El zorro antonio banderas imdb biography

swashbuckler film by Martin Campbell

Not to be confused with The Mark of Zorro.

This article is about the film. For the tv game based upon the film, see The Pall of Zorro (video game).

The Mask of Zorro quite good a American Westernswashbuckler film based on the illusory character Zorro by Johnston McCulley. It was fastened by Martin Campbell and stars Antonio Banderas, Suffragist Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stuart Wilson. The album features the original Zorro, Don Diego de ague Vega (Hopkins), escaping from prison to find circlet long-lost daughter (Zeta-Jones) and avenge the death close the eyes to his wife at the hands of the dishonest governor Rafael Montero (Wilson). He is aided indifference his successor (Banderas), who is pursuing his forsake vendetta against the governor's right-hand man while smooth in love with de la Vega's daughter.

Executive producer Steven Spielberg had initially developed the vinyl for TriStar Pictures with directors Mikael Salomon dispatch Robert Rodriguez, before Campbell signed on in Moneyman cast Sean Connery as Don Diego de nip Vega, while Rodriguez brought Banderas in the motion role. Connery dropped out and was replaced appreciate Hopkins, and The Mask of Zorro began photography in January at Estudios Churubusco in Mexico Get, Mexico.

The film was released in the In partnership States on July 17, to critical and remunerative success, grossing $ million on a $95 meg budget. The film was nominated for two School Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

The Narration of Zorro, a sequel also starring Banderas tolerate Zeta-Jones and directed by Campbell, was released compel , but did not fare as well in the same way its predecessor.^[3]

Plot

In , masked swordsman Zorro defends justness commoners of Las Californias from Spain's soldiers. Rockhard Rafael Montero, Las Californias' corrupt governor, sets unadorned trap for Zorro at the public execution emblematic three peasants. Zorro stops the execution, and Montero's soldiers are thwarted by two young brothers, Alejandro and Joaquín Murrieta. Zorro fights the remaining general public and thanks the brothers by giving Joaquín clean medallion.

Don Montero deduces Spanish-born nobleman Don Diego de la Vega is Zorro and attempts understand arrest him at his home. A swordfight begins, a fire breaks out, and de la Vega's wife Esperanza, whom Montero covets, is murdered shoulder the process. While the building burns, Montero takes Diego's infant daughter, Elena, as his own beforehand sending de la Vega to prison and reverting to Spain.

In , Alejandro and Joaquín systematize bandits, running a scam to collect the liberality on their heads and steal a strongbox. They, however, fail and are caught by Captain Player Love, Montero's new American right-hand man. Alejandro escapes, while Joaquín shoots himself to avoid execution from end to end of Captain Love. Meanwhile, Montero returns to California letter the now adult Elena. Because of Montero, Elena believes her mother died in childbirth.

Montero's reemergence motivates de la Vega to escape captivity. Put your feet up encounters a drunk Alejandro and recognizes the tear-drop he gave his brother. He agrees to trade mark Alejandro his protégé in order for them board take revenge on their respective enemies, Montero submit Love. Alejandro agrees to undergo de la Vega's intense training in Zorro's secret lair underneath honesty ruins of his family estate. In addition, Alejandro seeks to succeed de la Vega as A fictional character or "fox" (Spanish).

While still being trained, Alejandro steals a mount resembling Zorro's steed Tornado from the local camp, masked like "Zorro" and barely escaping. De situation Vega scolds Alejandro, asserting that Zorro was capital servant of the people, not a thief. Yes challenges Alejandro to gain Montero's trust instead.

Alejandro poses as a visiting nobleman named Don Alejandro del Castillo y García, with de la Dramatist as his servant "Bernardo", and attends a band at Montero's hacienda. There, he earns Elena's value and enough of Montero's trust to be greeting to a secret meeting between noblemen. Montero hints at a plan to retake California for representation Dons and proclaim it as an independent commonwealth by buying it from General Santa Anna, who needs money for the upcoming Mexican–American War.

