#lolita quintero

[donfadrique]

Not a day without Zorro actors II 😉

[donfadrique]

Hmm, I still somehow react nervously to Power's Diego...

At first I thought he was 'too gay'. Later he became 'Carmen type' /facepalm/ Now I think it's a perfectly acted trolling and I'm still nervous :-)

Maybe I don't like it when I feel that someone could deceive me, make fun of me? And he could.

I mean Tyrone Power could, not just his Diego particularly. In 'Jesse James' (1939) you can see the same mockery and mannerisms that made me so pissed off at the first glance at his Diego that until recently Power was for me 'ah, THAT one' x)

...And at the same time, such a warm, radiant personality. It's amazing.

(I don’t discuss appearance—this is nonsense, beauty is the mentioned radiance, and not unforgettable eyebrows xD)

THE MARK OF ZORRO 1940 | Rouben Mamoulian

[thebarroomortheboy]

TYRONE POWER as Diego de la Vega/Zorro and LINDA DARNELL as Lolita Quintero in THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) | dir. Rouben Mamoulian

[ariel-seagull-wings]

FICTIONAL CHARACTER ASK: DON DIEGO DE LA VEGA (FROM THE MARK OF ZORRO)

Asked by: @aragarna

@thealmightyemprex @goodanswerfoxmonster @themousefromfantasyland @the-blue-fairie

Favorite Thing About Them: How inteligent he is! He learns the situation is against him and his allies because of the extreme cruelty of who is in power and how strong the army is, so to not call attention to himself, he portrays the role of a pompous, futile, lazy and cowardly fool, treatening his respect by his family and friends in the proccess, but helping himself to be in the gracess of the tyrants in command so he can more clearly strike against them as Zorro when they least expect and help the people of California gain courage to resist opression.

Least Favorite Thing About Them: Not a fan of him calling his love interest "child" as complement, (expecially knowing actress Linda Darnell was still a minor when casted to be the romantic leading lady of Tyrone Power's Diego)

Three Things I Have In Common With Them:

*I have a bit of sarcastic sense of humour;

*I think playing the dumb fool is a great strategy of survival;

*I enjoy a good bath;

Three Things I Don't Have In Common With Them:

*I am not born in California;

*I am not rich;

*I can't fence, ride horses and dance;

Favorite Line: "They heated the water from my bath too early. It was positively tepid! By the time more was carried and properly scented... Life can be trying, don't you think"?

brOTP: Friar Felipe.

OTP: Lolita Quintero and Captain Esteban Pasquale.

nOTP: Inês Quintero.

Random Headcanon: His children and grandchildren, independently of gender, will carry on the title of Zorro, so he can get a tranquil aging with his wife Lolita.

Unpopular Opinion: Tyrone Powel should be more popular with Zorro fans because he is probably the actor who best worked the duality of the dandy Diego de la Vega and the brave rogue Zorro.

Song I Associate With Them:

El Sombrero Blanco

Favorite Picture of Them:

[untilthenextencore]

Linda Mujer: Ch. 1~...

The loveliest girl in all of Mexico. If not of the entertainment jetset entirely. No it's not Veronica Castro. No it's not Julie Christie. No it's not Ali MacGraw.

Her name is Mercedes Linda Lolita Laelia Lourdes Quintero Rojas. And she has quite a pedigree. Daughter of Don Miguel Carlos Quintero Sr. businessman, and Gloria Rojas Quintero vedette. Gloria herself is the daughter of Doña Olga Rojas Fernandez noted vedette of Veracruz.

(Note: For our non-Spanish speaking friends, Spanish naming conventions decree that the maternal surname follows the paternal surname. Accordingly, Mercedes' last name is Quintero.)

Mercedes is the youngest of her father's three children, while also being her mother's only child. The apple of both parents, grandparents & brother & sister's eyes, the young miss has grown up following her mom on the road in between intermittent stays with her extended family.

The shy miss keeps her circle small aside from her family and tutors. Yet her quinceañera and the dress chosen was the talk of the town & front page story on all of the international society pages.

Her hair, a mass of raven waves & curls, lips as red as rose, cheeks in full bloom as well, the petite sloe-eyed beauty dressed in a white frothy, full skirted off-the-shoulder, sweetheart necklined, nipped waist confection paid truth to the saying that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

A studious, dreamy-eyed girl with a figure and face to make any red-blooded lad equally dreamy-eyed, young "Merce" (pronounced "Mehr-seh") is also taking after her mother's side of the "family business" and starting with a budding & popular elegant burlesque career as the latest hot-ticket vedette on the scene.

