THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) O.K., so I just ran Ben M's before and after comments, and the sword fight between Zorro & Sherlock Holmes. Best scene of all. Seen the film too many times to count. Someday, I will read the book!
I had a little hobby going of watching every Zorro movie made from the first Douglas Fairbanks through to the 70s.
The Mark of the Zorro 1940 is the last one I watched (although I have seen some from later).
The first story is pretty close to the Fairbanks movie--even the description of him as small of stature. It took a while to get used to Fairbanks as he reminded me of William Devane but his gymnastics can't be beat.
The sequel Don Q-Son of Zorro is very loosely connected to the first movie.
The Bold Caballero 1936 --it takes a while to get used to the guy playing him although when masked he gives a Batman kind of vibe and his mask is close to the first book illustration of him. It is also notable for the love interest guessing his identity--when the supposedly foppish Don Diego Vega saves her from a charging bull she immediately says: "wait a minute-you aren't a fop--what are you hiding?"
Zorro Rides Again 1937 - the serial -about his grandson---has an interesting portrait of Zorro on a wall - he looks more like Superman or Doc Savage with a mustache.
Zorro's Fighting Legion 1939 -- is the most superheroic of them--in fact this is what inspired Batman and Robin because Zorro has a legion of assistants and they dress similar to Robin (especially the modern Neal Adams-inspired costume with the black on the outside and the yellow on the inside).
There are too many Zorro movies to watch if one includes Mexico and Spain which made a lot. One I want to check out has Zorro in prison for 20 years like the 1998 movie but he is rescued by his daughters.
Excluding the tv version with Frank Langella which I may have seen first (or the Disney one), there's the Alain Delon version I have yet to see.
I watched Zorro the Gay Blade in a drive-in.
Villain: "I see your sword is as sharp as your tongue."
Zorro: "And yours as dull as your wit!"