The Mask of Zorro (1998)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Martin Campbell

Writers (WGA):

Johnston McCulley (character Zorro)
Ted Elliott (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Western

Plot:

The elder Zorro comes out of retirement to train a new Zorro to fight the enemy Montero.

Plot Keywords:

Zorro | California | Revenge | Mask | Young Versions Of Characters

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Alejandro Murrieta / Zorro
Anthony Hopkins	...	Don Diego de la Vega / Zorro
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Elena Montero / Elena Murrieta
Stuart Wilson	...	Don Rafael Montero
Matt Letscher	...	Capt. Harrison Love
Tony Amendola	...	Don Luiz
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	...	Don Pedro (as Pedro Armendariz)
William Marquez	...	Fray Felipe
José Pérez	...	Cpl. Armando Garcia (as Jose Perez)
Victor Rivers	...	Joaquín Murrieta
L.Q. Jones	...	Three-Fingered Jack
Julieta Rosen	...	Esperanza de la Vega
Luisa Huertas	...	Nanny
José María de Tavira	...	Young Alejandro Murrieta (as Jose Maria de Tavira)
Raúl Martínez	...	Heavyset Lieutenant (as Raul Martinez)
Diego Sieres	...	Young Joaquín Murrieta
Emiliano Guerra	...	Boy Crying
Yolanda Orisaga	...	Woman Crying
Paco Morayta	...	Undertaker
Pedro Altamirano	...	Squad Leader
María Fernández Cruz	...	Baby Elena de la Vega (as Maria Fernandez Cruz)
Mónica Fernández Cruz	...	Baby Elena de la Vega (as Monica Fernandez Cruz)
Tony Cabral	...	Soldier Holding 'Wanted' Poster
Tony Genaro	...	Watering Station Owner
Iván Rafael	...	Small Boy at Watering Station (as Ivan Rafael)
David Villalpando	...	Stupid Soldier
Maury Chaykin	...	Prison Warden
Paul Ganus	...	Prison Guard
Sergio Espinoza	...	Leper Zorro
Conrad Roberts	...	Black Zorro
Abel Woolrich	...	Ancient Zorro
Moisés Suárez	...	Don Héctor (as Moises Suarez)
Humberto Elizondo	...	Don Julio
Fernando Becerril	...	One of the Six Dons
Alberto Carrera	...	One of the Six Dons
Eduardo López	...	One of the Six Dons (as Eduardo Lopez)
Gonzalo Lora	...	One of the Six Dons
Rudy Miller	...	One of the Six Dons
Manolo Pastor	...	One of the Six Dons
Diego Sandoval	...	Padre at the Beach
Enrike Palma	...	Bartender
Erika Carlsson	...	Don Pedro's Wife (as Erika Carlson)
Manuel de Jesús Vásquez Morales	...	Guitar-Playing Soldier (as Manuel de Jesus Vasquez Morales)
Óscar Zerafín González	...	Giant Soldier (as Oscar Zerafin Gonzalez)
Vanessa Bauche	...	Indian Girl
Kelsie Kimberli Garcia	...	Baby Joaquín Murrieta
Kaylissa Keli Garcia	...	Baby Joaquín Murrieta
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joaquim de Almeida	...	General Santa Anna (scenes deleted)
Eduardo Iduñate	...	Guard at Goldmine (uncredited)
JD Roberto	...	Firing Squad Drummer (uncredited)
Taso N. Stavrakis	...	Firing Squad Soldier #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Campbell

Writing credits (WGA)
Johnston McCulley		(character Zorro)
Ted Elliott		(story) &
Terry Rossio		(story) and
Randall Jahnson		(story)
John Eskow		(screenplay) and
Ted Elliott		(screenplay) &
Terry Rossio		(screenplay)

Produced by
Doug Claybourne	....	producer
David Foster	....	producer
John Gertz	....	co-producer
Laurie MacDonald	....	executive producer
Tava R. Maloy	....	associate producer
Walter F. Parkes	....	executive producer
Steven Spielberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Phil Meheux