"Hey Pagey! Look at this!" Robert gawked at what he saw on screen. Jimmy put his guitar down momentarily & ambled over.

Indeed there stood young Merce twirling about in a frothy confection of a dress. Puff sleeves. Sweetheart neckline. Full petticoated skirt. The footage was old footage of her picking her "Quinceañera" dress. A dress for her fifteenth birthday. From what they understood it was like a sweet sixteen a year early, coupled with a coming-out party of sorts. Sort of a pre-debut debut.

It was a fuckin' throwback. Hearkening back to Robert & Jimmy's youth.

Robert's jaw dropped further & Jimmy quirked a brow at what that sight was followed with. The fresh-faced, giddy & starry-eyed young girl in the petticoated full dress had apparently put her petticoats away for the time being.

Instead, her lips were lacquered red as were her nails. Eyeliner flicked in cat-like wings accenting the glittery, shimmery lids. Her cheeks were as rosy as ever. Long black hair curled & pinned atop her head with jeweled pins & a feathered fascinator. Those same jewels glimmered from her ears, along her neckline, framing her bust & around her hips as they accented her feathered cinched waist costume. Touches of the same jewels decorated her matching gloves. She posed & danced & spun about a golden-framed perch. Like a phoenix in a bird cage.

She was A SIGHT.

Enough to pique anyone's interest.

She certainly piqued Robert's & Jimmy's!

Enough that she was the main topic of discussion between the two for the next few days. The sweetheart in the sweetheart neckline. The ravishing young thing with roses in her hand. The glamour girl in gemstones & a golden setting. The phoenix in the birdcage. The fact that both were one & the same.

But even amidst the headiness of the revelations they saw on screen, and later in print from what they could scrounge up of her in international trade papers, nothing could compare to the revelation that was to come.

As they yet again chattered like two gossiping old hens, banding her name about, Peter's ear pricked up. "Merce? Did you lot say Merce? I knew a Merce once. Years ago. Before I even met you Pagey!" He laughed before reminiscing. "She was a tiny little thing then. Just a dear. All raven curls & outstretching arms ready for a hug. She could tug on your heartstrings though. She could ensnare a bloke just like her mum & grab before her. Yeah. Just like Olga & Gloria themselves." With each word it became clear that Peter was losing himself more & more in his reveries of yesteryear.

"Would the names Rojas or Quintero play into this at all, Peter?' Jimmy queried carefully.

Peter nodded. "Gloria's last name was Quintero but her maiden name was Rojas. Olga's last name of course."

"Yeah! Yeah thats her!" Robert cut in. "That's the girl! Her mum's name is Gloria & her gran's is Olga. The whole nine yards! That's her!" He shook the newspaper articles about young Merce & her family that he & Jimmy were then perusing.

Peter leapt to his feet faster than one would think possible. He bounded over to the lads & took the papers from Robert, studying them intently.

The room fell into silence.

Both Jimmy & Robert studied Peter as intently as he did the papers.

The silence was only broken by a suddenly misty-eyed Peter whispering a single word. "Gloria..." As he lost himself in the pictures of Merce's early youth tagging alongside her glamorous mum in years past.

"Yeah..." Robert hushed, in a voice that seemed so careful as to tiptoe around Peter in his moment of quiet yet keen emotion. "They say this Merce is taking after her a bit. Doing a bit of dancing herself. Making quite an impact it seems."

"She's like the Garbo of the scene apparently." Jimmy added quietly. "A sensation on the scene and yet not all at the same time. She's a huge hit in her field, yet so unreachable behind the scenes. Unless you have an in with her tight little circle, you hardly have a chance see her. They say she never sees anyone backstage. Only family & the like."

"That sounds like Merce." Peter chuckled & nodded. "That's Merce. I see she hasn't changed. Shy dear. Such a sweetheart."

A beat passed before Peter cut his eyes at the guitarist & vocalist in his midst.

"You want to meet her don't ya?"

Robert & Jimmy both nodded. A bit meekly at that. Naturally.

