ZORRO RIDES AGAIN (1937) John Carroll, Noah Beery & Helen Christian | Serial, Western | B&W

Zorro Rides Again (1937) is a 12-chapter Republic Pictures film serial. It was the eighth of the sixty-six Republic serials, the third with a Western theme (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the last produced in 1937. The serial was directed by William Witney & John English in their first collaboration. The serial starred John Carroll who also sang the title song as a modern descendant of the original Zorro with Carroll stunt doubled by Yakima Canutt. The plot is a fairly standard western storyline about a villain attempting to illicitly take valuable land (in this case a new railroad). The setting is a hybrid of modern (1930s) and western elements that was used occasionally in B-Westerns (such as the western feature films also produced by Republic). It was also the first in a series of five Zorro serials, followed by Zorro's Fighting Legion (1939), Zorro's Black Whip (1944), Son of Zorro (1947) and Ghost of Zorro (1949).

SYNOPSIS
The California-Yucatan Railroad, being built for the good of Mexico, is under siege by a gang of terrorists hoping to force its sale; no one can prove their connection to profiteer Marsden. Manuel Vega, aged co-owner, calls in the aid of his nephew James, great-grandson of the original Zorro. Alas, James seems more adept at golf than derring-do; but after he arrives, Zorro rides again! Can one black-clad man on horseback defeat a gang supplied with airplanes and machine guns?

In contemporary California, villain J. A. Marsden aims to take over the California-Yucatan Railroad with the aid of his henchman El Lobo. The rightful owners, Joyce and Phillip Andrews, naturally object. Their partner, Don Manuel Vega summons his nephew, James Vega, to help them as he is the great grandson of the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega. He is disappointed, however, to find that his nephew is a useless fop. Nevertheless, James Vega installs himself in the original Zorro's hideout and adopts the Zorro identity to defeat Marsden and El Lobo. This Zorro uses twin pistols and a whip as his main weapons of choice, rather than a more traditional sword.

CAST & CREW
John Carroll as James Vega and his masked alter ego Zorro. Despite being the same character and actor, the secret identity of the title character is extended to the opening credits wherein "Zorro" and "James Vega" are credited as separate characters.
Helen Christian as Joyce Andrews
Reed Howes as Phillip Andrews
Duncan Renaldo as Renaldo
Noah Beery Sr. as J. A. Marsden
Richard Alexander as Brad "El Lobo" Dace
Nigel De Brulier as Don Manuel Vega
Robert Kortman as Trelliger
Jack Ingram as Carter
Roger Williams as Manning
Edmund Cobb as Larkin
Mona Rico as Carmelita
Tom London as O'Shea
Harry Strang as O'Brien
Jerry Frank as Duncan

Directed by William Witney, John English
Written by Franklin Adreon, Morgan Cox, Ronald Davidson, John Rathmell, Barry Shipman, Johnston McCulley (original Zorro novel)
Produced by Sol C. Siegel
Cinematography William Nobles
Edited by Helene Turner, Edward Todd
Music by Alberto Colombo, Walter Hirsch, Eddie Cherkose (aka Eddie Maxwell), Lou Handman
Production company Republic Pictures
Distributed by Republic Pictures
Release date November 20, 1937
Running time 12 chapters (212 minutes) (serial), 68 minutes (feature)
6 26½-minute episodes (TV)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $98,110 (negative cost: $110,753)

Zorro Rides Again was budgeted at $98,110 although the final negative cost was $110,753 (a $12,643, or 12.9%, overspend). It was filmed between 8 September and 5 October 1937. The serial's production number was 423. Zorro Rides Again was influenced by the Singing Cowboy trend of the time. Carroll's "best moments" in costume were singing (Lyrics include "Zorro rides again into the night...")

It was shot in Cochilla, Mexico[3] and featured other locales such as Bronson Canyon, Iverson Movie Ranch, Red Rock Canyon State Park, Angeles National Forest, and Chatsworth, Los Angeles.

In the opinion of Cline, one of the most memorable stunt scenes in the history of film serials is shown in Zorro Rides Again. Stuntman Yakima Canutt plays Zorro as he gallops up to the cab of a moving truck and swings from the saddle to its running board. Even a small mistake during this sequence would have been lethal for Canutt.

Zorro Rides Again's official release date is 20 November 1937, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges. A 68-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 22 September 1938 and re-released on 16 January 1959. The feature film had a working title of Mysterious Don Miguel before returning to the original name Zorro Rides Again. This was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials.

NOTES
Chapter titles
Death from the Sky
The Fatal Minute
Juggernaut
Unmasked
Sky Pirates
The Fatal Shot
Burning Embers
Plunge of Peril
Tunnel of Terror
Trapped
Right of Way