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| Zorro | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Duccio Tessari |
| Written by | Giorgio Arlorio[1] |
| Based on | Zorro byJohnston McCulley |
| Produced by | Luciano Martino |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Giulio Albonico[1] |
| Edited by | Mario Morra[1] |
| Music by | |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Titanus (Italy) United Artists (France) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 124 minutes |
| Countries |
|
| Languages | English French Italian |
Zorro is a 1975Spaghetti Westernswashbuckler film, directed byDuccio Tessari and starringAlain Delon in thetitle role. It was shot inAlmería, Spain.[2]Ottavia Piccolo andStanley Baker also star, withZorro being Baker's final film before his death in 1976. The film was released byUnited Artists on March 5, 1975 and was both a critical and commercial success.
On the eve of his return toSpain fromAlta California, the mysterious mercenary Diego meets his old friend Miguel Vega de la Serna, who is about to take up the governorship of Nueva Aragón. His uncle Don Fernando has died of “malaria” in a malaria-free region, being replaced by the dictatorial and unscrupulous Colonel Huerta. Diego warns, in vain, the idealistic Miguel that Nueva Aragón is ruled by greed and hatred; later that very evening, Miguel is assassinated by Huerta's underlings. Diego vows to avenge Miguel by taking his place, but not before a dying Miguel makes Diego swear "the new governor will never kill".
As Colonel Huerta asks the local council to appoint him both military and civil governor of Nueva Aragón, Diego suddenly arrives, walking in disguised as de la Serna. While lulling Colonel Huerta's fears by pretending to be a uselessfop, Diego learns that Huerta is a cruel despot, as well as a dangerous swordsman.
With Joaquín, Miguel's devoted mute servant, and aided by Assassin, the late Don Fernando'sGreat Dane, Diego goes among the people and learns how miserable and afraid they are: the innocent are punished for speaking the truth, while the guilty, who cheat unmercifully, are labelled as “respectable” citizens.
Inspired by street urchin Chico's tales of Zorro, a freedom-loving fox spirit, Diego creates his own black-garbed alter ego and launches a campaign for justice with a hilarious, action-packed marketplace brawl. Outwitting Huerta and his men time and again, Diego finally stages his own kidnapping (as the region's governor and as Zorro), both to free wrongfully held prisoners and to trick Colonel Huerta into thinking both are now dead.
Huerta, feeling himself safe at last, forces aristocrat Hortensia Polido to the marriage altar. He shoots Brother Francisco when the monk leads protesters to the church steps, just as Zorro reappears. Brother Francisco's murder finally absolves Diego of his vow to his dead friend Miguel, leaving Zorro free to engage Huerta in an action-packed swordplay duel-to-the-death, at which he is victorious following a lengthy battle.
The film was made in part because Alain Delon had enjoyed making the swashbucklerThe Black Tulip in 1964 and wanted to do another one. Filming began in July 1974 in Spain, with most of the crew being from Italy. Some studio work was done in Rome. The film's lengthy sword duel at the end was inspired byScaramouche (1952).[3]
Zorro was released in France on 5 March 1975 and in Italy on 6 March.[1] It was released in the United States in June 1976 byAllied Artists.[1]
It was also one of the first Western-produced films to be screened in thePeople's Republic of China, after theCultural Revolution. It was released there in 1978, and was purportedly seen by more than 70 million viewers.