Peter nodded, stroking his chin as he mused. "Knowing Merce the Zep name won't open the door anymore than any other Hit Parade name. No matter if she listens or how much or if she likes or loves or how much. Big names don't sway her. They never have. Stardust don't account for much with her. She grew up backstage."

"Good girl." Jimmy smiled. Garbo mystique or not, he already liked what he was hearing of this new girl.

"How do you suppose we go about it then, mate?" Robert asked.

"I think I can get you in. Perhaps. On one condition." He cut his eyes at the pair again.

"What?" They both asked in unison.

'You lot have to be on your best behavior. No treating her like some slag off the street. Or some barfly. I shouldn't have to tell you that she's not like that at all. Nor should she be treated as such. I won't have it. I won't stand for that." Peter sounded very avuncular as he spoke. Fatherly even. But the edge remained in his voice. Decided. Firm. No nonsense. Knowing him as they did they both knew there would be no fooling Peter Grant.

And so it was that Robert sputtered out. "Of course not!"

Jimmy shook his head firmly, pledging. "Wouldn't even think of it. You have my word of honor."

Peter held their gaze for a moment before sighing & dashing off a quick note which he tucked & sealed into an envelope that he marked with her name. "'Ere. It says in the paper here that she has a show coming up. Knowing you lot I already know you're going to go. Have one of the stagehands or the like tell her that Peter Grant wishes to send his regards. And when she allows you backstage. - which I think she might - give her this. But make sure only she opens it. "

The boys were a fountain of effusive thanks, handshakes galore & backpatting.

It was only a moment later that as he was about to leave, Robert twigged. "Hey wait... Exactly how did you know her & her family, mate?" He turned around to face Pete, awaiting the elder's answer.

But by the time he turned back, Peter was gone...

Slipped out a backdoor...

With a handful of articles on the Rojas Quintero clan in tow...

~

As ever this is forever under construction~!

Hope you guys all enjoy~!

[thealmightyemprex]

Top 5. 40's movie couples

5. Belle and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast

A classic fairy tale romance

4.Lolita Quintero and Don Diego de la Vega from the Mark of Zorro

The niece of the villainious Don Luis Quintero ,falls for the masked vigilante Zorro ,and rejects the proposal of the foolish and arrogant Diego,only to learn they are one and the same.Love the dance scene which was later homaged in Mask of Zorro

3. Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca

So this love story has grown on me ,in the same way the movie has .Its a romance that simply cannot be

2.George and Mary from Its a Wonderful Life

James Stewart and Donna Reed have amazing chemistry

1.June and Peter from A Matter of Life and Death

A couples whose love literally challange the order of the universe

@ariel-seagull-wings @amalthea9 @princesssarisa @filmcityworld1 @marquisedemasque @metropolitan-mutant-of-ark @lord-antihero @the-blue-fairie

[howardhawkshollywoodannex]

Linda Darnell as Lolita Quintero in The Mark of Zorro (1949).  Linda was born in Dallas and had 56 acting credits in her career, from 1939 to 1965.  She died at the age of 41 from burns in a house fire.  Her other films among the best 1,001 are The Song of Bernadette (as Virgin Mary) and My Darling Clementine.

[comiccrusaders]

American Mythology Announces, under license from Zorro Productions, Inc., the August 2018 debut of the Swords of Hell Miniseries

In advance of next year’s landmark 100-year anniversary of the character, American Mythology is proud to announce that Zorro – the swashbuckling adventurer of literature and film – will return to comics in August 2018 with a bold and unexpected twist:, the Zorro tales will have a supernatural bent, pitting the famed hero against demons, vampires, and all forms of paranormal evil. Zorro: Swords of Hell, the first miniseries of the Maryland-based publisher’s thrilling new western horror direction, will be written by David Avallone (Bettie Page, Twilight Zone: The Shadow), illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez (House of M, Immortal Iron Fist), and colored by Enrica Angiolini (Warhammer 40,000, Eternal Thirst of Dracula).

John Gertz, President of Zorro Productions, Inc. stated: “For decades we have utilized a fresh, innovative approach with top talent to enhance the Zorro’s universe of characters, the Zorro brand & franchise.” Gertz continued: “Our relationship with American Mythology is yet another example of our commitment to our fans and Zorro!”.

