The Mask
of Zorro
DOWN &
DIRTY:
Action/Adventure: Zorro, the
legendary hero, trains a young
protege to avenge both his and
the young man's personal
misfortunes by having him take
his place as the fighting masked
hero.
NITTY GRITTY:
The Spanish governor of
California, Don Rafael Montero
(STUART WILSON), prepares to
leave the American west coast and
his oppression of the locals, but
not before one last public
execution.
Before that happens, however, Don
Diego de la Vega (ANTHONY
HOPKINS), swoops in as Zorro,
battles Montero's forces and
frees those to be executed.
Montero quickly tracks down Don
Diego in his estate where, after
a brief battle, Don Diego's wife,
Esperanza is killed. Montero then
takes their infant daughter Elena
as his own, and throws Don Diego
in prison.
Twenty years later Don Diego
manages to escape from prison
when he learns that Montero has
returned to the California
territory. Prepared to kill his
archenemy, Don Diego stops when
he spots Elena (CATHERINE
ZETA-JONES), now a ravishing
young woman who believes Montero
to be her father.
Needing someone to enact revenge
for him, Don Diego recruits a
local outlaw, Alejandro Murrieta
(ANTONIO BANDERAS). Alejandro
happens to be seeking his own
revenge on Montero's military
leader, Captain Harrison Love
(MATT LETSCHER), for killing his
brother. Don Diego decides to
train Alejandro to be the next
Zorro.
Alejandro becomes more proficient
in his swashbuckling skills and
has to learn to control his
temper.
He must also deal with his
growing attraction to Elena who
is dazzled by the charming,
masked figure.
After learning that Montero is
preparing to enact an fiendish
plan that will make him the owner
of all of California, Alejandro
and Don Diego team up to stop
him.
THE ENDING:
Don Diego sends Montero on a
wagon ride off a cliff. Alejandro
kills Captain Love in a sword
duel. Elena helps the prisoners
escape before the gold mine blows
up. Don Diego dies in Elena's
arms.
Elena and Alejandro have a little
boy who is told of the legend of
Zorro.
WHAT EVERYONE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT:
The swordplay of
Catherine Zeta-Jones.
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