Written by Old Bluffer 2nd Jun 2005
This spectacular duel is the climax to a superior, well scripted Zorro film. Pasquale is a superb villain, and his slow realisation that the effiminate Vega can actually fence is brilliantly done. At first he is amused, then angry and finally his implacable veil of arrogance is lifted and we see a hunted man, fighting for his life.
Zorro's final attack features unusually skillful bladework, as he defeats Pasquale's desperate counter circular parries as if they weren't there.
Yes, I have seen "Mark of Zorro" a couple of times, and the duel is the film's highlight. The fencing is superb, including clean lunges and excellent footwork (I used to fence), and the final kill features an elegantly executed series of disengages with a final, victorious strike home. You don't see swordplay that beautiful in most modern movies. I wish there were more of it these days. And Basil Rathbone's death - in which we see a look of shock and defeat on his face - is cathartic. Recommended.
Thanks for the comment, I was beginning to think I was the only fan of this black and white classic!