In Swords of Hell #1, wealthy playboy Don Diego de la Vega celebrates the defeat of his nemesis, the villainous Alcalde Quintero, by his secret alter-ego Zorro with a joyous celebration at his hacienda… but unknown to de la Vega and his beloved Lolita, his actions have set a terrible vengeance in motion. A dark power has risen in Alta California, an unstoppable horde of demonic horsemen intent on bringing Hell to Earth, and Zorro – the defender of the people – must use every weapon, every skill, every ounce of strength and resolve to bring this infernal incursion to heel.

Writer David Avallone says, “I’ve been a big fan of Zorro since I was a kid, when my father sat me down to watch one of his very favorite movies: the 1940 Tyrone Power Mark of Zorro. It became one of my favorites, too… and still is! I was thrilled when American Mythology asked me to write such an iconic pulp hero; the guy who showed the Shadow and Batman how it’s done. And as a long-time resident of Los Angeles, it’s a kick to visit my beloved city 200 years ago, and play off what it was then and what it was fated to become.”

Avallone, an expert in pulp storytelling, having worked with such icons as Doc Savage, Vampirella, The Shadow, and Bettie Page, relished at the prospect of exploring a western horror direction for the hero. “I’m excited to confront Zorro with supernatural foes. We’ve all seen him swashbuckling his way through armies of Spanish Empire troops, but the ‘Swords of Hell’ are the greatest challenge he’s ever faced,” says Avallone. “Zorro will have to dig deep into his bag of tricks, and ride down some unfamiliar roads to free Los Angeles from their demonic yoke of oppression.”

Editor-in-Chief Mike Wolfer says, “As with our Edgar Rice Burroughs titles (Carson of Venus, The Land That Time Forgot, The Moon Maid, Pellucidar), American Mythology sets out to develop new stories set in fan-favorite worlds firmly-established over 100 years ago… so rest assured, our Zorro comics will respect the hero as everyone knows and loves him to be. But when considering the hundreds of Zorro comics that have come before, we needed a twist to make our new tales unique – and we all immediately agreed that our new American Mythology stories would all have supernatural horror overtones. We might not have seen those elements in many previous Zorro comics, but that doesn’t mean that such stories didn’t happen. Maybe in the past, those adventures were just too horrifying to tell, but now, they will be told!”

The debut issue of Zorro: Swords of Hell features a wide selection of cover variants, providing fans and retailers with the freedom of choice:

Main Cover by interior artist Roy Allan Martinez

“Demon Fury” Variant by S.L. Gallant (G.I. Joe, Marvel Adventures: The Avengers)

“Classic Nostalgia” Variant by Jon Pinto (Stargate Atlantis)

“Visions of Zorro” Limited Edition Variant, by cartooning legend Alex Toth (Super Friends, The Herculoids), limited to a print run of only 450 comics

 “Blank Sketch” Variant, perfect for professional and aspiring artists to illustrate

Zorro, “The Fox,” was created in 1919 by the writer Johnston McCulley for his serialized novel The Curse of Capistrano. This story was the first of 65 immensely popular prose tales in which the romantic hero fought injustice in Spanish California’s Pueblo de Los Angeles. In the century since, Zorro has been an omnipresent figure in pop culture, the star of novels, comic books, cartoons, television, and feature films.

Zorro: Swords of Hell #1 will be advance solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ May 2018 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in August. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies with their local comic book retailers.

ZORRO, THE LEGENDARY MASKED HERO, RETURNS TO COMICSWITH SUPERNATURAL TERROR TALES American Mythology Announces, under license from Zorro Productions, Inc., the August 2018 debut of the Swords of Hell Miniseries…

[unpensadoranonimo]

Opiniones sobre el secesionismo catalán (25/2/2020)

Aislando a ERC - Jordi Mercader

Barcelona no es de fiar - Gregorio Morán

Cataluña: herida abierta - Jordi García-Soler

Cómo diferenciar un catalán autóctono de uno de importación - Marta García Aller

¿Duran i Lleida President? - Miquel Giménez

El año electoral de las nacionalidades - Javier Pérez Royo

El aturullado cabezazo de Redondo como s��ntoma - José Antonio Zarzalejos

El Derecho al servicio del poder: de la escuela de Kiel a Junqueras - Guadalupe Sánchez

El mediador - Imma Lucas

En el pecado, la penitencia - Javier Pérez Royo

España: ¿nacionalismo o democracia? - Chema Meseguer

¿Estonia como modelo para Rufianes y Puigdemones? - Miguel Ángel Aguilar

Jordi no, Kunta Kinte - Karina Sainz Borgo

La masa y la impunidad, recordando a Concepción Arenal - Gonzalo Quintero Olivares

