Original subtitles

When daggers are pointed at innocent hearts, and muskets are ready to fire.

When tyrants ride high and govern with fear, and the forces of evil conspire.

Then from out of the night, our hero must rise, with courage that even a mask

won't disguise.

They turn to the men.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I bring

you greetings from

your governor. Governor Ontiveros has determined that the free speech we

practice here in Los Angeles... Silencio!

Silencio! The next man who contradicts the governor will be flogged.

That's better.

As I was saying, it has been determined that the free speech we practice here in

Los Angeles is nothing without a free press.

Henceforth, every pueblo will have its own newspaper.

To this end, the governor has given us this.

A printing press!

Now, a newspaper needs an editor. There are educated men

among you.

In His Excellency's name, I am seeking a volunteer.

If anyone speaks out against the al -Qaida, he will put him in jail.

No, this volunteer needs more cunning than education.

I know someone with more education than cunning.

You're volunteering, Don Diego?

Yes.

That is, I think I am.

I will publish

a newspaper to be called the Los Angeles Guardian.

It will expose what is good in our community and what is bad.

I commend your public spiritedness, Don Diego.

Better

we

should have a newspaper without a government than a government without a

newspaper.

Hear this, Felipe. Thomas Jefferson on freedom of... What is it?

Fire.

In the Northern Valley.

Outlaws attacking the farms again. Come on, we're out.

Please take it back.

and repay me by telling me who those outlaws were.

Men with no faces, no names.

They said unless I paid them, they would destroy my farm.

They appear to be quite sincere.

I have no money, senor.

What I have is what you see.

But one day, this ranch will stretch as far as the eye can see, and no masked

man will take that away from me.

No offense, senor.

Hold on to that dream, Jose.

Help will come your way.

Wait. What help, senor? A newspaper called The Guardian.

Your strength will come from the written word.

But I don't know how to read.

Ah, Felipe, you got the information I requested.

Look at this.

The men who contracted to improve the Pueblo's water supply actually worked

the Alcalde.

No wonder we have a drought.

Page one, Father.

Nine -point Bedonia bowl type.

Height lit.

Graph it in the quartel.

Good.

Take this to Don Carlos, please.

Sergeant Mendoza.

What a pleasant surprise.

I hope you're not here in any official capacity.

Oh, no.

I was just wondering.

Perhaps I might write for your newspaper.

I have so many wonderful recipes to share.

A food column is an excellent idea.

Are you sure the county would approve?

Well, I could use another name.

I would.

Vicky, perhaps Senor Estomago. Diego, I think advice and affairs of the heart

would be more in demand.

There are many young men and women in our pueblo whose only counsel is the

padre. Who is of necessity ignorant of such passions?

I think Doña Corazón would be your most popular feature.

El Señor Estómago would be an added attraction.

Well, then, go and write, my friends. Let us see which of your columns is the

best.

Our lead story has got to be about these attacks on the farmers.

But no one is coming forward to testify.

It's about time you left this ivory tower of yours.

A good journalist doesn't wait for a story to bite him on the nose.

He goes there to find it.

You're absolutely right.

This morning, I found this note pinned to my door.

Can you tell me what it says?

It's from the outlaws.

You have until the full moon to pay, or they will return and burn your farm to

the ground.

Why do the Al -Qadi's men not protect us? Whenever the outlaws appear, they

always on maneuvers.

That's a good question.

I'll check into it.

Can the Guardian make a difference? As Zorro said, the full moon comes in two

nights.

Stand fast, Jose.

A lesson in chemistry, Felipe.

When is a piece of string not a piece of string?

Answer. Well, it is treated with this.

Now, when your Shakespeare author asks a timely question,

Now then, my first editorial, The Guardian.

A farmer's plight begins... The good people of Los Angeles

have a right to know why.

Your share of our profits.

There is only one farmer in the valley who hasn't met my demands, and I'll make

a lesson of him at the... Next full moon, yes, I know your threats are...

Well known thanks to the newspaper.

Now the public will expect Mendoza and his men to be there.

But we know differently, don't we?

You'll send them someplace else.

How can I? The paper said... Shut the newspaper down!

The paper is published by government edict.

I am the government.

Then the river's farm would burn.

Look at the people, Diego.

I knew you could do it, son. Thank you, father.

Perhaps we've helped quench their thirst for the truth.

Don Diego!

Here it comes.

