The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Grade: 67
"The Mark of Zorro" is a silent epic starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. It is a good film with plenty of action, and decent comic relief, but the characters (except Fairbanks') lack the depth that is required of a better film.
Don Diego Vega (Fairbanks) has returned to California after many years in Spain. He is vaguely discourteous, perpetually fatigued, and particularly fond of his handkerchief. His stereotypical father (Sidney de Gray) disapproves of his character and idle lifestyle.
What father doesn't know is that his son is also Zorro, masked avenger of the pathetic and repressed. Zorro is easily the most skillful and smartest swashbuckler in California, and enjoys humiliating the local soldiers, especially Sergeant Gonzales (Noah Beery).
de Gray orders his son to woo Marguerite de la Motte, whose family is unfairly repressed by the Governor (George Periolat). However, she prefers Zorro, who makes regular appearances to ward off obnoxious suitor Robert McKim.
"The Mark of Zorro" is at its best when Fairbanks is playing Don Diego Vega. Fairbanks is known for his action roles, and it is a pleasant change to see him in a comic relief role. Vega's feeble courtship with de la Motte is entertaining. Fairbanks as Zorro is a laughing, mocking, smoking tormentor.
"The Mark of Zorro" was filmed in black and white, of course, but made frequent use of tinted lenses. Various scenes have red, green or blue tints, depending upon whether the scene takes place in daylight, at night, or indoors. I have not seen enough early silent features to know if this was a common technique, but it was no longer used by the mid-1920s.
kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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