Les trois épées de Zorro

"The Three Swords of Zorro" has resurfaced recently from well deserved obscurity, thanks to a public domain DVD release. The DVD itself sets new standards for "Low-tech" as it looks as though it was recorded from an EP VHS playback, with pathetic sound recording.

Guy Stockwell (brother of Dean) portrays the title character, orphaned son of the original Zorro (Dad's been rotting in jail for the last 15 years, and doesn't know that his abandoned son has taken up the mantle of "Defender of the oppressed"). Zorro defends the local peasantry from the evil governor's oppression, re-discovers his real father is jail and frees him and sends the corrupt Governor and his cronies to the hoosegow in the film's brief running time. He get's the girl, too!

One of the many European action flicks to flood theatres and American TV in the early 60's, "The Three Swords of Zorro" pales in comparison to more the more mainstream Zorro outings produced before and after. Tyrone Power, Antonio Banderas (and even Guy Williams) fared much better than poor Stockwell in establishing the legendary status of this famed fictional hero of Old California.

Good for a few laughs!