La Meridiana de Barcelona, una avenida de uso y abuso sectario - Jordi García-Soler

La reforma redentora y el melón del Código Penal - Gonzalo Quintero Olivares

La sombra del 155 se alarga - Javier Pérez Royo

Los catalanes autóctonos y la raza superior - Miquel Giménez

“Los catalanes somos un caso de estudio. Y no sé si esto tiene solución” - Jordi García-Soler

Los hermanos Goicoechea, los escoltas de Puigdemont con el soberanismo en la sangre - Marcos Lamelas

Los nuevos aduaneros - Miquel Giménez

Madrid y su leyenda negra - Carmelo Encinas

Meridianamente claro - Miquel Giménez

"Murallas humanas", "CDR", "artefactos": los informes secretos de Trapero antes del 1-O - Beatriz Parera y Pablo Gabilondo

Nacionalismos desleales: ¿llegó la hora de cerrarles la puerta? - José Apezarena

Nadie dirá que fue culpable - Miquel Giménez

Ni héroe ni víctima: la cara oculta del mayor Trapero - Nacho Cardero

No es la mesa, es el sillón - Miquel Giménez

¿Nuevo choque con la Justicia europea? - Javier Pérez Royo

Perros, gatos y Mireille: los insólitos enemigos de Puigdemont en Perpiñán - Carlos Barragán

Por la boca muere el pez - Joaquim Coll

Por la concordia - Josep Ramon Bosch

¿Por qué se frena la mesa política de Cataluña? - Antonio Casado

¿Puede haber un independentismo no independentista? - Manuel Castaño

Qué pereza lo de Cataluña - Marta García Aller

Quim Torra, Sabino Arana y el supremacismo de la alcaldesa de Vic - Alberto Pérez Giménez

Roures el filántropo - Miquel Giménez

Sánchez otorga al País Vasco el Estado Libre Asociado - Alejo Vidal-Quadras

Sánchez proclama a Iglesias su Rasputín - Rubén Amón

"Tornarem a sofrir, tornarem a lluitar, tornarem a vèncer" - José Antonio Zarzalejos

¿Y ahora qué? - Josep Ramoneda

¿Y qué hay de lo mío? - Nacho Cardero

"Y una puta mierda" - Jordi García-Soler

Ya no me siento independentista - Lolita Bosch

Ya no me siento independentista (2) - Lolita Bosch

[revistapresenciaacapulco]

FELIZ DIA DE LAS MADRES!!!!

FELIZ DIA DE LAS MADRES!!!!

Felicidades Mamás !!!! PRESENCIA reconoce la tarea tan difícil que tienen al educar a sus hijos en la actualidad.

Oralia Ríos con sus hijos

Mary Carmen Hollenstein con su hija Hildegard

La recién estrenada como mamá, Lola Aguirre, con su mamá Lolita Aguirre

Tere Pano con sus hijos Antonio y Manlio Fabio Pano

Alba Luz Estrada Quintero con sus hijas Dani, Ximena y Nadia

Nela Bárcenas con sus hijas…

[andresramirezmx]

Rinden protesta integrantes de la Junta Patriótica de Autlán de Navarro

AUTLÁN, JAL. 29 / AGOSTO / 2017. La tarde de este lunes durante la reciente sesión extraordinaria del ayuntamiento, se realizó la toma de protesta a los integrantes de la Junta Patriótica 2017 de Autlán de Navarro, quienes serán los encargados para la realización de las actividades conmemorativas al 207 aniversario del inicio de la Independencia de México.

Una vez aprobada la conformación de la Junta Patriótica, el alcalde de Autlán de Navarro, Fabricio Israel Corona Vizcarra, realizó la correspondiente toma de protesta a sus integrantes, quienes a su vez agradecieron al pleno edilicio por la confianza depositada para la realización de las fiestas patrias en el municipio.

De los integrantes de la Junta Patriótica 2017 como presidente estará Jorge Rodríguez Salazar, como vicepresidente Hugo Aréchiga Yáñez, como secretaria Ana Rosa Covarrubias Rolón, como tesorera Aracely Guadalupe Guerrero Sandoval, y como vocales Martha Florentina Corona Santana, Armando Velasco Mora, Erika Soltero Salazar, Elia Guadalupe Macías Vargas, Leticia Córdova Medina, Lolita Cuevas Zepeda, Julio César Gutiérrez Luquín, María Lourdes Quintero Bernabé, César Muñoz Fonseca, Dulce María Flores Colmenares, Alejandra Josefina de Luna Herrera y Luis Antonio Vera Rodríguez.

