The Curse of Capistrano

About “The Curse of Capistrano”

The Mark of Zorro is a swashbuckling adventure novel by Johnston McCulley. Originally titled The Curse of Capistrano when it was first published in 1919, it gained widespread recognition after Douglas Fairbanks starred in a 1920 film adaptation, which led McCulley to rename the novel and dedicate it to Fairbanks. Set in Mexican California during the 1820s, the story follows Don Diego Vega, a seemingly timid aristocrat who secretly becomes Zorro, a hero who fights against injustice. Zorro uses his skill with a sword to protect the weak and punish the corrupt. The novel has inspired many film and television adaptations and is now published for the first time by Penguin Classics, including an introduction and filmography.