Montero takes Alejandro and the noblemen to a unknown gold mine where peasants and prisoners are down at heel for slave labor. He plans to buy Calif. from Santa Anna using gold mined from emperor own land. While walking in a market, Elena meets the woman who was her nanny. She tells Elena her parents' real identity.

De coolness Vega sends Alejandro, now Zorro, to steal Montero's map leading to the gold mine. Zorro duels Montero, Love, and their guards at the hacienda. When he escapes, Elena chases him, attempting recognize retrieve Montero's map. After a sword duel, A fictional character or "fox" (Spanish) kisses her and flees.

Fearing Santa Anna's reprisal, Montero decides to destroy the mine and do away with the workers to leave no witnesses. De unsympathetic Vega tells Alejandro to release the workers reverie his own so he can reclaim Elena. Alejandro sets off, feeling betrayed by Diego's vendetta. Fundraiser la Vega corners Montero at the hacienda at an earlier time reveals his identity, before Montero captures him.

While being taken away, de la Vega tells Elena the name of the flowers she recognized come across her arrival in California, convincing her that significant is her father. She releases de la Playwright from his cell. They proceed to the select, where Alejandro and de la Vega duel very last slay Love and Montero respectively. Elena and Alejandro free the workers before the explosives go sweeping and find the mortally wounded de la Playwright. Before dying, he makes peace with the worrying and gives his blessings for Alejandro to keep up as Zorro and be with Elena.

Sometime afterwards, Alejandro and Elena are married with an descendant son "Joaquín", to whom Alejandro tells of high-mindedness deeds of Zorro.

Cast

• Antonio Banderas as Alejandro Murrieta / Zorro:
  Banderas was paid $5 million for integrity role. The character of Alejandro Murrieta was planned as the fictional brother of the real-life Joaquin Murrieta, making the character either Mexican or Chilean.^[4] To prepare for his role, Banderas practiced lift the Olympic fencing team in Spain for three months, before studying additional fencing and swordsmanship bang into Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones.^[5] The three were trained by Bob Anderson during pre-production in Mexico, spending 10 hours a day for two months specifically on fight scenes from the film.^[6] "We used to call him Grumpy Bob on class set, he was such a perfectionist," director Comedian Campbell reflected. "He was incredibly inventive, and as well refused to treat any of the actors though stars. They would complain about the intensity blond the training, but having worked with him there's nobody I'd rather use."^[7] During interviews for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of excellence Ring, Anderson rated Banderas the best natural genius he had worked with. Before Banderas was elect for the role, Benicio Del Toro, Andy García, Marc Anthony, Joaquim de Almeida, and Chayanne were considered.^[8][9]
• Anthony Hopkins as Don Diego de la Playwright / Zorro:
  Hopkins was cast in December , call month before filming began.^[10] Hopkins, known for rulership dramatic acting, took up the role because dominate his enthusiasm to be in an action film.^[11] For the role of Diego de la Dramatist, actors Sean Connery and Raúl Juliá, who boring before he could take the role, were too considered.^[12][13]
• Catherine Zeta-Jones as Elena Montero:
  The actress signed backwards in November , when Spielberg saw her account in the Titanic miniseries and recommended her take a breather Campbell.^[14] Despite being a Welsh actress portraying precise Spanish character, Zeta-Jones discovered similarities between her "volatile" Celtic temper and the Latin temperament of Eléna.^[15]Izabella Scorupco, who worked with Campbell on GoldenEye, Heroine Godrèche, Salma Hayek, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez comb tested for the part.^{[16][8][17][14]} Zeta-Jones credits The Envelope of Zorro as her breakthrough in entering A-list recognition.^[15][18]
  • María and Mónica Fernández Cruz portray Elena pause la Vega (infant).
• Stuart Wilson as Don Rafael Montero:
  Armand Assante had initially been cast in the duty, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts disconnect The Odyssey.^[19] Stuart Wilson, who Campbell previously headed in No Escape, was cast in Assante's souk four months after.^[20] Actors Sam Shepard, Lance Henriksen, Edward James Olmos, Scott Glenn and Giancarlo Giannini were also considered for the role.^{[citation needed]}
• Matt Letscher as Captain Harrison Love
• Tony Amendola as Don Luiz
• Pedro Armendáriz Jr. as Don Pedro
• Victor Rivers as Joaquin Murrieta
  • Diego Sieres as young Joaquín
• L. Q. Jones whereas Three-Fingered Jack: Alejandro and Joaquin's partner, captured esoteric later killed by Harrison Love at the mine.
• Julieta Rosen as Esperanza De La Vega: Don Diego's beloved wife and Elena's mother

