Zorro, The Gay Blade

Zorro, The Gay Blade is a 1981 swashbuckling comedy film from 20th Century Fox, produced by C.O. Erickson and George Hamilton, directed by Peter Medak, that stars Hamilton, Lauren Hutton, Ron Leibman, and Brenda Vaccaro. The film's opening prologue states:

Zorro, The Gay Blade
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Medak
Produced by
Written by
Starring
Music byIan Fraser
CinematographyJohn A. Alonzo
Edited byLori Jane Coleman
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
July 17, 1981
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12.6 million[1]
Box office$5.1 million (US/Canada)[2]

"This film is dedicated to Rouben Mamoulian and the other great filmmakers whose past gives us our future".

The prologue quickly establishes that Zorro, The Gay Blade is a tongue-in-cheek sequel to 20th Century Fox's swashbuckling adventure film The Mark of Zorro (1940), directed by Mamoulian.

Hamilton was nominated for a Golden Globe award for playing the dual role of Don Diego de la Vega (Zorro) and his gay twin brother Bunny Wigglesworth, Ramón de la Vega.

Plot

In 1840s Madrid, Spain, Don Diego de la Vega is in bed with a married woman. They are caught by her husband, Garcia, and Diego must sword fight with him and his five brothers. During the altercation, Diego's mute servant Paco reads (via gestures) a letter from Diego's father ordering Diego's return to California. Diego and Paco jump from a high wall into a waiting carriage.

When the two arrive in Los Angeles, they are met by Diego's childhood friend Esteban, who is now capitán of the guard. He has married Florinda, for whom the men competed when they were boys. Diego learns that his father was killed in a riding accident, his horse "frightened by a turtle". Esteban is the acting alcalde until the Dons elect a replacement.

Esteban is elected by acclamation and then gives a speech to the assembled peasants. He is interrupted by Charlotte Taylor-Wilson, a wealthy political activist from Boston. She and Diego meet, and despite their political differences, Diego is smitten.

Diego is invited to a masked ball celebrating Esteban's elevation. He also receives his inheritance: Zorro's black cape, hat, and sword, along with a letter from his late father revealing that he was Zorro. That legacy now falls to Diego. He decides the masked ball is the perfect place to announce Zorro's return. On his way there, Zorro witnesses a peasant being extorted. He confronts and defeats Esteban's tax collector, then instructs the peon to spread the word that El Zorro has returned.

Diego, in Zorro costume, dances with Florinda at the ball. Velasquez, the tax collector, reports the theft to Esteban, pointing to Diego as Zorro. A duel ensues with Esteban, and Zorro escapes by again jumping from a high wall, but this time injuring his foot and hobbling away.

Later that night, a drunk Florinda attempts to seduce Diego at his hacienda, but Esteban arrives to speak about the evening's events. He suspects that Diego might be Zorro, but Diego convinces him that his foot is uninjured.

A reign of terror begins, including torture and increased taxation. Diego is frustrated because, being injured, he cannot fight Esteban's tyranny. Fate intervenes when Diego's gay, foppish, and British-educated twin brother Ramón de la Vega, a Royal Navy officer, having adopted the name "Bunny Wigglesworth", comes home for a visit. Diego brings him up to date, and Bunny assumes the guise of Zorro, using a whip instead of a sword, while wearing flamboyant Zorro attire in a variety of coordinated colors.

The colorful Zorro always eludes capture. Esteban hatches a plan to lure Zorro to the alcalde's residence with another ball to show off Florinda's expensive new necklace. Seeing through the plan, Diego arrives dressed as Zorro. So do the rest of the Dons and male party guests, saying that a message from Esteban instructed them all to dress that way. Adding to the confusion, Bunny appears in drag, masquerading as "Margarita" Wigglesworth, Diego's cousin from Santa Barbara. Esteban is smitten upon meeting her. Bunny spills a drink on Florinda, and in the resulting chaos attempts to clean her dress, makes off with the necklace. As Bunny leaves to return to the Royal Navy, he tells Diego that Charlotte Taylor-Wilson has confessed her love for Zorro.

At the plaza, Diego as Zorro and Charlotte meet again, falling into each other's arms, but they are observed and Esteban is informed. As a ruse to lure Zorro, he has Charlotte arrested, and she is sentenced to be executed. Don Diego as Zorro surrenders to Esteban to save her, and he is sentenced to death.

Seconds before the firing squad opens fire, Bunny, this time wearing a bright metallic gold costume, announces the return of Zorro. "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a peso. All for Zorro, stand up and say so!" With Charlotte's and Diego's aid, Zorro incites the assembled peasants to rebellion. Esteban's guards also rebel, joined by Florinda, and Esteban stands alone, defeated. Later, Bunny finally rides off to catch his ship back to England, waving goodbye, after which Diego and Charlotte ride off to plan their wedding. As her wedding gift, Charlotte suggests that Diego donate all his family lands to the people so they can settle down and raise a family in Boston.

Cast

Development

The film began life as a screenplay by future screenwriter and teacher David Trottier, titled Zorro, the Comedy Adventure. Trottier had little involvement with the finished film, barring some minor additions, so was not credited.[4]

Music

The opening credits read: ”Music conducted and adapted by Ian Fraser” and the end credits say “Music adapted from The Adventures of Don Juan by Max Steiner [and] Danzes Fantastica by Joaquín Turina”.

The film score for was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Musical Score at the 2nd annual Golden Raspberry Awards.

Critical reception

Vincent Canby gave a mostly positive review in The New York Times, praising many of the performances in particular. "[George Hamilton] has energy and extreme good will. He also has surrounded himself with some very attractive and funny actors, particularly Mr. Leibman, Brenda Vaccaro, as the alcalde's sex-hungry wife, and beautiful Lauren Hutton".[5]

In the 2019 film Joker, Zorro, the Gay Blade can be read on a theater marquee.[6]

References
  1. Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p259
  2. Solomon p 235. Figures are rentals not total gross.
  3. Sharbutt, Jay (April 1, 1990). "Masked Zorro Returns Friday to Make His Mark on Cable TV". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  4. http://www.scriptmag.com/reviews/tool-reviews/how-the-writers-store-changed-my-life
  5. "Zorro The Gay Blade (1981): George Hamilton, Comic Zorro" Vincent Canby, The New York Times, July 24, 1981. Accessed January 11, 2013.
  6. Lane, Anthony (27 September 2019). "Todd Phillips's "Joker" Is No Laughing Matter".
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