(Andrés Ramírez Pelayo)

[donfadrique]

The package from California-3

1. Gelatin-silver print, original vintage photos

2. Modern reproduction, a postcard ;)

[hello-intruder]

Hallan droga en bar vinculado con ex reina de belleza

Hallan droga en bar vinculado con ex reina de belleza

[email protected]

Elementos de la Fiscalía de Jalisco catearon el bar Lola Lolita, implicado en la red de lavado de dinero del presunto narcotraficante Raúl Flores Hernández, El Tío, y del que son socios los hermanos Omar y Efraín Caro Urías, primos del narcotraficante Rafael Caro Quintero, y la ex reina de belleza de Jalisco Joanna Rivera Sibson.

Al menos una decena de patrullas de la Fuerza…

[ariel-seagull-wings]

GOOD VIBES CHALLENGE: THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940)

@thealmightyemprex @goodanswerfoxmonster @angelixgutz @the-blue-fairie @themousefromfantasyland @princesssarisa @amalthea9

So, my introduction to the figure of Zorro was the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro staring Antonio Banderas. Later i watched a comedy version of the character in the brazilian telenovela Bang Bang (2005) where he was a side character who had a hair saloon, and some chapters of the colombian telenovela Zorro: La Espada y la Rosa, based on a novel of the same name by chilean writer Isabel Allende. In 2016, i checked the 80s comedy parody Zorro: the Gay Blade.

And now, for the first, I checked out this 1940s film encarnation, wich is the first sound film portrayal of Zorro.

This movie opens with our hero, rich spanish-californian heir Don Diego de la Vega, arriving from his military studies in Spain to return to California, where he discovers his father, Don Alejandro, has suffered a political couo that forced him to renounce the govern of California to the greedy Luis Quintero and the violent military captain Esteban Pasquale.

To help his father and the people who are opressed by Quintero and Pasquale, while wanting to avoid calling attention to himself, Diego pretends to be a vain and cowardly bon vivant who does not cares for politics that wants to be in the good graces of the new govern, while in the shadows he assumes the identity of the heroic masked revolutionary Zorro, who takes back for the people the riches that Quintero and Pasquale have taken away.

In paralel to this, we follow the romance between Diego and Lolita, the young niece of Luis Quintero, wich causes the jealousy of Dona Ines, who, despite being married to Quintero, wishes to have Diego for her lover.

This is a classic simple story of a good hero who fights to triumph against evil doers, with a dosis of idealized romance.

The touch of complexity is in Tyrone Power's performance as Diego de la Vega, the arrogant dandy who aparently doesn't want to get involved in the political struggles of California and so has a hard time to be respectsd by his father, his friend Friar Felipe and, Lolita, at first, and the brave Zorrob, who strikes terror in the soldiers and is admired by the people as a simbol of hope to better the lifes of the peasants of California.

While the character himself is very complex, the plot itself is acessible and easy to follow and enjoym

The love triangle between Lolita, Diego and Dona Ines brings an interesting touch of fairy tale, with Dona Ines and Lolita having a dinamic reminiscent of the conflict of Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for the title of most beautifull lady in the land.

We also are graced with a touch of humour, in both the early interactions between Diego and Lolita, Luis Quintero and his cowardice, and the priest Friar Felipe, who, while a religious man, is not above getting into physical fights if it means helping the people and resisting opression (a highlight being when he is beating soldiers and asking forgiveness to God each time).

This movie is a needed breath of escapism and fantasy, reminding us of why is important to believe in the existence of good in the world, and I highly recomend it.

[donfadrique]

I've decided to re-watch “The Mark of Zorro” (1940) to cheer myself up. 

I have sort of a plan: 1) watch the black and white version (in the old Soviet dubbing) and write down an emotional brief review in the process of watching it; 2) watch the colorized version; 3) watch the movie in the original dubbing; 4) perhaps write a full review.

