling him to reappear as Zorro?

7. The governor, money, decadence? Captain Ramon and his loyalty, pursuing Zorro? Pursuing Lolita? His capturing her? Zorro and his confrontation of the government? The fights with Captain Ramon and the rescue of Lolita?

8. The sequence with the friar, the governor’s intolerance? The friar offending himself, his spirit, faith, his habit? His being humiliated and lashed? Zorro’s rescue? Later praising him and his faith?

9. Romance, Lolita and her despising of Diego, her love for Zorro, the final unmasking and the recognition? His father proud? The local soldiers behind him? His ousting the Spanish powers? And the final romantic kiss?