"The Mark of Zorro", with Tyrone Flynn, or was it Errol Power? It doesn't matter, as they were the same person.

The 1940 "The Mark of Zorro," starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, and Basil Rathbone.

The saber duel between Diego Vega (Zorro in mufti), played by Tyrone Power, and Captain Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone at his villainous best), in the alcalde's study is the best duel scene in any movie—ever.   [Possible exception:   the rapier-and-dagger fencing match cum duel in the final act of the 1948 production of "Hamlet," fought between Hamlet (Lawrence Olivier) and Laertes (Terence Morgan)]   

The "Mark of Zorro" movie gets no marks for authenticity because Power and Rathbone fought using the modern Hungarian-Italian style of saber-play that depends on light-weight fencing sabers rather than the heavier cavalry-type weapon, and the technique wasn't developed until the early twentieth century (by Italo Santelli, who was the Italian coach of the Hungarian Olympic fencing team at the time), when the period portrayed in the movie was early nineteenth century California. And the sabers the two actors used were straight out of a fencing equipment catalog (from the looks of the saber Rathbone was using, I think it had an aluminum guard, and I don't believe they had aluminum back in early 1800s California;   it was quite probably Rathbone's personal weapon).

But—both actors were practicing fencers. Power had learned to fence from his mother, who had been Ohio Ladies' Champion at one time. And Rathbone (considered to be the best fencer in the movies at the time) had participated actively in fencing competitions in England and later in Southern California. Neither actor was championship level, but they were both very good fencers and knew what they were doing. Also, in relation to most movie duels, in this duel there was no running up and down stairs and no swinging from chandeliers, and a minimum of slipping on carpets and tripping over the furniture. It was two good fencers going at it hammer-and-tongs.

Tyrone Flynn, or was it Errol Power? It doesn't matter, as they were the same person.

Well, actually, it does matter. As noted, Tyrone Power was a pretty good fencer. Errol Flynn, on the other hand, was very athletic and put on a good show, but other than from a Hollywood fight coach, he had never taken any fencing lessons, and in his fencing scenes, he slashed a lot of thin air and looked very dashing and spectacular. But as he was doing all of this, any halfway decent fencer could shish-kabob him a dozen times over. He would prepare for one of his spectacular slashes (sound of blade whipping through the air) by withdrawing his arm, and left himself open to a quick straight-thrust. By the way, in both "Captain Blood" and "The Adventures of Robin Hood," Rathbone played the villain, and since he was the far better swordsman, it was his job to make Errol Flynn look good.

He was flashy, though!

Don Firth