History Fridge / TheMaskOfZorro

** It also goes full circle with the real Zorro as Don Rafael ends up mentoring Alejandro Murietta... [[https://www.history.com/news/joaquin-murrieta-california-outlaw-life-legend-head whose brother in the film was actually was the historical inspiration for Zorro.]]

** NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Stuart Wilson (Don Rafael) and Creator/AnthonyHopkins (Diego).

* Did Diego know about Alejandro giving his daughter Elena a ShamefulStrip when he decided to ship them together at the end?

* This movie is actually ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book).

*** Which doesn't make much sense, since Nahuatl is spoken mostly on the center states of Mexico (Estado de Mexico, Guerrero, Puebla...), really FAR away from California, where Esperanza, Diego and Helena lived. So it's more probable that it was Yaqui, Seri or even Raramuri (Tarahumara) languages, which are northern Mexican indigenous groups. Although all of these groups are {{Proud Warrior Race|Guys}}s, more than the center and south Mexico groups.

** NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Stuart Wilson (Don Rafael) and Anthony Hopkins (Diego).

*** There is some hilarious FridgeLogic resulting from this -- Both of the above characters are quite certainly of pure Spanish ancestry and played by actors from the UK, while the mestizo Alejandro is played by authentic Spaniard Antonio Banderas.

* In certain fight scenes, there are people in the background going on with their work while the fight is happening. When Diego approaches Alejandro in the bar, the bartender shuffles away quickly when Diego gives him a glare. The FridgeBrilliance is the subtle way the film establishes why Zorro is so beloved by the people: he's the only one who doesn't ignore all the violence going on in the world.

*** Which doesn't make much sense, since Nahuatl is spoken mostly on the center states of Mexico (Estado de Mexico, Guerrero, Puebla...), really FAR away from California, where Esperanza, Diego and Helena lived. So it's more probable that it was Yaqui, Seri or even Raramuri (Tarahumara) languages, which are northern Mexican indigenous groups. Although all of these groups are {{ProudWarriorRace|Guys}}es, more than the center and south Mexico groups.

*** Which doesn't make much sense, since Nahuatl is spoken mostly on the center states of Mexico (Estado de Mexico, Guerrero, Puebla...), really FAR away from California, where Esperanza, Diego and Helena lived. So it's more probable that it was Yaqui, Seri or even Raramuri (Tarahumara) languages, which are northern mexican indigenous groups. Althogh all of this groups are WarriorProud, more than the center and south Mexico groups.

* The first time I watched ''The Mask of Zorro'', I liked it, didn't like the scene where the original Zorro escapes from prison by pretending to be dead and then digging himself out of a grave, considering this a rip-off of ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Only later did it hit me that the movie is actually ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book). Now, I think of that scene as more of a InspirationNod moment, cluing you in on the inspiration for the movie. --{{Jordan}}

* One of my favorite scenes was always the [[MatingDance Mating Dance]]. Only in my last viewing did it dawn on me that Alejandro didn't dance with Elena merely to flirt with her - he did it to attract Don Rafael's attention towards them and get back into the circle of Dons. There's very clearly a glance exchanged between Diego and Alejandro, right before he asks Elena for the dance. He then chose the most risque dance he could to make sure Elena's father would come down.

* Rewatching this film, one of the things I'd never noticed before was the fact that in certain fight scenes, there are people in the background going on with their work while the fight is happening. When Diego approaches Alejandro in the bar, the bartender shuffles away quickly when Diego gives him a glare. The FridgeBrilliance is the subtle way the film establishes why Zorro is so beloved by the people: he's the only one who doesn't ignore all the violence going on in the world.

*** The nanny is actually speaking Nahuatl, an indigenous language from Mexico, still spoken by millions today.

* The first time I watched ''The Mask of Zorro'', I liked it, didn't like the scene where the original Zorro escapes from prison by pretending to be dead and then digging himself out of a grave, considering this a rip-off of ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Only later did it hit me that the movie is actually ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book). Now, I think of that scene as more of a InspirationBod moment, cluing you in on the inspiration for the movie. --{{Jordan}}

* The first time I watched ''The Mask of Zorro'', I liked it, didn't like the scene where the original Zorro escapes from prison by pretending to be dead and then digging himself out of a grave, considering this a rip-off of ''TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Only later did it hit me that the movie is actually ''TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book). Now, I think of that scene as more of a InspirationBod moment, cluing you in on the inspiration for the movie. --{{Jordan}}

*** The nanny is actually speaking Nahuatl, an indigenous language from Mexico, still spoken by millions today.

* One of my favorite scenes was always the [[MatingDance Mating Dance]]. Only in my last viewing did it dawn on me that Alejandro didn't dance with Elena merely to flirt with her - he did it to attract Don Rafael's attention towards them and get back into the circle of Dons. There's very clearly a glance exchanged between Diego and Alejandro, right before he asks Elena for the dance. He then chose the most risque dance he could to make sure Elena's father would come down.

* The first time I watched ''The Mask of Zorro'', I liked it, didn't like the scene where the original Zorro escapes from prison by pretending to be dead and then digging himself out of a grave, considering this a rip-off of ''TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Only later did it hit me that the movie is actually ''TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book). Now, I think of that scene as more of a InspirationBod moment, cluing you in on the inspiration for the movie. --{{Jordan}}

* The first time I watched ''The Mask of Zorro'', I liked it, didn't like the scene where the original Zorro escapes from prison by pretending to be dead and then digging himself out of a grave, considering this a rip-off of ''TheCountOfMonteCristo''. Only later did it hit me that the movie is actually ''TheCountOfMonteCristo'' [[RecycledInSpace re-written as a Zorro story]]. The villain who imprisoned Zorro [[EvenEvilHasStandards but is a loving father]] is the equivalent of Fernand, and Banderas' character, in being a thief posing as a nobleman, plays the role of Benedetto/Andrea (albeit not evil like the character in the book). Now, I think of that scene as more of a MegaphoneHanging moment, cluing you in on the inspiration for the movie. --{{Jordan}}