The Mark of Zorro (1940)

Tired of Governor Quintero's (J. Edward Bromberg) exploitation of poor Californians, Don Diego (Tyrone Power) decides to fight back and assumes the identity of Zorro. A masked hero with a sword, Zorro fights on behalf of the people against the corrupt Quintero and his wicked assistant, Captain Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). At the same time, Diego falls for Lolita (Linda Darnell), the governor's niece, and he pursues her while constantly battling to oust Quintero from power.

"The Mark of Zorro" is the best Zorro of the cinema history in a time when the studios were concerned with the screenplay and acting and not CGI and sex scenes. The witty delightful story presents Tyrone Power as a fantastic the weak and fragile Don Diego Vega and the powerful Zorro, with totally different personalities. His ability as swordsman and rider is impressive in a perfect choreography of fights, recalling Errol Flynn in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" of two years before. Linda Darnell is so sweet and beautiful that seems to be the inspiration for the title of the novel of Vladimir Nabokov. J. Edward Bromberg and Basil Rathbone are the perfect villains, the first one coward and sleazy and the second arrogant and corrupt. My vote is ten.