Reception and Impact
The New York Times gave the The Mark of Zorro a mostly positive review.
The Mark of Zorro is full of plot twists and secret passageways. It set a new standard with its appealing blend of romance, comedy and swordplay, as Zorro evades pursuit while fighting all oppressors.
The Zorro costume of black clothes, black mask, and round black hat that audiences know today was introduced in this film rather than in the original short story, and McCulley dressed Zorro in that outfit in his many subsequent Zorro stories in imitation of Fairbanks' fantastically popular film. Also, Fairbanks' acting exerted a tremendous influence upon later actor Burt Lancaster, as Lancaster frequently mentioned, and modern audiences can't help but note this in Fairbanks' first scene as Zorro, in which a surreally huge smile is accentuated.
Although some prefer the 1940 sound version starring Tyrone Power, Fairbanks' prodigious athletic prowess and tremendous enthusiasm made the original movie a great success, leading to a whole series of similar swashbuckler roles for Fairbanks, including The Three Musketeers (1921), Robin Hood (1922) and The Thief of Bagdad (1924). Fairbanks' astonishing acrobatics amaze even modern audiences, particularly in the climax of The Mark of Zorro. A sequel, Don Q, Son of Zorro, with Fairbanks reprising his role as Don Diego and also playing Don Diego's son, Don Cesar de la Vega, was released in 1925.
Read more about this topic: The Mark Of Zorro (1920 film)
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