I watched this movie a long time ago for the first time (I wanted to watch famous films with Basil Rathbone). But unfortunately, I didn't get to watch the movie properly, and all I remembered were a few scenes. I didn’t like Tyrone Power then, and only this year, after taking a closer look at him, I changed my mind. So this is the first time I'm watching Zorro'40 carefully.

Before we start, a few words need to be said. (However, the film has my full attention from the very first frame, and I'll have a very hard time pausing and writing down these notes!)

First of all, I am not a native English speaker, so I apologize for any mistakes.

Secondly, after watching the movie I want to give my assessment of a) screenplay, b) cast and director’s work, c) posters, costumes, locations, camera work, soundtrack etc. Also, I wanna find the answer to the question, what makes the movie a masterpiece for me.

A separate topic is the homoeroticism of "The Mark of Zorro". We know that Diego's flirtation with Captain Pasquale was part of his plan to eliminate his enemies, but was there a "gay message" in the film, as some movie reviewers claim? Perhaps it was ambiguous humor or an analogue of modern fan service for those viewers who positively evaluate same-sex relationships? Let's try to figure it out.

So, let's start.

1/🗡️

Wow, Diego receives his military education (!) in Madrid (judging by his uniform, he is a hussar), he has a reputation as a duelist (he was nicknamed "Californian cockerel") and, probably, a womanizer. It is not yet known how old Diego is, but the actor (Tyrone Power) is 26, which means the screenwriters were most likely focusing on the canonical novel by Johnston McCulley.

I also really like the design of the credits, the preface and the first lines of the characters, as well as the costumes and the balance between realism and spectacularity of the movie (and this spectacularity is the result of the work of the film crew and fencing skill of actors, and not modern computer graphics etc).

2/🗡️

Aha, "Cadet Vega".

And, saying goodbye to his comrades, Diego thrusts his saber into the ceiling.

"Leave it there. And when you see it think of me in the land of gentle missions, happy peons, sleepy caballeros, and everlasting boredom. Wine! A toast, señores! To California! Where a man can only marry, raise fat children, and watch his vineyards grow."

The most amazing thing is that Diego gives the impression of a very mature and strong-willed person. Like a military general, not a young cadet :) I have three explanations: 1) Tyrone Power himself was like that, 2) he played Cadet Vega like that so viewers would later see the contrast between true Diego and his dandy mask, 3) both factors. But, of course, Power was not just a talented and good-looking actor, he was a charismatic person. A fine choice of an actor to play Zorro. Moreover, Power had a Spanish-like appearance, which is important, for my taste. And his slim body would allow him to convincingly play both a dandy and the "elusive ghost" El Zorro.

3/🗡️

Before I continue watching the movie and taking notes, here are a few interesting facts about actors and my thoughts out loud.

🎭 Everyone knows that Basil Rathbone was one of the best swordsmen in Hollywood. But perhaps not everyone knows that he was twice the British Army Fencing Champion, a skill that served him well in movies and allowed him to even teach actors Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power swordsmanship. (By the way, Rathbone was awarded the Military Cross in 1918.) And! He said about Tyrone Power, "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." Rathbone's opinion was worth a lot, because he was not only famous for his fencing and acting skills—he was a mega-celebrity (well, years ago I became interested in "The Mark of Zorro" precisely because Rathbone starred there; I had never even heard of Power xD). And yup, as we already know, the movie became a hit, and 20th Century-Fox often cast Power in other swashbucklers in the years that followed.

🎭 The fact that Flynn and Power were lovers can only be of interest to us because Power, due to his bisexuality and communication with homosexuals, was able to play ideally a man who pretended (?) to be interested in the same sex. But since Power's Diego was flirting with Rathbone's Captain Pasquale, I was interested in his views on same-sex relationships. Rathbone probably had a positive attitude towards them, since in 1926 he was very angry about the censorship because he believed that homosexuality needed to be brought into the open (Rathbone was arrested along with every other member of the cast of "The Captive", a play in which his character's wife left him for another woman).

🎭 So far, I like everything about "The Mark of Zorro", except that the screen image is reminiscent of "Captain Blood" (1935), not "Gone with the Wind" (1939), filmed in Technicolor. Perhaps modern viewers often underestimate Zorro'40 precisely because both versions of the movie, black-and-white and colorized, seem "old-fashioned" to them.

An interesting fact. According to Hollywood legend, Rathbone was Margaret Mitchell's first choice to play Rhett Butler in the film version of her novel "Gone with the Wind".

