Certainly everyone's familiar with the plot of Zorro, so no need to go into that here.
While not a Tyrone Power fan, I do love Basil Rathbone (one of the most versatile and underrated actors ever, in my opinion), and I thought I'd give the swashbuckler a try.
Throughout the picture I kept having this sense of deja vu. I finally realized it was that so many scenes were almost direct replica's of the Flynn/de Havilland masterpiece "Adventures of Robin Hood." Alas, "The Mark of Zorro" lacks Robin Hood's ideals, charming/witty/inspiring dialogue, pacing, depth of acting ability, terrific score, and just about everything else.
Tyrone Power has never struck me as a believable actor in any of his roles. He always seems to be on the surface of the lines rather than being immersed in a character or urged from within. His comic flares work fine in this movie but we never really get a sense of the outrage or the intensity that would fuel an outlaw. Flynn, on the other hand, has numerous scenes written specifically to show both his compassion for the underclass and his contempt for corrupt rulers.
The two pictures have eerie similarities, down to the day-for-night shooting of chases on horseback. And Friar Tuck -- or is it Pah-dray Somebody? -- confuses the issue more. Linda Darnell is niece of the al-cal-day, mirroring de Havilland's being the ward of Richard I. Of course, de Havilland wipes the floor with Darnell, partly because she's given fantastic scenes with wide scope for character development and partly because she's by far the better actress.
The two memorable aspects of this picture for me are the duel between Power & Rathbone and -- oddly enough -- the performance of the Zorro stunt double riding his black horse through the town. The swordplay is everything everyone says it is -- a wonderful example of the art. Power was a trained fencer and it shows! (He clearly wasn't a trained dancer, which also shows.) The intensity and speed of the swordplay is beautiful to watch.
As for the stuntee, I found myself mesmerized by the ease with which (presumably) he handled the horse, making quick, light turns and looking for all the world like a centaur. Wonderful horsemanship (I suppose the horse should get some kudos, too!). Some of the best I've seen on film.
I really wanted this picture to be better than it was. It had lovely costumes and some nice photography but is no match for the stirring epic that it so clearly seems to be imitating.
While not a Tyrone Power fan, I do love Basil Rathbone (one of the most versatile and underrated actors ever, in my opinion), and I thought I'd give the swashbuckler a try.
Throughout the picture I kept having this sense of deja vu. I finally realized it was that so many scenes were almost direct replica's of the Flynn/de Havilland masterpiece "Adventures of Robin Hood." Alas, "The Mark of Zorro" lacks Robin Hood's ideals, charming/witty/inspiring dialogue, pacing, depth of acting ability, terrific score, and just about everything else.
Tyrone Power has never struck me as a believable actor in any of his roles. He always seems to be on the surface of the lines rather than being immersed in a character or urged from within. His comic flares work fine in this movie but we never really get a sense of the outrage or the intensity that would fuel an outlaw. Flynn, on the other hand, has numerous scenes written specifically to show both his compassion for the underclass and his contempt for corrupt rulers.
The two pictures have eerie similarities, down to the day-for-night shooting of chases on horseback. And Friar Tuck -- or is it Pah-dray Somebody? -- confuses the issue more. Linda Darnell is niece of the al-cal-day, mirroring de Havilland's being the ward of Richard I. Of course, de Havilland wipes the floor with Darnell, partly because she's given fantastic scenes with wide scope for character development and partly because she's by far the better actress.
The two memorable aspects of this picture for me are the duel between Power & Rathbone and -- oddly enough -- the performance of the Zorro stunt double riding his black horse through the town. The swordplay is everything everyone says it is -- a wonderful example of the art. Power was a trained fencer and it shows! (He clearly wasn't a trained dancer, which also shows.) The intensity and speed of the swordplay is beautiful to watch.
As for the stuntee, I found myself mesmerized by the ease with which (presumably) he handled the horse, making quick, light turns and looking for all the world like a centaur. Wonderful horsemanship (I suppose the horse should get some kudos, too!). Some of the best I've seen on film.
I really wanted this picture to be better than it was. It had lovely costumes and some nice photography but is no match for the stirring epic that it so clearly seems to be imitating.