El espectro del Zorro

Much of the footage from Ghost of Zorro was taken from a previous Republic serial DAREDEVILS OF THE WEST (1943) starring Allen Lane and Kay Aldridge. Note the outfits of Clayton Moore and Pamela Blake in one scene where they are riding on a out of control stagecoach about to go over a cliff. They are identical to the outfits worn by Lane and Aldridge in a similar chapter ending. Also the name of the stageline shown on the coach is "Foster Stage Line" indicating it was the same stage used in the 1943 serial. Also in the first chapter, Miss Blake's construction crew is attacked by maurading Indians (Native Americans, for the politically correct readers!!!). She and the others are shown on an obvious indoor set rigged to look like it was shot outdoors. However the footage of Indians attacking came from the other serial. I wrote a detailed article using the actual pressbook copies from the Library of Congress for the first issue of the Classic Images film magazine. As to the quality of Ghost of Zorro, it was made at a time when Republic was using lots of stock footage in their serials and westerns trying to stave off the inevitable. The one benefit which came from its production was that it gave Clayton Moore the portrayal which helped him get the role of TV's Lone Ranger.

The standard plot and acting are acceptable but the fight scenes lack the excitement of the earlier Republic serials because they are not under-cranked. Even the runaway coach scenes (the same shot repeated twice in the same serial for two different chases) are relatively unexciting. The shooting angles don't provide a sense of motion. Just look at the Lone Ranger serial by Republic and compare the riding scenes in the earlier serial to this one.

Best thing about the serial is George J. Lewis, playing a good guy.