Reviews

The people who wrote this should re-read their American history: they have butchered it. It is so bad, the movie makes no sense. They have combined Civil War (1861-1865) with California becoming a state--that never happened. California was a state way before the Civil War was a reality. They even have the wrong American flag when they signed the paper making California a state. There are so many mistakes that make this movie a total complete fiasco. Maybe the makers of the movie should have made this movie an 'alternate history' movie; even that would not save this movie. This movie was just horrible. As a movie, this tries to make Zorro a legend. He and his wife undergo a divorce and here reality takes a complete leap into unbelievability. Divorce did not exist back then as it does today. Divorced, his wife works for the Pinkertons as an undercover agent for the U.S. government. In reality, Pinkerton was a private detective agency and did not work for the U.S. government at this time; it only worked for the U.S. about 12 years later during the Civil War. Zorro exposes the nefarious plot, saves the day, and helps California to become a state. The railroad was not as big back then, and not big at all until after the Civil War when the Continental railroad system was made in the 1870's. Even using the Henry rifle in California was wrong. The stunts do not save this mess; even Antonio and Catherine were not able to save it. The original 'Mask of Zorro' was better than this mess.

This is just a good courtroom drama, nothing else. The military fails to meet minimum U.S. Marins Corps standards for authenticity. Why? A prisoner has lost the privilege to salute a superior officer, but in the movie he does salute twice: in the brig and at the end of the movie. Another failure, the rank insignia of Marine Corps officers was way out of alignment. Also, when they raised the flag in the movie, it was done silently! No way!! Also, you learn early in Boot Camp not to follow illegal orders. A 'Code Red' is obviously an illegal order; therefore, you do not follow that order. And to think a former member of the military wrote this as a play before selling it to Hollywood! I am very surprised and disappointed in the movie. It does not represent the military; but as a courtroom drama, it does very well. I rated it accordingly: this should have been a TV drama.

'Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend was entertaining, but not a great Scott western. I enjoyed the 'Quaker' touch though; for a western, it was different. Simply, Scott is out for revenge for his brother who was killed, along with his men, using defective ammunition. James Craig had substituted gunpowder with coal dust to make a larger profit on ammunition sold to Scott's brother and friends. He also cheats his customers and competitors in other ways; he is the original 'shoddy retailer of the west.' Along the way to revenge, he mixes with 'Quakers' and learns to respect their ways. In the end, there is a comedic brawl with the James Craig faction in which Scott exacts his revenge. Scott is ably helped by James Garner and Gordon Jones; with Angie Dickinson and Dani Crayne as love interests. This is a definite below average, though very entertaining, western for Scott. I give it a C-.