# ZORRO rides again!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 10, 2000, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799 "2000-08-10T04:38:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d2c977/32.png) [@Fatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatman)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799/1 "2000-08-10T04:38:32Z")

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While Zorro is not based on an historical character  
(personally I find a lot of simularities between Zorro  
and the Scarlet Pimpernel), the Zorro move with  
Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas is based on several  
historical figures in California. Captain Love was hired  
by the State of California to bring in the bandit Juaquin.  
Later, the hand of three-fingered Jack and the head of the  
bandit Juaquin were on display in jars of alcohol. The  
movie uses a different time-frame than the events that  
inspired the plot.

On the subject of California bandits, there was a bandit  
know for wearing black and using a sword. More of a  
coinsidence than anything else.

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799/2 "2000-08-10T12:31:07Z")

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Link to the Mailbag Answer: [Is there a historical basis for Zorro?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mzorro.html)

Fatman, welcome to the Boards, we’re glad to have you here. We like to ask that the initial poster of a new topic please provide the link to the Mailbag Answer being commented on, to help others and to avoid people repeating what’s already in the column.

On bandits wearing black, that’s pretty much standard, ain’t it, for night work? … and has been for at least 200 years or so, I’d guess.

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**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799/3 "2000-08-10T15:29:38Z")

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Why only **200** years for black-costumed knaves o’the night, **CKDextHavn**?

Are you a closet **Young Earth Zoroastrian?**

picmr

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2000, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zorro-rides-again/28799/4 "2000-08-10T19:49:58Z")

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Because I’ve read of black-garbed raiders during the French Revolution, but I haven’t read of any earlier. Hence, “at least”, without me running to go check refs.