🔥References (if you need them)🔥

Rathbone, Basil (1962). In and Out of Character (Ebook ed.). Lanham, MD: Limelight Publishers.

Higham, Charles (1980). Errol Flynn: The Untold Story. New York City: Doubleday.

[donfadrique]

Previous part

Part Seven

14/🗡️

So, we will not just return to the possible homoerotic plot line—I will be extremely sincere in my conclusions, because my goal was to understand the intention of the director and the film crew.

Let me immediately say about the only negative thing about the scene, and close this issue.

Tyrone Power's poorly drawn mustaches annoy me :) Maybe this was done on purpose, but they annoy ME aesthetically xDD Well, let's move on.

This scene is ambiguous. Look, Diego comes to the party with a lorgnette, begins to act mannered and explains his lateness by saying that his bath was tepid, etc. In general, everyone is indifferent to this—except Capitán Pasquale, who tells Inez, "His bath was tepid. Poor Lolita. I'm afraid her wedded life will be the same."

This can be interpreted in two ways: Pasquale considers Diego to be a pampered and weak fop, unable to use either a steel sword or the sword that he has in his pants (it is believed that men who are too careful about their appearance are not, erm, temperamental). But this could also be a hint at Diego's homosexuality (remember the book's canonical "he seldom wears a blade, and I doubt whether he can use one", "the flashing dark eyes of lovely señoritas do not disturb him", and even "he may wear petticoats, if it please him").

Why does Pasquale say this? Because he is angry that Inez is infatuated with Diego. Regardless of his sexual orientation, Diego is the Capitán's rival (which Pasquale says directly when he sticks a knife into the fruit, hinting to Diego that he would like to do the same with the young man; on the other hand, if someone wants to see in this act of violence against the fruit act of same-sex love, then who am I to restrain your fantasy? xD)

Perhaps the Capitán wants to tell Inez that Diego is physically incapable of satisfying her, but he cannot say it directly because that would be an insult.

It is beneficial for Diego that Capitán Pasquale sees him not just as a weakling and a dandy, but as a "gay caballero" (an expression from Guy Williams). Why?

Well, firstly, this is a book canon, and we are dealing with a film adaptation.

Secondly, it is beneficial for Diego that Capitán Pasquale, instead of envy of his rival, begins to feel complacency, seeing that handsome Don Diego Vega, the son of a rich man, is fascinated by a "second-rate soldier of fortune" who is much older than himself.

So Diego, sitting at the table opposite the Capitán, begins to flirt with him so openly that even a blind monk would have seen it xDD

However, as a result, Pasquale is more surprised and wary than charmed (the Capitán is not a fool, and Diego is more likely to mock him than flirts, and, if you look closely, Diego’s black gaze is much harsher than the Capitán’s gray one).

Capitán Esteban Pasquale: I had the misfortune to kill a man of influence.

Don Luis Quintero: A lady was involved, I believe.

Don Diego Vega: The gentleman's wife, no doubt?

Capitán Esteban Pasquale: Just how did you mean that, señor?

Don Diego Vega: I had hoped to be amusing... Have I failed?

Capitán Esteban Pasquale: Somewhat. With me.

Diego dances with Lolita and proposes marriage to her (more precisely, to her uncle, and Lolita herself, disappointed in Diego and in love with Zorro, runs away—later Diego/Zorro will pay a visit to her bedroom).

Vega also demonstrates magic tricks again (this Diego has a variety of skills: he knows how to flirt with men and to handle weapons, shows magic and acrobatic tricks, understands fragrances etc).

Diego tells Inez that his marriage will help their extramarital affair remain a secret, but Inez is too jealous and tries to dissuade Lolita from the marriage. It's funny that not only does she not consider Diego incapable of loving a woman, she doesn't even notice how Diego flirt with the Capitán (Inez is too confident in her attractiveness to pay attention to such things).

At the end of this scene, Diego admits to his mother that he is not indifferent to Lolita.

NB! Thinking about Diego's "ghostliness", attractiveness, cunning and mockery, I suddenly remembered... kitsune. Kitsune, a mythical creature in Asian mythology and folklore, a fox with supernatural powers. Often plays the role of a trickster. According to legends, it lives for hundreds and even thousands of years, and can also turn into other animals and humans.

There's something about it. Yes, of course, El Zorro is only a mortal, but he's unique.