The Mark of Zorro

Released Nov 1, 1940

1h 33m

Adventure

List

92%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

79%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

Tired of Governor Quintero's (J. Edward Bromberg) exploitation of poor Californians, Don Diego (Tyrone Power) decides to fight back and assumes the identity of Zorro. A masked hero with a sword, Zorro fights on behalf of the people against the corrupt Quintero and his wicked assistant, Captain Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). At the same time, Diego falls for Lolita (Linda Darnell), the governor's niece, and he pursues her while constantly battling to oust Quintero from power.

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Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

Powers can't match [Fairbanks'] astonishing acrobatics and doesn't try — but the rousing climactic duel against Basil Rathbone's villainous Captain Esteban, one of the best swordfights ever filmed at that time, almost makes up for it.

Rated: A-

May 30, 2003

Full Review

Tony Sloman

Radio Times

This is a wonderful adaptation of the great romantic legend, based on the 1919 Johnston McCulley story.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 4, 2024

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The romantic moments are unusually entertaining, largely thanks to the humor applied, turning some of the flirtation into comedy skits and others into hilarious notes on Diego’s effeminate facade.

Rated: 8/10

Sep 22, 2022

Full Review

Aurelio Pego

Cine-Mundial

I still believe that ... this is a completely anachronistic film and that nobody can replace Douglas Fairbanks. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 14, 2019

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

Tyrone Power is excellent as both fop and fox, and his swordfight with Basil Rathbone is just one of the many highlights in this exciting adventure yarn.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 7, 2016

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It's one of the all-time great swashbucklers.

Rated: A

Jun 17, 2007

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Sara T

After watching many Zorro movies and even the series this remains one (if not the best) iteration of Zorro! Love it! Tyrone Powell works so well with the role! Not downplaying anyone like Guy Williams as he was *amazing* as well but I love this one just as much.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Classic swash with rousing musical accompaniment, good sword fight.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

victor o

I have seen other adaptations of Zorro before, on film as well as on television, but I never sat down to see the older adaptations. To be honest I only saw this because Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger were inspired by the epic. I also heard plenty of great things about Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone's depictions of the characters in this adaptation of Zorro. Set in the early 1800s in Spanish-ruled California, the governor is miles away from the ruling authority in Madrid and becomes a dictator of his people. But Don Diego (Tyrone Power) takes it upon himself to use his resources from his horsemanship and swordsmanship to fight the corrupt government as a vigilante, fighting for the oppressed as the Fox, or as it's known in the original Spanish, Zorro. This will be done many times over but it certainly is more than a treat watching one of the earliest Zorro films. Tyrone Power was amazing in the movie. Acting wise he was straightforward but with a good deal of charisma, going from the spoiled fop to the dashing vigilante convincingly. I agree with Basil Rathbone who said Power was the best swordsman in motion pictures, their fight being a spectacular piece of filmmaking. The romance between Diego and Lolita, another staple of Zorro movies, is also nicely done. They don't call them classics for anything.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Taylor L

We really need to go back to the golden age of film, not because the writing, acting, or themes were better, but because the stars had way cooler names. Tyrone Power? Basil Rathbone? Montagu Love? If it doesn't sound like either a James Bond villain or a pornstar, it shouldn't be up in lights. Perhaps not as formative or massively successful (by the standards of the day) as the silent 1920 version starring Douglas Fairbanks, The Mark of Zorro is still the classic swashbuckler formula featuring one of the genre's most distinctive and enduring characters. It's got classic deceptions, a Robin Hood-esque vigilante, romance, and the elegant witticisms that each define the gentleman crusader. When you're referring to material this influential, it's essentially impossible to call something tired or unoriginal when it blazed the trail for so much of what came after it. Maybe a bit slow in parts and not featuring quite the scale of some of its contemporaries, but Power still fits the role quite well. Eugene Pallette's bullfrog voice and hard American accent as a Mexican friar is just peak classic Hollywood casting. (3/5)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/03/22

Full Review

Liam D

One of the first ever Zorro movies and it's an classic as a Swashbuckler can be with great acting, fantastic costumes, spectacular action And a bombastic score by Alfred Newman (Camelot, The Greatest Story Ever Told)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/03/22

Full Review

deke p

It's a Classic cuz 1940!, ZORRO!, Tyrone Power, hot LINDA DARNELL, Los Angeles & San Pedro. But it was a little too unserious in many parts. I've seen it a couple times, latest 5.16.2022 on the TV set.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Rouben Mamoulian

Director

Tyrone Power

Don Diego Vega

Linda Darnell

Lolita Quintero

Basil Rathbone

Captain Esteban Pasquale

Gale Sondergaard

Inez Quintero

Eugene Pallette

Fray Felipe

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Synopsis

Tired of Governor Quintero's (J. Edward Bromberg) exploitation of poor Californians, Don Diego (Tyrone Power) decides to fight back and assumes the identity of Zorro. A masked hero with a sword, Zorro fights on behalf of the people against the corrupt Quintero and his wicked assistant, Captain Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). At the same time, Diego falls for Lolita (Linda Darnell), the governor's niece, and he pursues her while constantly battling to oust Quintero from power.

Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Producer: Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter: John Taintor Foote, Garrett Fort, Johnston McCulley, Bess Meredyth
Distributor: 20th Century Fox, Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2015
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1), 35mm

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