Line #37 Trivia/TheMaskOfZorro


1	* ActorInspiredElement: At the end, when Zorro confronts Captain Love, he pulls out his sword, and the sun glints off the blade running the full length. This was not CGI, and was suggested by Creator/AntonioBanderas. He had to tilt the sword to catch the sun without breaking eye contact with Love. It only took three takes.
2	* TheCastShowoff:
3	** Creator/AntonioBanderas shows his skill at fencing and dancing.
4	** Creator/AnthonyHopkins was very proud of the work he did mastering the bullwhip and insisted they let him show off a bit. The scene in the cave where Diego is extinguishing candles with the whip? That was Hopkins.
5	* CaliforniaDoubling: {{Inverted\|Trope}}. The film is set in what is now California, then called "Alta California", which was at the time a part of Mexico. It was shot on-location in Mexico, but further south, in the states of Hidalgo, Durango, Sonora, and Tlaxcala.
6	* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: The Website/RottenTomatoes Critics Consensus states: "Banderas returns as an aging Zorro in this surprisingly nimble, entertaining swashbuckler." This film is the first time Creator/AntonioBanderas plays Zorro (meaning that he cannot "return as" the role), and the "aging Zorro" is played by Creator/AnthonyHopkins instead.
7	* TheDanza: Creator/PedroArmendarizJr plays Don Pedro, one of the Dons of California.
8	* DawsonCasting:
9	** Elena is supposed to be 20 years old. Creator/CatherineZetaJones was 27 when she played her.
10	** Alejandro is in his late-20s throughout the movie. Creator/AntonioBanderas was 36 when he played him.
11	* DuelingMovies: This film came out it close proximity to the fellow 1998 swashbuckler ''Film/TheManInTheIronMask''. Both feature older versions of the classic hero coming back into action in order to take down a corrupt ruler and mentoring a younger hero in training.
12	* FakeNationality:
13	** Both Don Diego and his daughter Elena are played by Welsh actors, Alejandro is a Mexican (technically a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californios Californio]]) played by a Spaniard, and both villains (the probably Spanish Montero and the French Armand) are played by [[EvilBrit Englishmen]].
14	** As a point of interest, this is the first Zorro movie where the hero is played by a real Spaniard as in the books. Unfortunately, this version is not Don Diego de la Vega and is Mexican.
15	** In the deleted scenes, Mexican general Santa Anna is played by Portuguese actor Creator/JoaquimDeAlmeida.
16	* FollowTheLeader:
17	** This film came out in a wave of modern {{swashbuckler}} adventure films that updated classic stories following the success of ''Film/RobinHoodPrinceOfThieves'', with bonus points for also having a love ballad/pop song made for it that's weaved into the orchestral score. Although in terms of its story whilst ''The Mask of Zorro'' may have inspired the [[Film/TheCountOfMonteCristo2002 2002 film version]] of ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo''; ''Zorro'' itself seems to be a JustForFun/{{re\|cycledINSPACE}}telling of the ''Monte Cristo'' story (it's actually a retelling of ''The Curse Of Capistrano'').
18	** It was also part of a wave of Hispanic-themed Hollywood films during TheNineties and [[TheNoughties the early Noughties]] starting with ''Film/FourteenNinetyTwoConquestOfParadise'' and ''Film/{{Desperado}}''. By TheNewTens immigration and economic worries had switched the mood back to Hispanic villains and Anglo heroes, peaking with ''Film/RamboLastBlood.''
19	* GeniusBonus: Potentially a coincidence, but "The Mask of Zorro" is also the title of the last original Zorro story that his creator, Johnston [=McCullley=], published. Fitting, given that Don Diego de la Vega is also Zorro's real name from those stories (something that carried over into the other adaptations prior to this one), [[spoiler: and tragic since Don de la Vega ends up losing his life at the end of the film.]]
20	* MilestoneCelebration: A musical variation with James Horner's score. [[https://lalalandrecords.com/mask-of-zorro-the-expanded-remastered-limited-edition-2-cd-set/ La La Land Records]] released the complete soundtrack in late 2023 (which, while off by several months, still overlapped with the film's 25th anniversary).
21	* NoStuntDouble: Creator/AntonioBanderas was extremely adamant about performing many of his own stunts for authenticity.
22	** The part in Alejandro and Love's duel where Alejandro makes the sun reflect off his blade was Antonio's idea.
23	* ReferencedBy:
24	** Lampooned as the [[AnachronismStew horribly anachronistic]] film "[[ShowWithinAShow The Poke of Zorro]]" in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E5EIEIAnnoyedGrunt E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)]] (at the end, Zorro is made King of England by Myth/KingArthur). The [[SignatureScene undressing scene with a sword]] is directly parodied.
25	** Literature/PussInBoots in the ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' films is a direct parody of Zorro voiced by Creator/AntonioBanderas himself, and became so popular he got two [[WesternAnimation/PussInBoots2011 spinoff]] [[WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish movies]] and [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfPussInBoots a TV series]] all to himself.
26	* ReleaseDateChange: The film was initially set for release on December 19, 1997 before the release date was changed to March 1998. There was speculation within the media about whether [=TriStar=] changed the date in an attempt to avoid competition with ''Film/Titanic1997''. In reality, ''Zorro'' had encountered production problems that extended its shooting schedule. In addition, Sony Pictures Entertainment, [=TriStar=]'s parent company, wanted an action film for its first quarter releases of 1998. The film was then delayed again to July of 1998 after more pick ups were commissioned.
27	* StarMakingRole: For Creator/CatherineZetaJones.
28	* UncreditedRole: ''Film/TheSting'' screenwriter David S. Ward made some uncredited rewrites.
29	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
30	** Creator/RaulJulia was supposed to play Don Diego de la Vega, but died before he could take the role. Creator/SeanConnery was also offered the role.
31	** Creator/RobertRodriguez was originally going to direct with Creator/SalmaHayek playing Elena. Rodriquez left because the studio [[ExecutiveMeddling wouldn't accept his R-rated version]], and Salma Hayek left when he did (presumably out of loyalty).
32	** Creator/StevenSpielberg declined to direct with Creator/TomCruise starring, as he was busy with ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''. He did executive produce the film.
33	** Spielberg offered Spanish cult movie director Álex de la Iglesia (''Film/TheDayOfTheBeast'', ''Film/LaComunidad'', ''Film/TheLastCircus'') the chance to direct the film, but Iglesia left the project due to creative differences, most likely for reasons similar to Rodriguez's given his résumé of bizarre and violent fare.
34	** Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/AndyGarcia were considered for Alejandro Murrieta.
35	** Creator/PenelopeCruz and Music/{{Shakira}} were considered for Elena.
36	** Creator/SamShepard, Creator/LanceHenriksen, Creator/EdwardJamesOlmos, Creator/ScottGlenn and Creator/GiancarloGiannini were considered for Rafael Montero.
37	** In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's original draft of the screenplay, [[spoiler:Don Diego [[SparedByTheCut was not killed]], and lived to tell the stories of Zorro's adventures to his daughter. Captain Love also had a more KarmicDeath, being struck by a saber which sticks in his neck, and getting decapitated accidentally when he falls face down]].
38	** The original draft also averted Rafael's BondVillainStupidity and WhyDontYouJustShootHim approach at the beginning, the guards assume he died in the fire and send Diego off to a HellholePrison. It is only then that Rafael emerges, nearly dead from rescuing Elena and ready to execute his foe, only to be told Diego has been taken away.

Context Trivia / TheMaskOfZorro