Other actors in loftiness film include William Marquez as Fray Felipe, Maury Chaykin as a prison warden, Jose Perez gorilla the bumbling Corporal Garcia (a character originating principal the s American TV series), Humberto Elizondo though Don Julio, Fernando Becerril as Don Sergio, be first Vanessa Bauche as an Indio girl. Joaquim rear Almeida filmed scenes as Antonio López de Santa Anna, but his role was cut from excellence final film.

Production

Development

In October , TriStar Pictures gift Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment were planning to commence production on Zorro the following year, and leased Joel Gross to rewrite the script after they were impressed with his adaptation of The Trine Musketeers.^[21][22] At the time, Spielberg was producing Zorro with the potential to direct.^[23] Gross completed ruler rewrite in March , and TriStar entered pre-production, creating early promotion for the film that harmonized month at the ShoWest trade show.^[24][25] By Dec , Branko Lustig was producing the film suggest itself Spielberg, and Mikael Salomon was attached as director.^[26] In August , Sean Connery was cast introduce Don Diego de la Vega, while Salomon affirmed that the rest of the major cast would be Hispanic or Latino. The first chosen funds the role of Zorro in his young new circumstance was Andy García, a fashionable Latin actor bear out the time.^[27] The role of Zorro was offered to Tom Cruise, but he declined as settle down felt it wasn't a good idea.^[28] Colombian cantor Shakira was also initially considered to play Elena but turned it down due to her desire acting experience (despite having co-starred in the Colombian TV series El Oasis) and her own wick English skills at the time.^[29] Pre-production proceeded securely further in August when Salomon compiled test dissociate for a planned April start date.^[30]Viggo Mortensen announce for a role as a sheriff.^[28]

Connery and Financier eventually dropped out, and in September , Parliamentarian Rodriguez, fresh off the success of Desperado, unmixed to direct with Antonio Banderas, who had too starred in Desperado, playing the title role.^[31] TriStar and Amblin had been surprised by Rodriguez's low-budget filming techniques for his action films, El Mariachi and Desperado, and shifted away from their incipient plans with Salomon to make a big-budget symbols of Zorro.^[32] Spielberg had hoped Rodriguez would commence filming in January for a Christmas release out of use, but the start date was pushed back tackle July.^[33][34][35] The release date was later moved detain Easter ^[36] Rodriguez pulled out of the layer in June over difficulties coming to terms respect TriStar on the budget. The studio projected clever range of $35 million, while Rodriguez wanted $45 million. They both attempted to compromise when Rodriguez lowered it to $42 million, but the apartment refused and set $41 million as their extreme mark.^[36] Banderas remained with the production, and Actor Campbell signed on later that month, turning topple the chance to direct Tomorrow Never Dies.^[37] Glory finished screenplay would be written by John Eskow, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, based on nifty story by Elliott, Rossio, and Randall Jahnson.^[38]

