The sign of Zorro

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Movie
German title The sign of Zorro
Original title The Mark of Zorro
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1920
length 91 minutes
Rod
Director Fred Niblo
script Eugene Miller ,
Douglas Fairbanks
production Douglas Fairbanks
music William ax
camera William C. McGann ,
Harry Thorpe
occupation

The Mark of Zorro is an American swashbuckler film by Fred Niblo from the year 1920 .

action

Don Diego Vega is a rich, friendly, but apparently weak and impulsive nobleman . Only his mute servant Bernardo knows that Don Diego, a passionate avenger with a black mask, fights against oppression . As a mysterious Zorro , he soon becomes the terror of the soldiers : the superior fencer leaves a Z-shaped scar on the face of his opponent .

At the behest of his strict father, Don Diego courted the beautiful Lolita Pulido. As much as the aristocratic family, impoverished by the governor, is happy about the advances made by the respected Don Diego Vega, Lolita's disappointment at his unmanliness is just as great. When a short time later Don Diego appears at Lolita as a passionate Zorro, she soon succumbs to his charm and begins to fall in love.

The vain and powerful Captain Ramon also chases Lolita. When he brutally harassed her one night, Zorro rushed to her aid and easily defeated Ramon in a fencing match. But the situation in the village escalates when an innocent, old Franciscan is convicted of fraud and treason by the judge . Only Lolita's father courageously opposes the bloody whipping . The governor, who traveled personally because of the bandit Zorro, has the whole family locked up for high treason: Because Zorro was often seen near the Pulidos, they seem to be in league with him.

Meanwhile, Zorro has succeeded in getting the hitherto superficial Caballeros of the place excited about his fight against oppression. Together they free Lolita and her parents from prison. Before Lolita can be brought to safety by the rescue team, Ramon kidnaps her: he intercepted a secret message and mingled with the liberators, masked. Zorro, who gave himself a wild chase with the soldiers to distract himself from the rescue team, is able to save Lolita from Ramon's clutches.

He fled to his house with Lolita. All soldiers with Captain Ramon and the governor storm and search the building. Zorro faces them as a weak Don Diego. However, the hidden Lolita is discovered by the soldiers. When Ramon insults Lolita and Don Diego, Don Diego calls him unusually angry to the battle. He reveals himself as Zorro by scratching a capital "Z" on Captain Ramon's forehead with his sword.

With the Caballeros and finally the soldiers behind him, he calls on the governor to abdicate . He agrees with jubilation. Don Diego lets his sword rest and kisses Lolita with the passion of a Zorro.

background

The film was made after the 1919 magazine novel by Johnston McCulley The Curse of Capistrano .

The Mark of Zorro is the first adventure and costume film with Douglas Fairbanks in the lead role. Films of this kind quickly made him a world star and the most popular actor of his time. The film premiered on November 27, 1920 in New York City . It was the first film produced by the United Artists film company . A year earlier, Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin , Mary Pickford and David Wark Griffith had founded the film company.

Remake

The film was twice remade , the first time in 1940 as The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power as Zorro and the second time in 1974 with Frank Langella in the title role.

In 1998 there was another film with the Zorro theme : The Mask of Zorro with Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas (director: Martin Campell). In 2005 a sequel followed: Die Legende des Zorro (The Legend of Zorro) with Antonio Banderas (director: Martin Campell).

literature

  • Thomas Christians: The sign of Zorro. In: Bodo Traber (ed.): Film genres. Adventure (= RUB . No. 18404). Reclam, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-15-018404-5 , pp. 153-156.

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