Acting is a challenge. There can be nothing more challenging than playing a hero. Tyrone Power plays the avenger in black, in Old California. He gives hope to the people, and puts fear in the bad guys by carving his Z with his sword. Tyrone Power does well playing the dual role of Zorro and Diego. He is particularly good in playing Diego. He plays Diego as a selfish, cowardly and spoiled rich boy. It is quite an effective cover. Tyrone Power was coming off the success of Jesse James. A screen character, similar to Zorro. The real Jesse James, however, was hardly Tyrone Power’s version.
Power’s Zorro, is helped out by Fray Felipe. He is played by character actor, Eugene Pallette. Fray Felipe hides stolen goods for Zorro, and tells him about the oppression of the people, by the authorities. Pallette played a similar role, opposite Errol Flynn, in The Adventures of Robin Hood. He has a bigger role in The Mark of Zorro. The people are oppressed by Don Louis Quintero, (J. Edward Bromberg). He is the Alcalde of old Los Angeles. He replaced Don Alejandro Vega: beloved Alcalde, and father of Diego. Don Louis, is actually a coward. The real power, is Capt. Esteban Pasquale, (Basil Rathbone). This type of role was Rathbone’s, bread and butter. That was, until he put his spin on Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Rathbone does as well in this, as he did in The Adventures of Robin Hood. His character was a fencing instructor in Madrid, until forced to leave after a scandal. Diego, was also at the same academy, until called back to California, by his father. It is Diego who duels with Capt. Pasquale, putting an end to his evil life.
It is after Pasquale’s death, that Don Luis Quintero, take action. He declares Diego, Zorro, and imprisons him. Zorro like most heroes, in movies, finds a gullible/stupid jailer. He performs a magic trick, steals the gun, and escapes, with Fray Felipe. He was jailed, for receiving stolen goods. Zorro manages with Fray Felipe, to fight off the soldiers, and incite the crowd to fight back. Zorro and the oppressed citizens, force Quintero to resign. He does this, and leaves on a ship to Madrid, with his wife, Inez, (Gale Sondergaard). Fray Felipe happily escorts the couple to the ship. Quintero is replaced by the righteous and beloved Don Alejandro Vega. Everyone is happy, including Diego, who has won the heart of Lolita Quintero, (Linda Darnell)-Don Luis’ niece.
The Mark of Zorro, is similar to The Adventures of Robin Hood. Tyrone Power is also similar to Errol Flynn. He was cast in swashbuckling films, and also was very good in dramatic roles. Even though he was a known actor, this movie put him in the elite actor status. The Mark of Zorro, deserves to be seen, for Power’s performance.