Zorro - The Legend Through The Years

   The Mark of Zorro - 1974

Frank Langella is Don Diego Vega and Zorro Frank Langella
is
Don Diego Vega and Zorro
Ricardo Montalban
is
Captain Esteban
Ricardo Montalban is Captain Esteban
Gilbert Roland is Don Alejandro Vega Gilbert Roland
is
Don Alejandro Vega
Yvonne De Carlo
is
Isabella Vega
Yvonne De Carlo is Isabella Vega
Louise Sorel is Inez Quintero Louise Sorel
is
Inez Quintero
Robert Middleton
is
Don Luis Quintero
Robert Middleton is Don Luis Quintero
Anne Archer is Teresa Anne Archer
is
Teresa
Tom Lacy
is
Fray Felipe
Tom Lacy is Fray Felipe
Diego tells his friends that he is returning to California.

Diego arrives in California.

Diego cuts his hand on Don Esteban's sword.

The movie opens with a scene showing that Diego is an expert horseman.  Diego speaks to his friends; he states that he is a peace-loving man.  Zorro is mentioned as being long dead.

Diego informs his friends that he will be leaving for California because the "letters from home have been dark and worrisome - things are not as they should be.  My place is at home."  The scene concludes with Don Diego tossing his sword to the ceiling.

When Diego reaches California, he hears how everyone hates the alcalde, which surprises him since as far as he knows, the alcalde is his father.  Diego learns from Don Esteban that his father is no longer the alcalde.  Don Esteban tosses his sword to Don Diego and Diego drops it and appears to have been cut.  He wraps his handkerchief around his finger.

Don Diego arrives at the Vega hacienda in time to overhear part of a conversation between his father and several caballeros.  The other men assure Don Diego's father, Don Alejandro, that they are all ready to revolt against the alcalde.  Don Alejandro opposes a revolt because he believes that they would have no chance of winning.  One of the other caballeros asks him, "Look hard, Don Alejandro, and remember well, the sword of the Vegas hangs in your home.  The blade which first brought justice to this land.  Is it to hang there like a rusted memory?"

Don Diego learns that his father was forced out of office.  Don Alejandro tells Diego that neither he nor his son will spill the blood of his people in a useless revolt.  Diego begins to act uninterested and then performs a slight of hand trick.  Don Alejandro tells him to stop; he and the other caballeros leave the room.  Someone is seen taking the sword of the Vegas off of the wall.

Diego performs a slight of hand trick for the caballeros.

A caballero points to the sword of the Vegas.

Zorro replaces the tax notice with a new sign.

Zorro gives the stolen tax money to Fray Felipe.

Zorro rides into the pueblo, tears down a tax notice, and replaces it with a new sign.  Zorro robs Quintero and his wife.  A short time later Zorro robs Don Esteban of the tax money and rides to the mission and gives Fray Felipe the tax money to distribute to the people.  The soldiers arrive and find Don Diego in the Fray's office.  They question him, and Diego tells them which way he thinks Zorro went.  Diego tells Fray Felipe how much he misses Madrid.  Fray Felipe berates Diego for his inaction after the soldiers leave and is disgusted that the boy he helped raise has turned into "a silly buffoon."
Zorro visits Quintero in his office and informs Quintero that he will resign and appoint Don Alejandro as alcalde.  Zorro blindfolds Quintero and props up a sword so that Quintero thinks Zorro is still present as he makes his escape.  As Zorro escapes, he hides inside a priest's robes and takes refuge in the chapel.  While he is there, he speaks to Lolita and woos her.  After he leaves the church, Zorro finds himself pursued by soldiers.  He hides behind a bush, sheds the priest's robes, and emerges as Zorro.  After fighting and killing several men, Zorro makes his escape. Zorro threatens Quintero.
Diego arrives at Quintero's hacienda to take Inez for a ride.  They see some children near a 'Z' that has been marked on the hacienda.  Don Diego relates a story of a case in Madrid similar to Zorro in which a man left a cross as a mark and slits the throats of 40 or 50 people.  Don Diego's comments have the desired effect of frightening Quintero.

Quintero decides to attempt an alliance between the Quinteros and Vegas by suggesting a marriage between Teresa and Diego.  Don Esteban suggests the marriage to Don Alejandro who immediately rejects it.  Zorro interrupts the meeting to demand that Don Esteban and Quintero return to Spain and promises a future duel with Don Esteban.  Don Esteban is enraged and Don Alejandro is amused about Don Esteban's reaction.

Don Diego has dinner with the Quinteros.

Fray Felipe is lashed by the soldiers.

Don Esteban and Zorro duel.

Don Diego enters the room and hears about the proposed marriage.  He decides that he wants to meet Teresa.  Don Esteban extends an invitation to dinner and Diego accepts.  At the dinner, Diego performs slight of hand tricks; Teresa is very unimpressed.  After the others leave the table, Diego speaks to Inez about how his marriage will give the two of them a veil of propriety.  Diego asks Quintero for Teresa's hand in marriage.  Don Esteban seems highly pleased.  Don Diego visits Teresa in her room, confessing that he is Zorro; she is quite happy.

Fray Felipe is lashed by the soldiers; Teresa sees the injustice and rides to the Vega hacienda to tell the Vegas.  Don Alejandro decides to rally the caballeros and fight Quintero.  Zorro meets Quintero in his office and makes him sign a resignation.  At the same time, Don Alejandro and the caballeros storm the gates.  Don Esteban enters Quintero's office to find Zorro.  He and Zorro begin a duel by first slicing the candles.  Right before Zorro kills Don Esteban, he pulls off his mask.  Don Esteban remarks, "So, inside the peacock, we find the hawk."

Outiside the hacienda, Don Alejandro and the caballeros have overthrown the soldiers.  Don Alejandro tells Zorro, "The sword of the Vegas has never enjoyed such distinction."  Zorro replies, "Thank you, father." Don Alejandro smiles as he begins to understand. Zorro and Don Alejandro smile at each other.
Comments:

This film follows most of the script of the 1940 movie and uses the exact same theme music.  The story has been shortened somewhat with several scenes either omitted or condensed.

Two of the actors in this movie, Gilbert Roland and Ricardo Montalban, had roles as guest stars in the Disney Zorro series.

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