Old California. 1821. Masked hero Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins) fights Spanish rule.
After a final clash, his nemesis, the corrupt governor Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), discovers Diego’s identity, kills his wife, abducts his infant daughter (Elena), and imprisons Diego for 20 years.
Nearly two decades later, Montero returns to California with a sinister plot to buy the territory from Mexico using slave labour to mine a secret gold reserve.
An ageing Diego escapes from prison and encounters Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), a troubled, quick-witted bandit with a personal grudge against Montero’s ruthless right-hand man, Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher).
Diego trains the unrefined Alejandro to become the new Zorro.
Complications arise when Alejandro meets the now-grown Elena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) – unaware of her true lineage and living as Montero’s adopted daughter – sparking a fiery romance as they race to stop Montero’s gold train before it leaves the province.
Their swordfight bristles with PG-rated foreplay – not least when Zorro swishes his rapier and entirely cuts Elena’s blouse off, leaving her very red-faced.
Grossing S250m worldwide, The Mask of Zorro became a touchstone film for Banderas and Zeta-Jones, cementing him as a Hollywood heartthrob and her as the versatile leading lady.
The couple returned in 2005 for the inferior sequel, The Legend of Zorro.
Alejandro Murrieta/Zorro
Antonio Banderas Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro
Anthony Hopkins Elena
Catherine Zeta-Jones Don Rafael Montero
Stuart Wilson Captain Harrison Love
Matt Letscher Joaquín Murrieta
Victor Rivers Esperanza de la Vega
Julieta Rosen Young Alejandro Murrieta
José María de Tavira Young Joaquín Murrieta
Diego Sieres Baby Elena de la Vega
María Fernández Cruz (1)
Mónica Fernández Cruz (2) Baby Joaquín
Kelsie Kimberli Garcia (1)
Kaylissa Keli Garcia (2) Don Luiz
Tony Amendola Don Pedro
Pedro Armendáriz Jr. Don Héctor
Moisés Suárez Don Julio
Humberto Elizondo The Six Dons
Fernando Becerril
Alberto Carrera
Eduardo López
Gonzalo Lora
Rudy Miller
Manolo Pastor Don Pedro’s Wife
Erika Carlsson Three-Fingered Jack
L.Q. Jones Cpl. Armando Garcia
José Pérez Prison Warden
Maury Chaykin Leper Zorro
Sergio Espinoza Black Zorro
Conrad Roberts Ancient Zorro
Abel Woolrich Squad Leader
Pedro Altamirano Nanny
Luisa Huertas Undertaker
Paco Morayta Fray Felipe
William Marquez
Director
Martin Campbell
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Nearly two decades later, Montero returns to California with a sinister plot to buy the territory from Mexico using slave labour to mine a secret gold reserve.
Their swordfight bristles with PG-rated foreplay – not least when Zorro swishes his rapier and entirely cuts Elena’s blouse off, leaving her very red-faced.
