The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Tyrone Power is Don Diego Vega, who returns to California from military training in Spain to find that his father has been forced to resign as alcalde.

In his place is Don Louis Quintero, a corrupt puppet of the local military, run by Capt. Esteban (Basil Rathbone).

At the bidding of the captain, Don Louis exacts ever higher taxes from the peons until they are near the point of rebellion.

Diego accesses the situation quickly and dons the black cape and black mask of Zorro, terrorizing the authorities and leaving a ‘Z’ engraved with his sword after every visit.

But in front of his family and even his enemies, he passes himself off as a bored, foppish aristocrat who trembles at the thought of an encounter with the “half-mad” man in black.

As Don Diego, his goal is to keep the masquerade going as long as possible. As Zorro, his goal is to convince Don Louis Quintero to resign and return his father to power.

Those two identities collide when Esteban comes up with a plan to keep Quintero in power: Have Don Diego marry his young niece Lolita (Linda Darnell), thereby uniting the families.

Lolita adores the bravery of Zorro; she adhors the thought of marrying the borrish Don Diego … until she learns the truth.

Meanwhile, the reward on Zorro’s head keeps climbing. And Capt. Esteban becomes more determined to bring him to justice.

Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega, who’s been summoned home to California by his father in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Linda Darnell as Lolita Quintero, realizing for the first time that Zorro and Don Diego are the same man in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Review:

Tyrone Power turns in a fine performance in what amounts to a dual role, Linda Darnell never looked lovelier, and director Rouben Mamoulian sets a brisk pace for one of the better early Zorro films.

One of the best scenes comes when Lolita and Zorro, disguised as a padre, first meet. She’s praying to be saved from the convent and for a strong and handsome husband.

He confirms her beauty and suggests there are better ways for her to serve God than entering the convent. After all, sons and daughters are needed to carry on God’s work.

Gale Soundergaard plays Inez Quintero, Lolita’s aunt and Don Louis’ wife. She’s jealous of Lolita and dreams of a living a lavish life in Spain with the handsome Don Diego as her secret lover.

Basil Rathbone was an accomplished fencer in real life. As for Darnell, she was just 16 when the film was made and had become the youngest leading lady in Hollywood history the year before when she starred opposite Power in 1939’s “Day-Time Wife.”

Basil Rathbone as Capt. Esteban, the military leader for the alcalde in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

J. Edward Bromberg as Don Louis Quintero, the corrupt alcalde in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Directed by:
Rouben Mamoulian

Cast:
Tyrone Power … Diego/Zorro
Linda Darnell … Lolita Quintero
Basil Rathbone … Capt. Esteban
Gale Soundergaard … Inez Quintero
Eugene Pallette … Fray Felipe
J. Edward Bromberg … Don Louis Quintero
Montagu Love … Don Alejandro Vega
Janet Beecher … Isabella Vega
George Regas … Sgt. Gonzales
Chris-Pin Martin … Turnkey
Robert Lowery … Rodrigo
Belle Mitchell … Maria
John Bleifer … Pedro
Frank Puglia … Propietor
Eugene Borden … Officer of the day

Runtime: 94 min.

Montagu Love as Don Alejandro Vega, Diego’s father in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Eugene Pallett as Fray Felipe, religious leader of the area in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Memorable lines:

Diego: “A toast, senors, to California. Where a man can only marry, raise fat children and watch his vineyards grow.”

Diego, when Capt. Esteban asks him to meet the new ruler of the area before being united with his family: “How could I refuse a man anything with a naked sword in his hand?”
Capt. Esteban: “So a wit has come to Los Angeles. A foolish habit of mine. Some men play with a club, or a monical, or a snuff box. Churchmen think of their beads. I toy with a sword. Do you fancy the weapon?”
Diego: “Oh, I know very little about it, my dear capitan. Sword play is such a violent business.”

Inez Quintero to Lolita, who notes that girls younger than her are already married: “Keep it cool, my girl. Or I’ll whisk you into a convent.”

Fray Felipe, of Don Diego’s father and the new alcalde: “In his place sits a viper. So foul and so black. Ah, to be alone with him for five minutes. Five little minutes. Long enough to tear his windpipe out of his throat. God forgive me.”

Zorro, placing a sword alongside Quintero’s neck: “Do you think the climate in Spain would agree with you?”
Don Luis Quintero: “Why do you ask?”
Zorro: “Because you’re either going there or someplace you might not like so well. Which will it be?”

Gale Soundergaard as Inez Quintero, wife of the alcalde in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

George Regas as Sgt. Gonzalez, who winds up marked with Zorro’s Z in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Linda Darnell as Lolita Quintero, discusssing marriage to Don Diego with the jealous Inez in The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega, revealing his alter ego to Lolita in The Mark of Zorro (1940)