My Favorite Westerns

Category: Reed Hadley

  • Tyrone Power Westerns continued … Candle Slashing 102

    Long as I can see the Light / Arbouretum

    “At night a candle’s brighter than the sun.”
    – Sting

    The Mark of Zorro (1940)

    Candle Slashing 102

    My detective work to discover origins of Candle Slashing in Zorro
    and other depictions of the stunt will likely fail.
    There are simply far too many movies that may have reprised the stunt between 1920 and today.
    I can’t look through them all.
    But it’s fun – and interesting to me.
    Maybe The Mark of Zorro (1940)? was indeed the first instance of the stunt?
    I can’t say.

    I didn’t detect any Candle Slashing in Douglas Fairbanks Sr’s, The Mark of Zorro (1920).
    Though he does momentarily grab a candlestick in the fight scene with Noah Beery Sr. (below)
    But no candle slashing occurs.
    Over the years most of the re-enactments of the stunt have become spoofs.
    But I still recognize them as paying tribute and homage to Zorro and his origins.
    Below: 15 years after The Mark of Zorro (1940), Basil Rathbone reprises the famous stunt
    in the wonderful The Court Jester (1955) Starring the amazing Danny Kaye!

    Awesome stuff!
    (You can watch the whole fight on YouTube)
    Later (1974) I found this instance of Candle Slashing in the TV movie The Mark Of Zorro, Starring Frank Langella fighting villain Ricardo Montalban,
    (Pardon my Spanish)

    In (1975)Alain Delon Starred in Zorro and slashed several candles against Villain Stanley Baker.

    Nicely done – anyway you slice it.

    But …
    … there’s more than one way to snuff a Candle!
    If a sword is not at hand, simply grab your bullwhip.

    Candle Lashing 101

    Candle Lashing appears to have started with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in Don Q Son of Zorro (1925)
    I found this scene:
    So says Don Q (Fairbanks):

    *CRACK* he whips the candle flame out!

    Fairbanks seemed to be talented in many ways.
    Handling a bullwhip would have been one.

    Fairbanks didn’t invent Zorro, but he sure put him in gear.

    Duncan Regehr of Zorro TV Series (1990) tries his hand at Candle Whipping:

    Candle Lashing/Whipping carried over to modern The Mask of Zorro (1998).
    Anthony Hopkins handles the chores.

    Upcoming:

    Tyrone Power Westerns continued …
    Zorro

  • Tyrone Power Westerns continued … Candle Slashing 101

    Hotel California / Beatbakers Remix

    “Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.”
    – Confucius

    The Mark of Zorro (1940)

    Candle Slashing 101

      Ingredients: 
    One Sword
    One Candle
    One Hero
    – Taunting Villain is optional

    Instructions:
    1. Light the Candle
    (Unlit Candles may be used to prevent a fire)
    2. Measure the Candle with your sword.
    (Hero Tyrone Power demonstrates:)

    Next: (Not recommended!) if you are a Ruthless Villain just slash away!
    Ruthless Villain Basil Rathbone demonstrates:

    Though demonstrating excellent form, note that the lit Candle just flies off!
    To who knows where!!!??
    This is irresponsible Candle Slashing.
    Hero Tyrone Power demonstrates the proper technique:

    Note the short backswing.

    A simple swish …

    … follow through …

    … impeccable form!
    Optional taunt from the foolish Villain …

    … but the true Master is revealed!:

    VOILA!

    Next: Candle Slashing 102
    We explore the origins of Candle Slashing …

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