Rating: 
Summary: BUY THIS NOW!
Review: Fantastic movie, and I tend not to like Golden Age type movies at all. But this one I'll make an exception for! GREAT swordfighting scenes, lots of beautiful horses, some incredibly sophisticated double entendres in the dialogue, and well . . . Tyrone Power did have legs up to his shoulderblades. ;-)Buy it -- you'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Eat Your Heart Out Antonio Banderas
Review: For close on to a century now, the mysterious character Zorro has proved a major touchstone to 20th (and now 21st) century storytelling. From early pulp magazine adventures, on up through the early silent years of motion pictures (re: Douglas Fairbanks), then into the serials of the 1930's, the "A" list production of the 1940s (the subject of this review), the Walt Disney television series of the late 1950s with Guy Williams and its enormously popular Dell Publishing comic book companion series drawn by the legendary illustrator Alex Toth, a tv cartoon series, and, most recently, an "A" list revival with "The Mask Of Zorro", starring Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas. And along the way, what else has El Zorro accomplished besides being enormously popular? Well, for one thing he became known as the FIRST "super-hero" with a SECRET IDENTITY. Whatever you call yourself now : Matt Murdock, Peter Parker, Clark Kent,Diana Prince...WHATEVER...you owe your secret identity and crime fighter personas to Don Diego and Zorro, so many years ago. The late Bob Kane always freely admitted that Batman (and Bruce Wayne) derived DIRECTLY from "The Mark of Zorro" with Tyrone Power. So does someone else, though his own "secret identity"(John Reid) got dropped...or rather, buried...early on. The Lone Ranger. The mysterious masked man was lifted from Zorro. Even more interestingly, when George Trendle was casting his Lone Ranger t.v. show in 1949 he got most interested in..and eventually hired for the part...Clayton Moore, whom he was impressed with when seen in the title role of a Republic serial.
The name of the serial? "The Ghost of Zorro". So, friends, this Z-Man is an ENORMOUS cultural icon. If you have seen him in the person of Antonio Banderas you have seen a good, VERY acceptable version of him. But friend, neither Banderas...nor Guy Williams...nor Douglas Fairbanks...can TOUCH Tyrone Power in this, the greatest of all Zorro screen incarnations. This is "IT". The picture quality isn't perfect, and the "extras" on the DVD are pretty lame, but THIS Zorro movie is THE Zorro movie.
Here you get Basil Rathbone Vs. Power with blades. Power was a good fencer, but Rathbone was Hollywood's greatest.When you wanted a super swordfight in classic Hollywood you got Rathbone. He dueled Flynn in Captain Blood and Robin Hood, and Power in Zorro. Lost EVERY TIME but made it look good.Made it look GREAT!
You also see things here that mark changes in the appearance of the character. The mask is used either as an eye mask or a bandanna. Also the cape/cloak is NOT used with the black outfit, ever (impedes sword fighting maneuverability). The cloak is worn only OVER "civilian" clothes when a quick-change is necessary.
The cape/cloak worn WITH the black clothing appears for the first time in the Walt Disney t.v. series and is used solely for visual effect. This wardrobe combination, however, has seemingly become standard now and is used again in the newer Banderas "Mask" product as well. You have no mute (and pretending to be deaf) servant "Bernardo" here...another Disney late addition..and no secret cavern hideaway. This is bare-bones Zorro, free from elaborate trappings. But this movie moves with verve and panache and humour and cinematic savvy, and doesn't need the elaborate trappings layered on later by others. So saddle up your own stallion, test your foil with a whipping swish through the air, and ride out into the night (...when the full moon is bright) with the horseman known as Zorro. Cut some Zees. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars just for the DVD
Review: I have been waiting forever for them to release this fantastic film on DVD! Zorro has been called the Robin Hood of the old West and this film was equally as good as the version of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn. It never follows the story line of the original story fairly well, but it captured the essence of the story while making the appropriate changes due to film time constraints. Tyrone Power was the perfect choice for the role as he was equally at home playing the fop or the adventurer with the romantic flair! Linda Darnell was a dream and the supporting cast was excellent in all ways. Eugene Pallette seemed to enjoy playing friars since he was one in both Zorro and Robin Hood. I am really hoping that they do a good job of cleaning up the movie for DVD. Especially the soundtrack, as the music plays a huge role in the romance and adventure. Thanks to whoever decided to put this out on DVD. I can't wait!!!