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Cecilia Montiel

Art Direction by
Michael Atwell

Set Decoration by
Denise Camargo

Costume Design by
Graciela Mazón

Makeup Department
José Francisco Barón	....	hair stylist: second unit
Christine Beveridge	....	hair stylist: Anthony Hopkins (as Chrissie Beveridge)
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup artist: Anthony Hopkins (as Chrissie Beveridge)
Thomas R. Burman	....	prosthetic props head & hand
Aurora Chavira	....	hair stylist
Ken Diaz	....	makeup designer
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	prosthetic props head & hand
Rosie Duprat Fort	....	key makeup artist (as Rosa Elisa Duprat)
Eduardo Gómez	....	key hair stylist (as Eduardo Felipe Hómez)
Hilda Alicia González	....	hair stylist
Paul LeBlanc	....	hair designer
Alfredo Mora	....	makeup artist: second unit
Gabriel Solana	....	key makeup artist
Gerardo Perez Arreola	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Erwin H. Kupitz	....	wigs and facial hair: Antonio Banderas (uncredited)
Carla Tinoco	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mariano Carranco	....	production manager: Mexico
Doug Claybourne	....	unit production manager
Alfredo Cortés	....	unit production manager: second unit
Nancy Jane King	....	production supervisor (as Nancy J. King)
Luz María Rojas	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Almada	....	second second assistant director
Jorge L. Baron	....	second second assistant director
Efren del Moral	....	second assistant director: second unit
Miguel Lima	....	first assistant director: second unit
Chitra F. Mojtabai	....	second assistant director
George Parra	....	first assistant director
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
Nicholas Wolfert	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Kenny Abney	....	construction foreman (as Kenneth Abney)
Dante Aguilar	....	lead man
Julieta Álvarez	....	assistant set decorator (as Julieta Álvarez Icaza)
Jay Aroesty	....	assistant set decorator
Gilberto Cortes	....	property assistant
Alisarine Ducolomb	....	art department associate
Mark Huffaker	....	construction foreman
Bob Huffman	....	construction foreman (as Bob Hoffman)
Michael P. Hunter	....	property assistant
Philip Keller	....	storyboard artist
Noelle King	....	set designer
Margarita Laborde	....	assistant set decorator
Richard LaMotte	....	property assistant
Lance Larson	....	property master: second unit
Bill MacSems	....	property master
Eugenia Ogarrio	....	greensman
Tomas Owen	....	assistant art director
Jacques Paradis	....	construction foreman
Laurel Pickering	....	lead paint foreman
Ozcar Ramírez	....	set dresser
Hania Robledo	....	assistant set decorator
Jorge Sainz	....	lead man
Carlos Salom	....	lead man
Diego Sandoval	....	art department historian
Jacqueline Stears	....	scenic artist (as Jacquie Stears)
John Stone	....	construction coordinator
Bernardo Trujillo	....	set dresser
Mirko von Berner	....	lead man
Carlos Benassini	....	draftsman (uncredited)
Pia Corti	....	head sculpture artist (uncredited)
Nancy Deren	....	set designer (uncredited)
Joe Elvington	....	set laborer: reshoot (uncredited)
Vanesa Garnica	....	set dressing coordinator (uncredited)
Alberto Gonzalez-Reyna	....	set designer (uncredited)
René Marquéz	....	props (uncredited)
Erick Monroy	....	junior set designer (uncredited)
Jorge Siller	....	assistant sculptor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher S. Aud	....	sound effects editor (as Christopher Aud)
Stu Bernstein	....	foley editor
John Voss Bonds Jr.	....	sound effects editor (as John V. Bonds Jr.)
Rick Canelli	....	adr recordist (as Ric Canelli)
Pud Cusack	....	production sound mixer
Ali Derakhshan	....	assistant sound editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Hector C. Gika	....	sound designer
Meredith Gold	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Gordon	....	dialogue editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Philip A. Hess	....	foley editor (as Philip Hess)
Chris Hogan	....	sound effects editor (as Christopher W. Hogan)
Andrea Horta	....	adr editor
Constance A. Kazmer	....	dialogue editor
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor
Dave McMoyler	....	supervising sound editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising adr editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising dialogue editor
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Katrina Siegmund	....	assistant sound editor
David A. Smith	....	boom operator (as David Allen Smith)
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor (as Lauren J. Stephens)
Cherie Tamai	....	assistant sound editor
Steven Ticknor	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Scott Wolf	....	sound effects editor
Hanson Hsu	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Mark L. Mangino	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Laurencio Cordero	....	special effects supervisor
Rich E. Cordobes	....	special effects set foreman
Rocky Gehr	....	special effects coordinator
Ricardo M. Kaplan	....	special effects construction foreman (as Ricardo Mendoza Kaplan)
Geoffrey C. Martin	....	special effects set foreman (as Geoffrey Martin)
Russell Peters	....	special effects coordinator: second unit (as Russell E. Peters)
John Stears	....	special effects coordinator
Michael Fox	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Kevin Hannigan	....	special effects foreman: Gold Mine location (uncredited)
James Hurley	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
