O Filho do Zorro

Like his father a generation before, a young Californian caballero must fight against treachery & evil in high places.

DON Q SON OF ZORRO was Douglas Fairbanks' rousing sequel to his previous hit film, THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920). Much more expansive & elaborate than the first film, Fairbanks shows what he's learned about producing silent swashbucklers in the intervening five years. Mixing history, spectacle & lots of action, Doug always gave his audience their money's worth.

By this point in his career, Fairbanks was the absolute master of the swashbuckler. Whether romancing a fair señorita, fighting off hordes of enemy swordsmen, or jumping all about the architecture, his infectious grin & superb athletic prowess never fail to charm the viewer. And here he gets to charm twice, playing both father & son very nicely.

Doug is given wonderful support from three excellent character actors: Warner Oland as a silly Austrian Archduke whose foolish behavior precipitates the movie's crisis; Jean Hersholt as a social climbing buffoon who gets more than he bargained for; and vile Donald Crisp (who also directed) as the villain who wants both Fairbanks' life & sweetheart.

Although given little to do, Mary Astor is still a lovely heroine worth the fighting of several duels.

But this remains Fairbanks' film. His powerful personality & spectacular stunts not only dominate the movie, but also have ensured him an unassailable niche in Hollywood history.