Rating:
Summary: A most excellent film!
Review: I haven't seen the Douglas Fairbanks version but I do prefer this to "Mask of Zorro".
I think I was maybe 13 when I first watched this movie on TCM because my dad was watching it and I was oddly captivated, and now I'm 21 and I still feel the same way. Sure the dialogue is overwhelmingly cheesy, to the point I'm not sure many people I know would like the movie. "Lovlier than a morning in June" is an especially awful line. It is ridiculous, empty flattery at best, and not even a compliment at worst, considering that June weather isn't exactly known as the lovliest, at least in CA. But any time Don Diego is acting his role pretty much makes up for it. Cheasy with a purpose! The action scenes are great, especially all the horse chase and sword fight scenes. I suppose it is my favorite sword fight scene that doesn't begin with both participants fighting left-handed. Any scenes where Tyrone Power is switching personas are very well-acted, with my favorite being where he tells the priest the truth. I also love Errol Flynn and Robin Hood esepcially, but I think I like this one better, and I find it to be more re-watchable.
Now it is true that the quality isn't great, and the special features aren't spectacular, but it is priced accordingly, so no matter. It's like renting it twice!
Rating:
Summary: A great film!
Review: I highly recommend this film, and would give it ten stars if I could. Tyrone Power is wonderful as Zorro. A very entertaining and romantic film. Linda Darnell is beautiful in it as well. Her gowns are lovely. It has adventure romance, and mystery. Its a film for all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Love the movie, dissapointed with the lack of restoration
Review: I just bought the DVD thinking it would have been digitally restored or duped from a good print or negative. Sadly, no. There are too many scratches for a state of the art digital DVD. Shame on the producers for not taking the effort to find a better print to work from, or to use computer technology to clean it up. I may miss my guess, but I believe that I have a VHS version that is cleaner than the DVD. That said, this is a classic to have. It moves at a fast pace with no wasted dialogue. Power gives a fine performance as do all the characters, such as Bromberg and Rathbone, with a twinkle of humor. The Darryl Zanuck joke on the extras is fun to see. Shickel commentary is kind of humdrum, and when he introduces Darnell, at her loveliest, as the "daughter" I felt hmm Richard you lost me already (she is the niece). I still await a better technical quality version on DVD. For now this will do.Zorro theme was actually done by Hugo Friedhofer,not Alfred Newman.
Rating:
Summary: Second Best Action Movie Ever Made
Review: I rank this movie second, behind "Raiders of the Lost Ark", of the best Action Movies ever made. This is non stop adventure with a script that does not let go until the very last scene. My eight year old son loved this movie.
Rating:
Summary: 100%
Review: I saw this film in 1959.is a great film,writing about Mask of Zorro of 1940,well...firist,everything that one should know about of,has been said many times before and I like very mutch and I'm a fã of Tyrone Power..it's for now.thanks
Rating:
Summary: As a Zorro movie fan. This one is by far the "BEST"
Review: I saw this movie about 20 years ago when I was still in high school and instantly became a "Tyron Power" fan. I watched Tyron everything after that. He displays a wonderful sense of humor. It's a wonderful love story/comedy.
Rating:
Summary: Full of adventure, love and a great story
Review: I saw this movie nearly 20 years ago and it still has me cheering! The 1998 Zorro w/ Antonio and Sir Anthony has brought the story to new heights and its absolutely BEAUTIFUL.....scenery, music and Catherine Zeta-Jones! He's still my hero & always will be (I even have a Zorro/Tornado tattoo!!!)
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