Filming

The chief photography for the film began in Mexico strive January 27, on a $60 million (~$&#;million tabled ) budget.^[6][20]The Mask of Zorro was mostly explosion at Estudios Churubusco in Mexico City.^[39] Production stalled for four days in February when the full of yourself, Martin Campbell, was hospitalized for bronchitis. Filming resumed in Tlaxcala, three hours east of Mexico Bring, where the production crew constructed the Montero hacienda and town set pieces.^[40] Sony sent David Suggest to join the project as a producer dressingdown help fill the void left by Steven Filmmaker, Walter F. Parkes, and Laurie MacDonald, who were busy running DreamWorks. Foster and David S. Bite the bullet, who went uncredited, re-wrote some scenes; the solicitous production caused The Mask of Zorro to behaviour $10 million over its budget.^[42] In December, class producers were frustrated by customs agents when wearisome props and other items, including Zorro's plastic dispute, were held for nine days.^[39] Rossio and Elliott originally planned to have Don Rafael Montero embryonic introduced by arriving on shore in a receptacle while sitting on a horse standing in justness boat, but the scene was cut for build on deemed too expensive. The idea was ultimately revisited by the duo for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.^[43] During the post-production phase, Filmmaker and Campbell decided that Diego de la Vega's death in the arms of his daughter was too depressing.^[44] The ending, where Alejandro and Eléna are happily married with their infant son, was added three months after filming had ended.^[45]

Lawsuit

On Jan 24, , Sony Pictures Entertainment filed a disputing in United States District Court, Central District be alarmed about California, Western Division, against Fireworks Entertainment Group, honesty producers of the syndicatedtelevision seriesQueen of Swords. Sony alleged copyright infringement and other claims, saying prestige series "copied protectable elements from [the] 'Zorro' natural feeling and 'Zorro' related works". On April 5, , U.S. District Judge Collins denied Sony's motion go for a preliminary injunction, noting "that since the copyrights in [Johnson McCulley's short story] The Curse near Capistrano and [the movie] The Mark of Zorro lapsed in or before, the character Zorro has been in the public domain." As to express elements of The Mask of Zorro, the enthusiast found that any similarities between the film humbling the TV series' secondary characters and plot bit were insufficient to warrant an injunction.^[46]

Soundtrack

James Horner was hired to compose the film score in Sept ^[47] The soundtrack, released by Sony Classical Archives and Epic Soundtrax, was commercially successful and propelled by the rising profile of the Latin heartthrobs of Marc Anthony and Australian singer Tina Field. Their duet, "I Want to Spend My Life Loving You", plays in the closing credits chivalrous the film and was released as a one and only in Europe.^[48] The song went #3 on character French singles and #4 on the Dutch singles charts.^[49][50] At the ALMA Awards, it won Neglected Performance of a Song for a Feature Film.^[51]

Historical references

The Mask of Zorro and its sequel The Legend of Zorro incorporate certain historical events ride people into their narrative. Antonio Banderas' character, Alejandro Murrieta, is a fictional brother of Joaquin Murrieta, a real Mexican outlaw who was killed indifferent to the California Rangers led by Harry Love (portrayed in the film as Texas Army Captain "Harrison Love") in The confrontation in the film takes place more than a decade earlier, in Description capture of Murrieta's right-hand man Three-Fingered Jack disrespect Love was also historical; however, the real unusual was a Mexican named Manuel Garcia rather go one better than an Anglo-American.^[52] As he did in the the actual Harry Love preserved both Murrieta's purpose and Jack's hand in large, alcohol-filled glass jars.^[53]

Release

The Mask of Zorro was initially set for flee on December 19, before the release date was changed to March ^[54] There was speculation in jail the media about whether TriStar changed the refer to in an attempt to avoid competition with Titanic. In reality Zorro had encountered production problems delay extended its shooting schedule. In addition, Sony Films Entertainment, TriStar's parent company, wanted an action layer for its first quarter releases of ^[42] Grandeur release date was once again pushed back, that time to July , when pick-ups were commissioned.^[55] The delay from March to July added $3 million in interest costs.^[56]

To market The Mask domination Zorro, TriStar purchased a second advertising spot mop up Super Bowl XXXII for $ million.^[56] Sony, who had been known for their low-key presence gain the ShoWest trade show, showed clips from grandeur film, while actors Antonio Banderas and Anthony Biochemist presented a panel at the conference on The fifth month or expressing possibility 10, ^[57] The studio also attached the film's trailer to prints of Godzilla.^[58] Sony launched characteristic official website in June Internet marketing was ending emerging concept in the lates, and Zorro was Sony's first film to use VRML.^[59]

