Nine years after The Mark of Zorro, Tyrone Power was still wielding a Sword.
But he hadn't entirely chased the Fox.
Hard to believe the Fox reference isn't intentional, but it isn't.
Wikipedia says: "Prince of Foxes is a 1947 historical novel by (American) Samuel Shellabarger,"
Not Tryrone's best work, but still worth a watch.
Welles doesn't 'chew the scenery', he kind of steamrolls it.
Amazing.
Love this pic Wanda.
"At night a candle's brighter than the sun."
- Sting
Over the years most of the re-enactments of the stunt have become spoofs.
"Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection;
nothing is lost that is born of the heart."
- Basil Rathbone
ZORRO FOR CHRISTMAS 1940 - PLUS A COLOR CARTOON!
We finally come to the wonderful climatic sword fight scene between Zorro (Tyrone Power)
and Capt. Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone).
After 78 years this is still regarded among the great sword fight/Swashbuckling scenes in filmdom.
It is.
Rathbone is often said to be the greatest of all the swashbuckling fencers/swordsmen Actors in Film.
He displayed his skills in several movies: Captain Blood (1935); Romeo and Juliet (1936; The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); and The Court Jester (1955)
And as is evident in the video below, he how proud he was of his prowess.
Rathbone studied stage fencing as part of his training at the famous Old Vic Theatre. The study of Fencing and Swordsmanship is part of a Shakespearean Actors training.
He was also tutored under Swordmaster and famed Fight Choreographer Fred Cavens.
Rathbone did his most of his own stunts and required no stand-in or double for his swordwork.
What is NOT well known, however, is that Tyrone Power was also very good.
Said Rathbone of Power's swordsmanship skills:
“Power was the most agile man with a sword I’ve ever faced before a camera.
Tyrone could have fenced Errol Flynn into a cocked hat.”
Fred Caven's son Albert Cavens did double-in for Power some shots. He was likely better for sure,
but I figure Tyrone coulda handled it himself.
It's interesting that that Errol Flynn is so highly regarded as a fencer/sword fighter in Swashbuckling films because Rathbone
who dueled with in Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood says otherwise:
From CROSSED SWORDS - The Hollywood Swashbuckler
https://crossedswords2013.wordpress.com/page/3/
“I enjoyed swordsmanship more than anything because it was beautiful. I thought it was a wonderful exercise, a great sport. But I would not put it under the category of sport; I would put it under the category of the arts. I think it’s tremendously skillful and very beautiful… The only actor I actually fought with on the screen was Flynn, and that’s the only time I was really scared. I wasn’t scared because he was careless,
but because he didn’t know how to protect himself.”
“I could have killed Errol Flynn any time I wanted to.”
On most any Saturday, in 1954, myself and my 3 older brothers, would each be given a Quarter (25 cents!) and off we'd go to the Saturday Matinee at the local Movie Theatre (in Mission, British Columbia). A Quarter would get us in plus buy a bag of popcorn and a pop! Amazing!
In those days kids could walk around freely, with no fear. We never locked our doors. Never had to. Churches were open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
That was a different time. Not so long ago.
I was 6 years old
Then we'd breathlessly watch our Heroes of the day!
14 years earlier, in 1940 - Tyrone Power had Starred in The Mark of Zorro.
I don't recall seeing this movie until TCM showed it recently.
I loved it.
Tyrone Power - The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Obviously there is a Colorized version of The Mark of Zorro (1940).
Haven't seen that one yet.
Basil Rathbone - The Mark of Zorro 1940
Linda Darnell was 'Sweet 17' when she Starred in The Mark of Zorro.
On the Screen, Gale Sondergaard was billed 4th.
Ratings were pretty high - for both Critics and the Public.
Upcoming:
If I said to you that Zorro never used a gun, but only a Sword (rapier) and his Bullwhip,
would you challenge that?
Probably not.
And if I also said that Zorro only uses his famous black Eye Mask for his disguise,
would you disagree?
Likely not.
BUT ...
... in The Mark of Zorro (1940) we see transgressions to both of these modern images of Zorro persona!
Observe:
Zorro pulls a pistol!
Zorro wearing a bandana!
Later Zorro uses a pistol again.
But at least he's wearing the eye mask.
It seems that Zorro's image has continuously changed and evolved over the years
- from creator (Johnston McCulley) original vision.
Zorro (Douglas Fairbanks Sr.) apparent master of disguise - silent movie (1920)
The Mark of Zorro (1920) - Douglas Fairbanks Sr.
"What's all this nonsense about Zorro using a gun?"
Zorro (Fairbanks) using a gun.
Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939) Movie Serial Starring Reed Hadley
(below)
Zorro using 2 guns.
Zorro using a machine gun !!!
The Mask of Zorro (1998) Starring Antonio Banderas
(below)
"You call that a gun?"
Zorro's Dilemma
I also noticed that in the Mark of Zorro (1940) Zorro doesn't use a bullwhip?
While Reed Hadley in Zorro’s Fighting Legionserial (1939) surely does.
Since it seems The Mark of Zorro (1940) didn't have any Trailers/Previews (??)
I searched the net like Sherlock - scouring fansites and archives. Finding none.
It looks like they exclusively used Posters instead? *shrug*
And I found over 30 different posters for the Movie!
Yet some were in such bad shape that they escaped any expertise I might possess to recover them.
I spent 3 days trying to restore all these old posters to their original pristine wonderfulness.
Color was the main issue. Over the years the Posters fade and the former vibrancy of the colors is lost.
Would you make a Zorro poster in dirty, washed-out, dull Reds, for instance?
Nor I! The former Zing and Zest of Zorro had been lost in time ...
and befell to me for restore the lost Lustre and Vitality of The Fox!
En Garde !!!
Next:
Ride With Zorro . . . The Dashing Don Of California's Most Adventurous Era !The Jagged Mark of His Sword Struck Terror to Every Heart - But One!
Tyrone Power made 6 Westerns:
And 5 Swashbucklers:
Zorro is unique - categorized as both a Western Hero and a Swashbuckler.
I can think of no other Hero with this distinction.
During the 30's, 40's and 50's Swashbucklers sparred with Westerns for popularity.
In Zorro they found a perfect partnership.
I was unable to locate any Trailer/Preview for The Mark of Zorro (1940).
There must be one somewhere? Maybe not.
I substituted this vignette with the Chordettes singing
the Theme for Disney's TV version of Zorro.
Not bad.
But I'll keep looking.
long as i can see the light / marc cohn / written by john fogerty
OK I failed to resolve my brothers problem of why he can't access site. I talked to WordPress Support - detailing the issue. They checked things and said that anybody should be able to find my site and make comments -
they are not blocking ??
Not sure what else I can do. I'll keep my ear to the ground
and see if I can figure this thing out.
I'm going away for a week.
Sorry - won't be able to work on the blog.
However:
Projects I'm working on:
Tyrone Power / Swashbuckler / Zorro
Featuring that Prince of Fiends: Basil Rathbone!
Posters: Jesse James Films
Fun - but a lot of work finding and fixing
those old posters.
The Death of Jesse James
Depictions of his assassination in Film.
But most Jesse James don't depict this at all!
I've really enjoyed working on this Jesse James thing. (Bet you couldn't tell).
Not really finished yet either. He's an incredible study of
Western Lore and Legend.
It seems his Iconic stature outweighs the evil that his did. ??
Well ... you fool some of us humans,
but ... the Big Guy is not so easy.
Stay tuned.