The Curse of Capistrano facts for kids
 |
|
| Author | Johnston McCulley |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Weekly: August 9-September 6, 1919 |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Publisher | All-Story Weekly Grosset & Dunlap |
|
Publication date
|
1924 |
| Media type | Print (Serial, Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 300 |
| OCLC | 1729949 |
The Curse of Capistrano is an exciting adventure story written by Johnston McCulley in 1919. This book first introduced the famous masked hero known as Zorro. Zorro's real name is Diego Vega, and "zorro" is the Spanish word for "fox."
The story first appeared in a magazine in five parts. Later, in 1920, it was made into a silent movie called The Mark of Zorro. Because the movie was so popular, the book was also published in 1924 under the new title, The Mark of Zorro.
Contents
How Zorro Became Famous
Before it became a book, The Curse of Capistrano was a series of five stories. These stories were printed in a magazine called All-Story Weekly. In 1920, the story was turned into a silent film. This movie, The Mark of Zorro, starred Douglas Fairbanks as the hero, Don Diego Vega. The movie's title came from Zorro's habit of cutting a "Z" mark with his sword.
Zorro's Growing Popularity
The silent film was a huge hit! People loved Zorro and wanted more stories about him. Because of this, Johnston McCulley started writing many new Zorro adventures in 1922. These new stories appeared in another magazine. Later, some of these stories were collected into books like The Further Adventures of Zorro.
To make sure everyone could find the original story, the book was republished in 1924. It was given the new, more famous title, The Mark of Zorro. Every new edition of the book since then has used this title.
The 1940 Film
Twenty years after the first movie, another film version was made. In 1940, 20th Century Fox released a new movie, also called The Mark of Zorro. This time, Tyrone Power played Don Diego Vega. This movie was also very popular and received great reviews.
In 2009, the Library of Congress chose the 1940 film for the National Film Registry. This means it's considered very important and will be saved forever. The movie has even been mentioned in Batman comics. It's often shown as the film young Bruce Wayne saw before his parents were murdered.
Where the Story Happens
The story of Zorro takes place in early 19th-century California. This was a time when California was under Mexican rule, long before it became a U.S. state. The setting includes old Spanish missions in California, towns like San Juan Capistrano, California, and the wide-open countryside.
Meet the Characters
The main character is Don Diego Vega, who secretly fights injustice as 'Señor Zorro'. He has a loyal servant named Bernardo, who cannot hear or speak. Zorro's love interest in the story is Lolita Pulido.
Zorro and his friends must stand up against the bad guys. These villains include the mean Captain Ramon and Sgt. Gonzales. They cause trouble for the people of California, and Zorro is there to stop them.
See also
In Spanish: La maldición de Capistrano para niños