G. Peter King	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)
Steve Riley	....	special effects consultant (uncredited)
Arthur G. Schlosser	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Richard Bain	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Frazer Churchill	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Martin Costello	....	computer graphics designer: Digital Film
Gavin Digby	....	digital compositor
Syd Dutton	....	matte paintings: Illusion Arts Inc.
Matthew Holben	....	facilities producer: Digital Film
Julian Mann	....	computer graphics designer: Digital Film
Fumi Mashimo	....	animator: Illusion Arts Inc. (as Fumi Mashimo)
Kelvin McIlwain	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc.
Kenneth Nakada	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc.
Charlie Noble	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Rupert Porter	....	facilities line producer: Digital Film
Gregory Salter	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Lorraine Scott	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Bill Taylor	....	matte paintings: Illusion Arts Inc.
Simon Terry	....	digital effects compositor: Digital Film
Mike Wassel	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts Inc.
Pamela Jule Yuen	....	visual effects editor (as Pamela Yuen)
David Kuklish	....	visual effects cinematographer: title sequence (uncredited)
Thomas Lopatka	....	digital compositing support: main title sequence (uncredited)
Ralph Maiers	....	digital compositor: Cinema Research Corp./D-rez (uncredited)
Eric Pham	....	digital compositor: Cinema Research Corp./D-rez (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Angelotti	....	stunts
Perry Barndt	....	stunts (as Perry James Barndt)
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunts
Joey Box	....	stunts
Jan Bryant	....	stunts
Richard Bucher	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
James M. Churchman	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts (as Daniel Costa)
Dennis Deveaugh	....	stunts
J. Mark Donaldson	....	stunts
Richard L. Duran	....	stunts (as Richard Duran)
Dale Gibson	....	stunts
Alex Green	....	stunt double: Anthony Hopkins
Tad Griffith	....	stunts
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunts
Marguerite Happy	....	stunts
Jim Hardy	....	stunts (as Jim Allan Hardy)
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts
Juddson Keith Linn	....	stunts
Jake Lombard	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunt double: Jose Perez
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Casey O'Neill	....	stunt double: Mr. Banderas #2
Casey O'Neill	....	stunts
Vladimir Orlov	....	stunts
Jimmy Ortega	....	stunts
Martino N. Pistone	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
JD Roberto	....	stunts
Mario Roberts	....	stunts
Jason Rodriguez	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts
George Marshall Ruge	....	stunts
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunts
Peter Stader	....	stunts
Taso N. Stavrakis	....	stunts (as Taso Stavrakis)
Jim Stephan	....	stunts
R.L. Tolbert	....	stunts
Jim Vickers	....	first assistant stunt coordinator
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
Mike Watson	....	stunts (as George Michael Watson)
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Nancy Young	....	stunt double: Ms. Jones
Nancy Young	....	stunts
Sonny D'Angelo	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Vickers	....	co-stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Barnes	....	second assistant camera (as Samuel Barnes)
Víctor Camacho	....	video assist operator: second unit
Jose F. Campos	....	key grip: second unit (as Jose Campos)
Joaquin Cervera	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Vince Clarke	....	rigging gaffer (as Vincent Clarke)
Jasper Fforde	....	first assistant camera
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator (as Kirk Gardner)
Heriberto Gutiérrez	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Constantino Jiménez	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Jay Anthony Jones	....	first assistant Steadicam
Kim Marks	....	director of photography: second unit
Tom Maslen	....	key grip
John Matthews	....	rigging gaffer
Patrick McArdle	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Steve Mcleod	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Héctor Medina	....	camera loader
Santiago Navarrete	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit
Roger Pearce	....	camera operator
Terry Potter	....	chief lighting technician
Mariana Sánchez de Antuñano	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Mariana Sanchez)
Reyes Santamaría V.	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Salvador 'Apache' Serrano	....	dolly grip: second unit (as Salvador Serrano)
Rico Torres	....	still photographer: specials
Florent Vassault	....	camera trainee
Tracey Wetherill	....	video assist operator
Richard Brooks Burton	....	gyrosphere technician (uncredited)
Rafael 'Rafa' Castro	....	second assistant camera: second unit, "b" camera (uncredited)
David Presley	....	video assist operator: re-shoots (uncredited)
Sam Urdank	....	still photographer: additional photography Los Angeles (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Allen	....	casting associate: USA
Amy Gerber	....	casting associate: USA (as Amy E. Gerber)
Jorge Guerrero	....	extras casting: Mexico
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Rogelio Rojas	....	casting associate: Mexico

