Zorro, the Avenger (1959)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Pretty Good

Memorable, crazy movie

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Guy Williams (Zorro), Henry Calvin (Sergeant Garcia), Gene Sheldon (Bernardo), Charles Korvin ("The Eagle"), George J. Lewis (Alejandro), Jay Novello (Juan Greco), Henry Rowland (Count Kolinko), Don Diamond, Ralph Clanton, Michael Pate.Director: CHARLES BARTON. Screenplay: Lowell S. Hawley, Bob Wehling. Based on the "Zorro" stories by Johnston McCulley. Photography: Gordon Avil. Film editors: Cotton Warburton, Roy Livingstone. Art director: Marvin Aubrey Davis. Music: William Lava. Sound: Robert O. Cook. Producer: William H. Anderson. A Walt Disney Buena Vista Production.Copyright 1958 by Walt Disney Productions. No American theatrical release. U.K. release through Walt Disney: June 1960. Australian release through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: 1 September 1960. 8,272 feet. 92 minutes.SYNOPSIS: New administrado Varga arrives at Los Angeles and takes possession of Alejandro's hacienda during the latter's absence. Alejandro's son, Diego, overcomes his natural impulse to defend his home and plays the pacifist towards Varga. It is Diego's plan to make use of certain secret passages to eavesdrop on Varga, whom he suspects to be associated with "The Eagle", known to be plotting to seize power in California. Before long, Diego discovers that Varga is himself "The Eagle". Varga, on the other hand, not only underestimates the apparently effete Diego, but has no idea that Diego is in fact his greatest enemy, Zorro. Diego eventually learns that Varga intends selling California to a foreign power, but with the aid of his deaf-mute servant Bernardo and of the fat and inept Sergeant Garcia, he successfully foils Varga.COMMENT: Maybe because our expectations were so low, but there does seem to be a slight overall improvement in this cut-rate Disney "Zorro", made for exposure on American TV but theatrically released in England, New Zealand and Australia. It still rates no more than a three or four in entertainment, and even less in its cut-rate production values and sometimes less than acceptable in technical quality; but nonetheless big production values don't really impress kids. And as long as they can see what's happening, technical quality doesn't really interest them either.P.S. If that's not the way to spell "administrado", I tend to agree, but I guess it's too late now to take our complaint to Walt Disney.

This movie (tv series compilation) is another great example of the popularity of Disney's Zorro. It follows "The Sign of Zorro" and it's an exciting adventure from the beginning to the end! Zorro is one of my favorite shows ever! This is very well written and the swordplay is fantastic. They used real swords because Walt Disney wanted realism into the scenes. Guy Williams is the best Diego\Zorro ever and this was the role of his life. All the cast is wonderful, full of chemistry and magic! All in all , this is great and even today is fantastic. A show (in this case a movie) for all ages!

To react to the comment "Horrible movie like the series" I'm sorry, but I do absolutely not agree with this. I don't know about the 'Duncan Regher' version of Zorro, so I can't say anything about that. I have, however, seen the Antonio Banderas version. It's true that he's is spectacular, but why write of the old? I think Guy Williams does a great job portraying Zorro and I really enjoy watching him and the others. The script and characters aren't as good as they could be maybe, but hey, look at all those soaps, they aren't doing better! I think this version of Zorro is great fun to watch. After all, spectacle doesn't make a good story.

This series depicts the fictional life of Don Diego de la Vega and other citizens of Spanish California. Guy Williams is, in my opinion, one of the greatest actors that ever was and his part in this series is crucial. That of Don Diego/El Zorro. This is what TV drama should be like. I only wish their were more of these made. It airs everyday of the week on the Disney Channel at 1:00 AM Eastern Standard Time and switches from the black and white version to the modified color version every other completion of the series. Dont let the black and white fool you! This is a great show.