Don Q, Son of Zorro

Starring: Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Astor, Jack McDonald, Donald Crisp, Warner Oland, Jean Hersholt
Directed by: Donald Crisp
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Adventure, Romance
1925

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Zorro's son is framed for murder in Spain and must fight to clear his name.

Review:

Tim: Five years after starring in the original Zorro movie, Douglas Fairbanks decided to make a sequel. Sequels weren't all the rage back then, which may account for some of the oddities associated with this film. I can say that most reviews I've read have been very positive about this movie. With an increase in production values and five years of experience with the medium, most viewers believe Don Q, Son of Zorro to be as good or better than the original. I get all that, but there's a few things that hamper this sequel for me. I'd say this movie was fine, but not quite as good as the first one.

The biggest complaint I had is that this really isn't a Zorro movie at all. Fairbanks adapted this from a novel that had nothing to do with Zorro (this wouldn't be the last time Hollywood tried this). I get taking another source material and turning it into a budding franchise fare, but Zorro felt like a total afterthought in this film. The movie is really about his son and Zorro is a minor supporting player. I get it, but I don't love it. This film takes place 30 years after the events of the first film. The Zorro we know is quite old, but the story follows the exploits of his son in Spain. I kind of thought his son would take up the Zorro mask, but that isn't what the story is about at all. His son is framed for murder and it's about his fight to clear his name. Zorro does make an appearance towards the end, but it's a minor one. For all intents and purposes, this isn't really a Zorro movie at all. I have to admit I was slightly disappointed by that.

The film does give Douglas Fairbanks a chance to play both the aged Zorro and his son. Fairbanks seems to be much more comfortable than he was five years ago. I didn't love his performance then, but I liked this one significantly more. He was more likeable here. As Don Caesar, he's a brave, charismatic, rebellious man. Fairbanks performed some amazing feats here, especially some of the whip work he did. The guy is clearly athletic and brought that athleticism to the character. Anytime Fairbanks is doing a stunt, it's something to see. I enjoyed his performance here and would consider it among the highlights of the film. He's only in the movie as Zorro a bit, but those scenes worked well also.

I liked Mary Astor as Dolores, I just wish she had a little more to do. She was vastly underutilized. Donald Crisp did a very good job as Caesar's chief antagonist. He played the unlikeable villain quite well. It's even more impressive considering Crisp also held directing duties on the film. I also really enjoyed Warner Oland as the Archduke- I just wish he had more screen time. The mischievous twinkle in his eye was very fun to watch.

The story was impressive and it came across well on screen. It had enough twists and turns to hold our interest, although at just under two hours, it is a little bit long. If you are someone who bought into Don Q, Son of Zorro, I certainly wouldn't fault you. The New York Times rated this as one of the 10 Best Films of 1925. Again, I get it and wouldn't argue too hard. I would have enjoyed the movie more had it just been about Don Q. Unfortunately, by tying it to Zorro, it makes me lament seeing the masked swashbuckler in action. This movie is fine, it's entertaining and solidly made. It just didn't deliver quite what I'd hoped to see.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Mark of Zorro