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alana Caudillo	....	costume supervisor (as Alana Ackley)
Steve Constancio	....	key set costumer
Richard La Motte	....	costume advisor
Ireri Mazón Salas	....	on-set costumer
Jaime Ortiz	....	costume supervisor
Rocío Ramírez	....	costume supervisor: second unit
Arthur Rowsell	....	dresser: Anthony Hopkins
Judith Salas	....	wardrobe
Houston Sams	....	on-set costumer (as C. Houston Sams)
Jillian Kreiner	....	costumer (uncredited)
Lupita Peckinpah	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Clay Cambern	....	second assistant editor
Odis McKinney	....	assistant editor
Mike Mertens	....	color timer (as Michael Mertens)
Carlos Puente	....	assistant editor
Martin Fuentes Wilchis	....	assistant editor
Pamela Jule Yuen	....	first assistant editor (as Pamela J. Yuen)
Josh Geller	....	post-production intern: USA (uncredited)

Music Department
Dick Bernstein	....	music editor (as Richard Bernstein)
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising music editor
James Horner	....	orchestrator
Simon Rhodes	....	score mixer
Jim Steinman	....	music arranger
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
Lesley Langs	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Thomas Pasatieri	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ricardo Díaz	....	transportation captain: second unit
Javier Gunther	....	transportation co-captain
Sergio Orozco	....	transportation captain
Jose Rodriguez	....	transportation captain: second unit
Phil Balani	....	driver generator operator (uncredited)
Enrique Díaz	....	driver (uncredited)
Ricardo Gallarzo Jr.	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Alfonso Paredes	....	driver (uncredited)
Carlos Ponce de León	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Jose P. Soriano	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Josue Aguilar	....	production assistant
Bob Anderson	....	sword master (as Robert Anderson)
Simon Atherton	....	armorer
Nallely Barragan De La Mora	....	production assistant
Kevin Berman	....	security consultant
Jess Brackenburry	....	wrangler
Mariano Carranco	....	location manager
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
Pina De Rosa	....	production assistant
Tommy Dunne	....	armorer
Glen Eisner	....	prosthetic lab technician
Joy Ellison	....	dialect coach
Sue Field	....	script supervisor
Tiffany Fraser	....	first assistant accountant (as Tiffany Reinhard)
Marco J. Gonzalez	....	military historian
Joanne S. Grant	....	production accountant: Mexico (as Joanne Grant)
'Chico' Hernandez	....	head wrangler
Eric J. Hill	....	production assistant
Mark Ivie	....	assistant sword master (as Mark Evan Ivie)
Gene Kelly	....	production accountant
Josefina King Cobos	....	production secretary
Debra J. Kleid	....	assistant: Mr. Foster
Peter P. Koenig	....	unit medical staff (as Dr. Peter P. Koenig)
Katherine Lambart	....	assistant: Mr. Hopkins
Lance Larson	....	armorer: second unit
Amy Lescoe	....	assistant: Mr. Campbell
Bobby Lovgren	....	horse trainer (as Bobby Lovegren)
G. Pekas Lozano	....	production office coordinator (as G. 'Pekas' Lozano)
Maria Mantia	....	production assistant
Michel Bellego Milan	....	production assistant
Mary Mitchel	....	script supervisor (as Mary M. Patton)
Gerardo Moscoso	....	unit medical staff (as Dr. Gerardo Moscoso)
Ren Navez	....	location manager
Adriana Poblano	....	production office coordinator: second unit
Corky Randall	....	livestock coordinator
Ana Rebuelta	....	script supervisor: second unit
Alicia Rivera Frankl	....	production accountant
Chico Valdez Rochin	....	production assistant
Marco Santander	....	location manager
Emmanuel Serra	....	assistant: Mr. Banderas
Rachel Shane	....	production secretary
Brian Sofsky	....	assistant: Mr. Randall, second unit
Gordon A. Spencer	....	horse trainer
Anne Marie Stein	....	unit publicist
Felipe Torres	....	unit medical staff (as Dr. Felipe Torres)
Nelson Tunon	....	assistant production coordinator
Alex Valdes	....	production assistant
María Asunción Velásquez Rojas	....	craft service
Gene Walker	....	associate livestock coordinator
C. Ransom Walrod	....	marine coordinator
Jay Wejebe	....	prosthetic lab technician
Alyssa L. Wittenberg	....	production coordinator
Isaac Zaga	....	unit medical staff (as Dr. Isaac Zaga)
Ana Franca Álvarez Rascón	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lucy Amador	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)
Jose Manuel Ballesteros	....	caterer (uncredited)
Mauricio Ballesteros	....	catering coordinator (uncredited)
Denise Blasor	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Stel Deleon	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Patrick Fox	....	set trainee (uncredited)
Michel Geldzweig	....	location coordinator (uncredited)
Josh Geller	....	assistant: Martin Campbell (uncredited)
Alex Green	....	whip coach (uncredited)
Alfredo Hernandez	....	wrangler (uncredited)
Joan Lucas-Turgeon	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Pascale Marcotte	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Helen Medrano	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)
Chris Miller	....	technical consultant (uncredited)
Cory C. Myler	....	assistant: Mr. Parkes (uncredited)
Michael Neal	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Michael Riley	....	title designer (uncredited)
Eric Smith	....	title designer (uncredited)
Tony Swatton	....	sword maker (uncredited)
Alberto Tejada	....	location manager: Durango, CO (uncredited)
Marcel Valcarce	....	artist: main titles (uncredited)
Jorge Valdés García	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jim Vickers	....	fight choreographer (uncredited)
Hugo Villa	....	interpreter: electric department (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Amblin Entertainment
• David Foster Productions
• Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Company Medien KG
• TriStar Pictures
• Zorro Productions

