Zorro is just about one of the most entertaining characters out there but this movie is however far from always the most entertaining one!

I was never really impressed by this movie and the things that still saved it were some sporadic moments of pure pleasure and greatness. But I say sporadic and those moments are never present enough, throughout the entire movie. It are only the final 30 minutes that are truly great and fun to watch. Before that point, the movie is mostly lackluster and I have to say, even somewhat boring.

It's all mostly because the story never feels all that tight. It isn't taking a very interesting or new approach to the Zorro character and universe and the movie never really develops anything properly enough. The whole love-story falls incredibly flat but what's way worse is that the movie is missing a real conflict in it. The villains aren't really villainous enough and there is nothing in this movie that makes you want to root for Zorro, since you don't really know what he's fighting for in the first place.

And while the movie does have some great stunts in it, the action is still mostly lacking as well. It isn't shot all that well and the movie seemed to be struggling with its comedic elements as well. This is something that always had been a big part of the Zorro franchise but in this movie mostly works out as something that's too forced and really not effective enough. It's all part of the reason why this movie doesn't work out as the most entertaining one.

It's a bit of an obscure French and Italian production with also mostly French and Italian actors, filmed in Spain but set in Mexico, with dialog dubbed in English. It should tell you something about how wishy-washy the movie feels at times and it must had been a hard time, for those involved, to communicate with each other on the set, which all shows in the eventual movie.

Alain Delon is hardly the best or most memorable Zorro, even though he's a great actor of course. Luckily Stanley Baker, the man who was almost cast as the first James Bond, impresses more as the villain, in the last film role before his death. But as said before, his character not really written all that well, making him hardly one of the best or most memorable movie villains.

And the same could be said about the movie in its entirety; it's hardly the best or most memorable one around!

6/10

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This movie is not an epic drama due to its large scale but simple because of its story! It's a family drama and truly honestly one of the best that I have ever seen.

The story all sounds so very simple and standard on paper but simple fact is that it's all being executed very well, by director Luchino Visconti, who also helped to write the story (along with 6 others!).

What I like about it and the overall movie, is that it feels quite modern all for normal 1960 standards. It's definitely not being melodramatic or over-the-top in any other way imaginable and stuff and characters are being all kept as realistic as possible, which helps to let the emotions and drama come across more realistically.

The movie also feels modern with its storytelling and especially its pacing. The movie is quite long, as you could expect from a family drama but it really doesn't feel like a long movie at all and there just aren't any slower, more boring or uninteresting moments in it. A true accomplishment from Luchino Visconti, who directed quite a few movies that I really liked, such as "Ossessione" "Senso" and "Il gattopardo", that also all definitely show some similarities to this movie with some of its themes. But I also must say that this movie probably still remains the best Luchino Visconti that I have yet seen.

Love plays a key role in this movie but it's not the happy kind of love. It's the kind of love that can drive people and even entire families apart, as all happens in this movie. It's really a powerful drama about love and family, in which two brothers and a girl play a big role.

Also surprising that this is quite a good sports movie. Boxing becomes an important element in this movie, which even almost becomes an entirely different movie of its own. And I don't know, I always like boxing in movies, so I was quite pleased to watch it all.

It's a very well shot and told movie, that also get beautiful acted out by its actors. It all provides the movie with some very powerful and effective moments, including a great ending!

9/10

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