Douglas Fairbanks plays both Zorro and his son in this light, high energy adventure. Zorro actually doesn't show up until toward the end, but his son, Don Cesar de Vega, supplies the expected quotient of sword swinging, theatrical acrobatics, and crazy stunts. Fairbanks had a reputation in the silent era much like Jackie Chan's today: he did his own stunts and dazzled and endeared audiences with his athletics and ineffable charisma.

Don Q, Son of Zorro is the perfect sort of vehicle for Fairbanks. Although his more outrageous stunts are showcased elsewhere, this film is a wonderful adventure with lots of action, lots of humor, and lots of romance. It's also the perfect sort of genre for silent film: when glib gestures, longing glances, sneering scowls, and lightning swordplay can tell a story on their own, why bog things down with a lot of talk?