Customer Reviews

Zorro's Black Whip / The Bold Caballero

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Although only briefly noted in the title heading of the Amazon.com (and Image Entertainment) rundown, this Hal Roach Studios 35mm nitrate DVD restoration of ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP contains, as a special bonus, the complete and long-unseen original "talking" Zorro feature film, THE BOLD CABALLERO. Personally produced by Zorro creator Johnston McCullough for Republic Pictures in 1937, this 68 minute film is essentially the "first version" of the Zorro feature made by 20th Century-Fox a few years thereafter which starred Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell. This bonus feature stars Robert Livingston (Of "Three Musqueteers" fame) and Heather Angel, and tells the basic Zorro fable still familiar today after many re-makes. Mastered from the surviving red element of the original primitive two-color negative. Not available elsewhere! The DVD runs over four hours in length.

Republic Pictures presents "THE BOLD CABALLERO" (1 December 1936) (67 mins/B&W/Color) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- Bob Livingston starred in several serials, "THE VIGILANTES ARE COMING" (Republic, 1936) and "THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN" (Republic, 1939) --- Livingston also had the distinction of starring in Republic's first color film, "THE BOLD CABALLERO" (Republic, 1936) --- During the 1920s Doug Fairbanks had brought to life on the screen the great Spanish crusader, ZORRO --- This classic silent feature broke box-office records when it was shown.

It was Nat Levine who got the idea of resurrecting this black masked hero once again on the silver screen --- Owning the screen rights to the ZORRO character, Republic Pictures great script department busily came up with an exciting "THE BOLD CABALLERO, with Livingston in the starring role --- Filmed this feature in color, it's very first in this media --- Put Livingston in the movie record book as being the only actor to portary ZORRO in color at the time and also as the first "talking" Zorro.

Under the production staff:
Wells Root - Director / Screenwriter
Nat Levine - Producer
Jack A. Marta - Cinematographer
Alvin Wyckoff - Cinematographer
Harry Grey - Composer (Music Score)
Les Orlebeck - Editor

Bob Livingston fought and rode his way through this exciting film and to add more thrills, he was doubled by ace stuntman Yakima Canut who handled the daredevil stunts and dangerous scenes --- Two masked character roles in a short period of time - it was the beginning of another prestigious honor, Bob in his screen career would hold the distinction of being the only star to wear the most variety of masks in westerns -- more than any other screen actor.

the cast includes
Robert Livingston ... Don Diego Vega (Zorro)
Heather Angel ... Lady Isabella Palma
Sig Ruman ... Commandante Sebastian Golle (as Sig Rumann)
Ian Wolfe ... The Priest
Robert Warwick ... Governor Palma
Emily Fitzroy ... Lady Isabella's chaperone
Charles Stevens ... Captain Vargas
Walter Long ... Chato
Ferdinand Munier ... Landlord
Chris-Pin Martin ... Pedro (as Chris King Martin)
Carlos De Valdez ... The Alcalde (as Carlos de Valdez)
Soledad Jiménez ... Indian woman (as Soledad Jiminez)
Chief John Big Tree ... Tavern Indian
Chris Willow Bird ... Indian
Andres Blando ... Bullfighter
Yakima Canutt ... Murdered Peon / Soldier
Louise Carter ... Indian woman
Iron Eyes Cody ... Indian
Joe Dominguez ... Guard
William Emile ... Dueler
Al Haskell ... Soldier
I. Stanford Jolley ... Soldier
Jack Kirk ... Soldier
John Merton ... Sergeant #1
Henry Morris ... Soldier
Artie Ortego ... Indian
Pascale Perry ... Soldier
Chief Thundercloud ... Zorro's aide
Slim Whitaker ... Soldier

BIOS:
1. Robert Livingston (aka: Robert Edgar Randall)
Date of Birth: 9 December 1904 - Quincy, Illinois
Date of Death: 7 March 1988 - Tarzana, California

2. Heather Angel (aka: Heather Grace Angel)
Date of Birth: 9 February 1909 - Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Date of Death: 13 December 1986 - Santa Barbara, California

3. Sig Ruman (aka: Siegfried Albon Rumann)
Date of Birth: 11 October 1884 - Hamburg, Germany
Date of Death: 14 February 1967 - Julian, California

4. Wells Root (Director)
Date of Birth: 21 March 1900, Buffalo, New York, USA
Date of Death: 9 March 1993, Los Angeles County, California, USA

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Amazon where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 67 mins on VHS/DVD ~ Republic Pictures ~ (11/29/2007)

Female cowboy rider dressed in black whips outlaws into submission. What is this, kinky vintage pornography from the 1940's? Shoot, it's just another western serial, and a rather lame one at that. When crime fighter The Black Whip dies, his sister discovers his secret identity, and assumes the black outfit, whip and horse of the famed do-gooder. The poor beautiful and bland girl assumed none of his better acting style. Horses and third string outlaws upstage her.

Trip wire horses, trot-galloping turned up fast speed, a movie-set hideout underneath a waterfall, and an earnest history lesson on fighting for justice to insure Idaho becomes a state. Where do I get the medal for sitting through all twelve episodes? The best thing, the only thing about it, is the assured camera work of close-up stunt riding.

But hold on, partner. There's gold in these hills in the form of bonus feature, "The Bold Caballero", a 1936 Zorro classic with Robert Livingston as the legendary crude artist, and Heather Angel, as his royal seniorita, dabbling in daring escapes, sassy swordplay, slapstick humor and yes, enough romance to snap a whip at.