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2001) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia Pictures (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Syrena Entertainment Group (Poland)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (matte paintings)
• Digital Film
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)

Other Companies

• Alimentacion Filmica Especializada  catering (as alimentaciones filmicas especializadas)
• Cinema Research  end titles
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Claudia Becker & Associates  mexico casting
• Executive Cutting Service  negative cutting
• Imaginary Forces  titles
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Sony Classical  soundtrack
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound editorial services
• Studio Sea  marine coordination

Also Known As:

Die Maske des Zorro (Germany)
Mark of Zorro (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense action and violence.

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Brazil:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:TE | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

Atotonilico de Tula, Hidalgo, Mexico

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's original draft of the screenplay, Don Diego was not killed, and lived to tell the story of Zorro's adventures to his granddaughter.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Zorro is cheered by crowds near the beginning of the film, the shots of him were taken at sunset, but the shots of the crowd were taken closer to midday.

Quotes:

Don Diego de la Vega: You have passion, Alejandro, and your skill is growing. But to enter Montero's world, I must give you something which is completely beyond your reach.
Alejandro Murrieta: Ah, yes? And what is that?
Don Diego de la Vega: Charm.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live 25 (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You

Entertaining

At the conclusion of The Mask of Zorro I heard something I haven't heard in a cinema for a long, long time – an outbreak of spontaneous applause. It happened because the audience felt so good at the conclusion of the film that they wanted to show their appreciation, to share with others the goodwill which this little slice of magic had brought into their lives. To a jaded movie-goer like myself, it was music to the ears.

This is a simple film, telling a simple story about justice conquering oppression and the power of all that is good in the world to put all that is evil to the sword. Anchored by three great performances from Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas and the luscious Catherine Zeta-Jones, it's a never-ending parade of derring-do which brings to mind the likes of The Crimson Pirate, the kind of film your parents tell you they just don't make anymore. It's played for laughs all the way down the line, but it's not a farce – the humour is gentle, the characters inhabiting a world which we know never existed but which damn well should have, a world where swordfights and horse chases and romantic love are the order of the day. I watched this film in an enraptured stupor, and for a short time I was twelve years old again, thrilling to the larger than life exploits of pirates, musketeers and the sons of Hercules.

Okay, so it isn't going to win any awards for depth of character, and you aren't going to be discussing the finer details of the plot over a bowl of gazpacho when it's over. But in an age when meanspirited movies seem to be becoming more and more common, it's a pure delight to come across something so untainted.

It's the sound of two hands clapping, folks. Miss it at your peril.