The Mask of Zorro (1998)

A sequel of sorts to all tales of the adventures of Zorro, The Mask of Zorro is a rousing, witty, wholesome swashbuckling tale of two masked avengers. One is the familiar Don Diego (Anthony Hopkins), aging champion of the oppressed, whose career ended with capture and imprisonment. The other is a scruffy rogue named Alejandro (Antonio Banderas) who has a grudge against the villains, but must first learn the meaning, as well as the methods, of heroism.

The Mask of Zorro is a rare action-adventure tale in which the villains' scheme is more than a boilerplate evil plot that hardly matters. The story is actually clever and memorable. The injustices inflicted aren't mere cruelty, but serve the bad guys' agenda and the plot. And the story's moral themes — family, honor, defending the poor — aren't just tacked on, but are integral to the drama.

Remarkably, Catholic priests are for once portrayed in a positive light. And the light-hearted romance between the younger Zorro and the heroine (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is refreshingly chaste.

Content advisory: Much stylized violence and a few deaths; mild innuendo; one scene involving a decapitated head in a jar; fleeting rear nudity.

Becket (1964)

Twice in 500 years, an ambitious British king named Henry had an engaging chancellor named Thomas who was forced to oppose his king over attacks upon the Church. Each Thomas resigned as chancellor and heroically followed his conscience, despite persecution and finally martyrdom. Each became a saint and had his story made into a play later adapted as an Oscar-winning, faith-affirming film.

While lacking the depth of A Man for All Seasons, Becket remains a masterpiece: reverent, well-made, spectacular. O'Toole roars magnificently in laughter and rage, Burton is impressive in his austere reserve, and the English locations are glorious. The high ritual of ecclesiastical ceremony is reproduced in impressive and reverent detail, and the magnificent score includes fine Latin chant.

Content advisory: Offscreen sexual immorality and some demeaning treatment of female characters; coarse language; some violence, including a murder/martyrdom.

Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

They have dirty faces, but they're no angels. Tough young hoods on Manhattan's lower East Side, the Dead End Kids may tolerate sincere, savvy Father Jerry (Pat O'Brien) and his efforts to turn them from the wrong path — but it's in Father Jerry's boyhood chum, infamous gangster Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney), that the Kids find a kindred spirit.

Father Jerry has enormous affection for his old friend, but he's also coldly clear-eyed about what his friend has become and emphatically does not want the young toughs of his streets following in Rocky's footsteps. Yet who can blame the Dead End Kids for wanting to do so? Who's more interesting, Pat O'Brien or Jimmy Cagney?

As the conflict escalates, both men remain true to character, with inevitable results.

In its famous climax, the film unfortunately sullies its intended uplifting message by involving immoral means to bring about noble ends. This misstep diminishes the film but doesn't entirely negate its moral message. (See full review at DecentFilms.com for a more detailed analysis.)

Content advisory: Violence ranging from face-slappings to murderous gunplay; a depiction of capital punishment.