History Film / TheMarkOfZorro1940

''The Mark of Zorro'' is a 1940 film directed by Rouben Mamoulian based on the character of Franchise/{{Zorro}}. It is a [[TheRemake remake]] of the 1920 SilentMovie ''Film/{{The Mark of Zorro|1920}}'' that starred Creator/DouglasFairbanks. Music/AlfredNewman composed the music.

* DiagonalCut: In the lead-up to the climactic sword fight between Diego and Pasquale, Pasquale attempts to unnerve intimidate Diego by cutting the top off one of the candles on Quintero's desk. Diego takes a swing at the other candle, and apparently misses it completely, but Pasquale's mockery is cut short when Diego lifts the top half of the candle up, demonstrating that he cut it in half so cleanly that the cut was not visible and the candle's flame was undisturbed.

* CostumeEvolution: Zorro's out notably evolves over the the course of the film from a simple black outfit with with a mask into his classic look.

Spanish California, late 18th-early 19th century. Don Diego Vega (Creator/TyronePower) is the son of Don Alejandro, the ''alcalde'' (basically a provincial administrator) of a sleepy town called UsefulNotes/LosAngeles. Diego, who is studying at a military academy back in Spain, comes home to find that his father has been deposed as alcalde. The new alcalde, Luis Quintero, is a corrupt stooge who is victimizing the people with oppressively high taxes which he is using to line his own pockets. In this he is assisted by by his sinister military chief, the murderous Captain Pasquale (Creator/BasilRathbone), the real power behind the throne, who does stuff like cut out the tongues of peasants who talk back.

* ChekhovsSkill: Don Diego demonstrates a talent for sleight-of-hand tricks as part of his RichIdiotWithNoDayJob guise. When he and Fray Felipe are in jail he uses some sleight-of-hand to distract the guard so he can grab his gun and force him to unlock the cell.

* RichIdiotWithNoDayJob: Before Batman, Zorro was doing this, convincing the bad guys that he was a spineless weakling while fighting against them under his secret identity.

* OneDialogueTwoConversations: When Don Diego returns to Los Angeles, he innocently says "I'm the son of the alcalde." This causes everyone to treat him with fear, because Don Alejandro had been ousted without his knowledge. Strangely, Diego questions this reaction, but doesn't figure out that there's a new alcalde until reaching his residence and meeting him.

* TheRevealPromptsRomance: Lolita is not too impressed with Diego when they first meet and horrified at the idea of being sold of into marriage to him. Later, when he reveals to her that he is Zorro, she is much more receptive to his marriage proposal.

* OneDialogTwoConversations: When Don Diego returns to Los Angeles, he innocently says "I'm the son of the alcalde." This causes everyone to treat him with fear, because Don Alejandro had been ousted without his knowledge. Strangely, Diego questions this reaction, but doesn't figure out that there's a new alcalde until reaching his residence and meeting him.

''The Mark of Zorro'' is a 1940 film directed by Rouben Mamoulian based on the character of Franchise/{{Zorro}}. It is a [[TheRemake remake]] of the 1920 SilentMovie ''Film/TheMarkOfZorro'' that starred Creator/DouglasFairbanks. Music/AlfredNewman composed the music.

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