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The Mark of Zorro Movie Review

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Sci-Fi/Fantasy Comedy & Personal Dramas Action Dramas
Actors: Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Basil Rathbone
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Mark of Zorro
The movie is set in the 1820s when California was a Spanish colony. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power) is the young scion of a rich family. After being "polished" at the Spanish court, he comes home to California. To his horror, the entire community, the rich and poor, are being terrorized by a vicious dictatorship. The governor taxes the poor of all they own and tortures and kills them when they protest. The rich are too cowed to react. The governor is weak, vicious, and stupid. He is directed by Captain Estaban (Basil Rathbone) who controls the army.

Don Diego is not well known since he has been in Spain. He adopts the pose of a foolish fastidious fop who cares for nothing but finery. But at night he is Zorro terrorizing the governor to force him to abdicate as governor and return to Spain.

In the meantime, he falls in love with the governor's neice (Linda Darnell). She despises the fop as weak and unmanly. But at the same time, she adores Zorro as brave.

Captain Estaban has his eye on Don Diego, suspecting him to be Zorro.

A truly wonderful movie that is great for kids and grownups alike. Excitement, wonderful sword fights between Rathbone and Power, and comedy with the foolish governor and also the priest (Eugene Pallette) who secretly helps Zorro. And of course romance.

--Fenella, Resident Scholar




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Analysis of The Mark of Zorro
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Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 40%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%



Time/Era of Movie: - 19th century
Combat acrobatics/martial arts? Yes
Romance Yes
Kind of movie - superfast sword fighting

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - champion of justice
Age: - 20's-30's
Hair color? - brunette (Black)
Hair style - short/standard wavy (man)
Body type - average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality - Hispanic/Latinic
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Female
Hair color - brunette (Black)
Hair style - (woman) long wavy
How much in movie? - 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality - Hispanic/Latinic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - police/lawman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 60%
Hair color - brunette (Black)
Hair type - (man) short/standard wavey
Body type - average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality - Hispanic/Latinoa
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Southwest

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - non-gory references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel... - very happy
How many deaths in film? - 8 or more
How much use of techno gadgets? - 1 ()
Kind of violence: - swords
Check here if B&W Yes
Any profanity? - None
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