The Mark of Zorro (1920)

(On Cable TV, June 2019) I had a surprisingly good time watching the original The Mark of Zorro, even despite it being nearly a hundred years old, in sepia tones and without sound. Genre thrills carry through the ages, and when the film gets down to business, we get to see Douglas Fairbanks deliver action sequences of timeless physical ability. The story of Zorro needs no introduction, of course—the plotting is easy to follow, and the film distinguishes itself with the choreography of the fights and the small details of what it means to be Zorro. Those of us keenly interested in the secret origins of Batman in Zorro will be bowled over not only to see the dual-identity conceit used this early on (Don Diego is vastly more comfortable talking to women as Zorro than as himself), but also Zorro hiding his Batmobile horse in his Batcave underground stable, with a hidden entrance and access through a hidden trapdoor in his house! But the fun here is seeing Fairbanks (a bit pudgier than what we’d expect from an action star, although appropriate for “man of leisure” Don Diego) fighting and running his way through the scenery—some of the second-half chase sequence approaches parkour-level stunts. I still think that the 1940 version is superior (and the 1998 version is my own personal favourite) but this is one silent film that’s not too long, not too dull and not to be missed.