Zorro, the Gay Blade (1981)

Director:

Peter Medak

Writers:

Johnston McCulley (character)
Hal Dresner (story) ...

Release Date:

17 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Zexy, Zany, Zensational !

Plot:

Mexico, 1840s. When the new Spanish Governor begins to grind the peasants under his heel, wealthy landowner...

Plot Keywords:

Mask | Destiny | Spoof | Homosexual | Gay Lead Character

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

George Hamilton	...	Don Diego Vega / Zorro / Bunny Wigglesworth / The Gay Blade / Ramon Vega
Lauren Hutton	...	Charlotte Taylor Wilson
Brenda Vaccaro	...	Florinda
Ron Leibman	...	Captain Esteban
Donovan Scott	...	Paco
James Booth	...	Velasquez
Helen Burns	...	Consuelo
Clive Revill	...	Garcia
Carolyn Seymour	...	Dolores
Eduardo Noriega	...	Don Francisco from San Jose
Jorge Russek	...	Don Fernando from San Diego
Eduardo Alcaraz	...	Don Jose from San Bernardino
Carlos Bravo y Fernández	...	Don Luis Obisbo from Bakersfield (as Carlos Bravo)
Roberto Dumont	...	Ferraro
Jorge Bolio	...	Pablito

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Finland:K-12 | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

Melvin Simon Productions

Trivia:

The musical theme for the main credits and Zorro's action sequences was originally scored by Max Steiner and used in Adventures of Don Juan (1948) starring Erol Flynn.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the costume ball fight scene when Zorro slices the Alcades belt to let his pants all down, there is a large slit in the left side of the pants.

Quotes:

Esteban: A little clumsy, are you not, my friend?
Zorro: To be your friend I would have to be more than clumsy. I would have to be stupid.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)

Soundtrack:

The Adventures of Don Juan

A Classic that never dies

It is surprising to me that more people don't know about this picture, since Zorro the Gay Blade is one of the great funny movies of all time. It is certainly George Hamilton's most memorable movie, an over-the-top spoof that never takes itself too seriously. This is NOT Jerry Lewis or the Three Stooges, but an entertaining social commentary written and performed as slapstick. Of course they do all of it firmly tongue-in-cheek.

It does seem that a few people just don't get it. Well, to each his own. But if you liked Hamilton's Love at First Bite or most of the work of Mel Brooks, then this movie is for you. Personally, it reminds me of Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day and the Austin Powers movies. The writing is witty and the one liners are things you will remember and repeat for years. If you haven't seen this one, then you don't know what you are missing.