ZORRO

On the eve of his return to Spain from Alta California, Don Diego de la Vega meets his old friend Miguel de la Serna, who is about to take up the governorship of Nueva Aragón - after his uncle Don Fernando died of “malaria” in a malaria-free region, and was replaced by the dictatorial Colonel Huerta. Diego vainly warns the idealistic Miguel that Nueva Aragón is ruled by greed and hatred; later that very evening Miguel is assassinated by Huerta's underlings. Diego vows to avenge Miguel by taking his place, but not before a dying Miguel makes Diego swear "the new governor will never kill."

As Colonel Huerta asks the local council to appoint him both military and civil governor of Nueva Aragón, Diego walks in, disguised as de la Serna. While lulling Colonel Huerta's fears by pretending to be a useless fop, Diego learns that Huerta is a cruel despot as well as a dangerous swordsman.

With Joaquín, Miguel's devoted mute servant, and aided by Assassin, the late Don Fernando's Great Dane, Diego goes among the people and learns how miserable and afraid they are: the innocent are punished for speaking the truth while the guilty, who cheat unmercifully, are called “respectable” citizens.

Inspired by street urchin Chico's tales of Zorro, a freedom-loving black fox spirit, Diego creates his own alter ego and begins a campaign for justice with a hilarious marketplace brawl. Outwitting Huerta and his men time and again, he finally stages his own kidnapping (as the governor) by himself (as Zorro) both to free wrongfully held prisoners and to make Colonel Huerta think both are dead.

Huerta, feeling himself safe at last, forces aristocrat Hortensia Polido to the altar. He shoots the monk Brother Francisco when the latter leads protesters to the church steps, just as Zorro reappears. Brother Francisco's murder absolves Diego of his vow to his dead friend Miguel - leaving Zorro free to engage Huerta in a duel to the death.