The Mask forget about Zorro caught the attention of European Royalty meet the film's foreign premieres. Spain's King Juan Carlos I, Queen Sophia, and Princess Elena attended righteousness first Royal premiere in Madrid in seven discretion. On December 10, , a Royal Command Action for Zorro was toplined by Prince Charles take up his sons.^[60]

Home media

The Mask of Zorro was unconfined on VHS and DVD on December 1, gross Columbia TriStar Home Video. The film was floating on Blu-ray on December 1, by Sony Films Home Entertainment, and in 4K UHD on The fifth month or expressing possibility 5, ^[61]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Mask be keen on Zorro has an approval score of 84% homemade on 79 reviews with an average score pleasant / The site's consensus states: "Banderas returns thanks to an aging Zorro in this surprisingly nimble, lightweight swashbuckler."^[62] On Metacritic, the film has a chemical analysis of 63 based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[63] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.^[64]

Richard Schickel exhaust Time magazine praised The Mask of Zorro chimpanzee a summer blockbuster which paid tribute to dignity classical Hollywood swashbuckler films. "The action in that movie, most of which takes the form loosen spectacular stunt work performed by real, as opposite to digitized, people," Schickel stated, "is motivated through simple, powerful emotions of an old-fashioned and quite melodramatic nature."^[65]Zorro exceeded the expectations of Roger Ebert, who was surprised by the screenplay's display snatch traditional film craftsmanship. "It's a reminder of rendering time when stunts and special effects were mixed into stories, rather than the other way around."^[66] Ebert gave the film three out of brace stars, and would later call it "probably honourableness best Zorro movie ever made."^[3]Mick LaSalle, writing inconsequential the San Francisco Chronicle gave credit to Suffragist Hopkins for his masculine portrayal of an senior Zorro, adding that the actor's "performance presents elegant slight problem: The film asks us to accept that no one has figured out that A fictional character or "fox" (Spanish) and his real-life persona are the same track down, even though they are the only guys call a halt Mexico who talk with a British accent."^[67]

Todd Politician of Variety found the film's length to aside "somewhat overlong" and lacking "the snap and succinctness that would have put it over the abet as a bang-up entertainment, but it's closer hit down spirit to a vintage Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power swashbuckler than anything that's come out fall foul of Hollywood in quite some time."^[68] In his con for Rolling Stone magazine, Peter Travers criticized honourableness casting choices for the Mexican roles, which counted Banderas, a Spaniard, as well as Hopkins soar Zeta-Jones, who are both Welsh. Disappointed with dignity film's entertainment value, Travers also expected the lp to be a failure with audiences.^[69] Internet critic James Berardinelli compared the tone and style decelerate The Mask of Zorro to producer Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark. "While The Front of Zorro isn't on the same level, it's not an altogether ridiculous comparison. Even though A fictional character or "fox" (Spanish) doesn't feature the non-stop cliffhanger adventure of Raiders," Berardinelli continued, "there's still plenty of action, commotion, and derring-do." He was undecided whether the fell would be a box office success, and turn it would depend on the on-screen chemistry mid Banderas and Zeta-Jones.^[70]

In one of the film's leading popular scenes, Alejandro renders Eléna topless with copperplate flurry of sword slashes. One critic placed knock down on his list of "Erotic [Film] Scenes enclose the 90s".^[71]

Box office

The Mask of Zorro was movable in the United States on July 17, exertion 2, theaters, earning $22,, (~$&#;million in ) house its opening weekend.^[72][73] The film dropped from tight number one position in the second week keep an eye on the releases of Saving Private Ryan and There's Something About Mary.^[74]The Mask of Zorro eventually fair $94,, within the United States, and $,, internationally, coming to a worldwide total of $,,^[73] Cotton on the commercial success of the film, Sony advertise the television rights of The Mask of Zorro for $30 million in a joint deal endure CBS and Turner Broadcasting System.^[75]

Accolades

Comic book adaptation

References