Zorro, The Gay Blade (1981)

Very Cool!!!

Absolutely Fantastic

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Following up his comic triumph in Love At First Bite, George Hamilton took on the dual role of Zorro in Zorro The Gay Blade. Although the man handles a sword well, Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, and Guy Williams would not recognize both the Hamiltons who take their turn at championing the peasants of Spanish California.George Hamilton returns to California from Spain and discovers his father is no longer the Alcalde of Los Angeles and in fact is now dead. His friend Ron Leibman, captain of His Majesty's guards is now the Alcalde combining both civil and military authority and he is having a great old time taxing the peasants to pay for the expensive lifestyle that Leibman and wife Brenda Vaccaro now enjoy. Of course Leibman isn't taking care of some of Vaccaro's other needs and she's giving Hamilton the same eye she gave John Voight in Midnight Cowboy.When Don Diego Hamilton injures himself doing his Zorro thing, by chance he's visited by his twin brother Ramon who is now going by the name of Bunny Wigglesworth. Dad sent him off to the British Navy to get the gay out of him, but as Bunny puts it he was reared in the British Navy, I'm betting he was a most popular cabin boy on long voyages.Anyway when Bunny takes over the Zorro role he brings a sense of style to the part, having a rainbow flavor of costumes instead of the basic black Zorro was known for. And stereotypical gay that Bunny is, that is precisely what is driving Leibman crazy, Bunny's a better swordsman in every conceivable way.Lauren Hutton is also in the cast playing a part that her contemporary during the era, Abigail Adams would envy. She is making sure that the ladies are indeed remembered when as a suffragette some fifty years ahead of her time Lauren is spreading the gospel of the American Revolution being fought at that time on the other side of the continent.George Hamilton plays both Diego and Bunny with a flair and twinkle, the best one in the cast, the one who seems to be having the most fun in his role is Ron Leibman. Leibman is having one whale of a good time overacting outrageously as his part calls for, getting a chance to do what he could normally do only in slasher flicks. He has a great flair himself for comedy, I'm not sure why Ron Leibman doesn't do more of it.I think Fairbanks and Power who had been long gone by the time Zorro, The Gay Blade was released would have really enjoyed this terrific satire on a part that was special to both of them.

No matter how many times I watch this movie it never gets old. George Hamilton at his comedic best.Until I saw this movie when it first came out, I was under the impression George was sort of full of himself and then I saw ZORRO the Gay Blade and realized George understood himself better than anyone. His double characterization was comedic genius. His over the top Don Diego was funny but then it went into overdrive when Bunny Wigglesworth showed up. I almost fell over. Truly funny funny writing and acting.Brenda Vacarro was chewing up the scenery, but the one who just looked he had the best time with his role was Ron Liebman. He must have had a blast going so far over the top with his character as The Acalde.Launen Hutton was beautiful as ever and was a terrific compliment to George's Zorro.And of course the music from The Adventures Of Don Juan was just perfect.Although not one to ever gush over a star were I to meet one, I think meeting George would bring out the fan in me and thank him for a truly classic comedy and one for the ages.I cannot understand why it doesn't have a higher rating.The movie has a ton of wonderful quotes, but I love this one: "You have to been kidding me... I was in Boston for a week, and I never heard a decent Mariachi playing"

I remember when this film first came out. I was a huge Zorro fan and wanted to see it, nut was unable to. I did have the novelization, which was hilarious. I eventually got to see it on cable, but was a bit disappointed. Oh, there was plenty of fun to be had, but many of the jokes fell flat, including some of my favorites from the book. Tming is everything in comedy, and t wasn't always there on screen. Still, enough of the comedy works that you can forgive the parts that don't.George Hamilton is great in the dual (quadruple?) role of Diego and Bunny/Ramon. He had a deft touch for comedy, as proved in Love At First Bite, and it's displayed well here. he is also charming and handsome enough to pull off the swashbuckling, although that mole and his permanent tan are a bit mesmerizing. Ron Leibman is a little too over-the-top, and most of his jokes are the ones that fall flat. Lauren Hutton is rather bland and miscast. Brenda Vacaro is a hoot! The film plays up stereotype, to be sure, but no worse than La Cage Aux Folles/The Birdcage. It's camp, which is meant in fun, rather than venom. Geogre Hamilton must have been pretty secure in his ego to swish about as much as he does.This is a great bit of fun and should be taken as the lightweight entertainment that it is. It could have used a little more swash than swish, for my tastes; but, it has plenty of excitement to go along with the laughs.

Zorro, the Gay Blade is a classic comedy with George Hamilton who can get even the grumpiest man laughing on the floor. He plays twins who were separated, on is a smooth Spanish womanizer who comes across his father's cape and becomes Zorro. But when a bad accident happens at a party causing him to break his leg, he must now ask his flamboyant brother to take on the role of a more colorful and happier Zorro. With some brilliant and zangy jokes, if you enjoyed Zorro, the Gay Blade, I'd highly recommend Love at First Bite. It has the same humor and the wonderfully talented George. He and the cast are just great together in this all time classic, Zorro, the Gay Blade.8/10