The Mask of Zorro
The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 American Western swashbuckler film based on the fictional character Zorro by Johnston McCulley. Directed by Martin Campbell from a screenplay by John Eskow, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio, it stars Antonio Banderas in the main role, with Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson co-starring in supporting roles. The film features the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega (Hopkins), escaping from prison to find his long-lost daughter (Zeta-Jones) and avenge the death of his wife at the hands of the corrupt governor Rafael Montero (Wilson). He is aided by his successor (Banderas), who is pursuing his own vendetta against the governor's right-hand man while falling in love with de la Vega's daughter.
Plot
In 1821, masked swordsman Zorro defends the commoners of Alta California from Spanish oppression. Corrupt governor Don Rafael Montero sets a trap for Zorro at the public execution of three peasants. Zorro stops the execution, and Montero's soldiers are defeated by two young brothers, Alejandro and Joaquín Murrieta. Zorro fights the remaining soldiers and thanks the brothers by giving Joaquín a medallion. Montero deduces Spanish-born nobleman Don Diego de la Vega is Zorro and attempts to arrest him at his home. A swordfight and then a fire breaks out, and de la Vega's wife Esperanza, whom Montero covets, is murdered in the process. While the building burns, Montero takes de la Vega's infant daughter, Elena, as his own before imprisoning de la Vega and returning to Spain.
Awards
More details
author | David S. Ward John Eskow Ted Elliott Terry Rossio |
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award | Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actor |
contentLocation | California |
director | Martin Campbell |
editor | Thom Noble |
events | revenge slavery in the United States |
genre | action adventure drama historical western |
keywords | alta california antonio lópez de santa anna betray build buy california republic corrupt governor family estate gold mine harrison love harry love independent republic joaquin murrieta married mask meet mexican–american war murder peninsulares santa anna secret lair slave labor spanish-born sword duel tornado train walk wound zorro |
musicBy | James Horner |
nomination | Academy Award for Best Sound Academy Award for Best Sound Editing European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award |
producer | David Foster |
productionCompany | Amblin Entertainment Zorro Productions |
publisher | American Film Institute The New York Times TriStar Pictures |
recordedAt | Mexico |
theme | epic heist swashbuckler |