Don Diego, you have printed lies about me and my government. I demand to know

the sources of your information.

Alcalde, the truth speaks for itself.

My sources are my business.

There is no defense against sedition. I am forced to place you under arrest and

impound the press. Sergeant Mendoza!

Forgive me, you.

Lead the way, Senor Estomago.

Henceforth, I will edit and publish The Guardian.

Ah, yes.

And so, good people of Los Angeles, I hereby declare a personal crusade

crime.

Adult, you've written cream instead of crime.

And here, vanilla instead of villain.

Try to get your mind off fool Mendoza.

And I will personally bring in the scoundrel... Zorro to final justice and

long -awaited appointment with the gallows.

So now Zorro is to blame for every crime in the territory.

Zorro can take care of himself.

I'm concerned about that poor farmer, Revis.

And tonight is full moon.

I told him to have faith in the Guardian. I can't let him down.

Diego, it will take more than mere words to save Rivas's farm from those

bandits.

Yes, Felipe.

Don Diego must appear to escape and yet not escape.

This is what you must do.

Quickly. At sunset, you will take the entire troop on maneuver in this

direction. South?

For San Pedro?

You will remain behind and guard De La Vega. Si, mi alcalde.

Well, you've got your orders.

But the papers said that the outlaws will strike tonight in the North Valley.

There is a lesson to be learned here, Mendoza.

Do not believe everything you read in the newspaper.

Especially that ridiculous column by Senor Estamigo.

His recipes are as... as rancid shoe leather. Now get moving!

Prisoners suffer.

I detect a delicate odor of veal souffle.

Don't trouble yourself, Sergeant.

I'm afraid your jail has destroyed my appetite.

to waste all that food.

What a shame. You've probably already eaten.

Yes, what a shame.

Perhaps I'll try just a little bit as research for my column.

What a truly memorable meal, Don Diego.

Shh.

I think I'll have some more.

Jose?

Jose.

Don Diego can't help you. He's been put into jail.

I came to see if I can do anything.

You are very kind, Senorita Escalante, but it's too late.

I think you'd better leave at once.

Your last chance, Father.

Save your breath.

You won't get a centavo from me.

Don't mistake stupidity for courage.

Your farm will be ashes.

Then I'll build again.

On the ashes.

That will not be necessary, compadre.

You know, it's very dangerous to play with fire.

Get him!

I should have known you would have pulled on Diego's irons from the fire.

think too harshly of him, senorita.

Each of us does our best in the cause of justice.

I'll take care of our friend here.

You bring the others into town.

As you can

see, don't do it.

I have fulfilled his excellency's edict to the letter.

All well and good, Alcalde.

But who is buying your paper?

Give it away if you have to.

Most of it is given over to your own biography, Alcalde.

I must warn you, His Excellency has an aversion to bureaucrats with political

ambition.

Good morning, Alcalde.

I bring you the outlaw leader, Martinez.

His cohorts will be delivered shortly by Jose Rivas and Senorita Escalante.

Who is this man?

The arts criminal, Zorro, the one I told you about. Lancers!

Your Lancers are busy trying to sell your newspaper, Alcalde.

Look again at your paper, sir.

A newspaper can tell the truth or conceal it under the overlay of

Let the sunlight touch it, the light of truth.

What is this? You accuse the governor of corruption? You say he will be

indicted? This must be a trick.

The only trick will be to explain this to His Excellency.

Arrest that...

Buenos dias, Alcalde.

It's good of you to join me for breakfast.

Why is it I always sleep so well in your jail?

No, no, Diego. You're the one who wrote the story.

And Rivas, the return of the promised money, is a timely donation from the

Alcalde's office, right?

I'm proud of you, son.

Excellent work!

Well, I think the people appreciate Senor Estamago and Donna.

Jose,

I believe you know my father.

Yes.

I am here to thank you.

You could not be at the farm last night, but let us say your spirit was there.

Indeed it was.

I've decided it's time for me to learn to read, and then I'll find out if it's

true what Zaro says, that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Bravo, Jose.

Adios. Adios.

Here's an interesting piece of advice.

Dear Doña Corazon, I am in love with a man I see rarely, and even when we do

meet, our conversation is fleeting at best. What should I do?

Signed, one who is pining.

And what is Donna Corazon's reply?

Dear pining, the next time you see him, don't let him get away.

Tie him up if you have to so that you can let him know how you truly feel.

Here you go.

If I was Zorro, I'd be local.