‘He Rides Again’

Allen Barra’s upbeat review of Isabel Allende’s recent book “Zorro” rates a well-deserved “touche” in just about every aspect save one [“He Rides Again,” Allen Barra, Arts & Letters, April 27, 2005]. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was not the star of “The Mark of Zorro” in 1920. It was his father, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., who was the first screen Zorro.

I think it’s important to make the distinction because Doug Sr. was at that time one of the world’s three most popular movie stars. The other two were his wife and best friend, Mary Pickford and Charles Chaplin. Together, with D.W. Griffith, the father of American cinema, they formed the first artist-controlled movie company, United Artists.

It was Pickford who brought Johnston McCulley’s pulp story, “The Curse of Capistrano,” to Doug’s attention while traveling to New York on their honeymoon. Fairbanks reinvented his All-American athletic screen image into a costumed swashbuckler that proved to be a sensation with movie goers worldwide. In 1925, Doug successfully reprised the role in the film “Don Q, Son of Zorro.”

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was a fine actor of stage and screen and a World War II naval war hero to boot. He played many a swordsman, but never Zorro.

Here’s hoping Zorro and Ms. Allende’s deft hand will wow a new generation of readers.

RON SPYCH
Trenton, N.J.

‘Jitters Over Economy’

In a recent New York Sun, we had a clear picture of how rational people (and corporations) react to inadequate revenues. In the article “Jitters Over Economy Send Stocks to New Lows” [Business, April 15, 2005], there is a reference to IBM: “IBM surprised investors by missing analysts’ estimates by 5 cents a share. The world’s top provider of computer hardware, which fell 93 cents to $83.64 in the regular session, plummeted another $3.20, or 3.83%, to $80.44 in the aftermarket.” Since then, we have learned IBM is considering restructuring. Now when the government is faced with a deficit (and when isn’t it?) does it ever talk of laying people off, restructuring for efficiency, getting its house in fiscal order, and operating without exceeding its means? No, all we hear is someone isn’t paying enough to support their irresponsible spending. I really wonder when the American people will wake up and find they have been scammed into believing the government person is better at spending their money than the person who earns it.

DALE NETHERTON
Farmington, Iowa

‘Congress Courts a Backlash’

Regarding John P. Avlon’s recent opinion piece, I would like to remind Mr. Avlon that liberal New York Democrats do not, thankfully, run Congress or the country [“Congress Courts a Backlash,” Opinion, April 27, 2005]. I would also like to remind him that those of us for whom right to life is a critical issue will never permit the Democratic Party, a party that, for the most part, supports partial birth abortion and euthanasia – to take over. If anything, some of us conservative Republicans feel that Congress did not do enough to save Terry Schiavo, the victim of an overzealous judge and a heartless husband.

We also do not appreciate the push polling that was done on the Schiavo issue, which presented this tragic woman as on the verge of death and being kept alive against her will when, in fact, the opposite was true. Once again, in November, we will remember that Ted Kennedy, Robert Wexler, Barbara Boxer, et al., spoke out against getting this poor woman the therapy that she needed. We will also remember how they have been holding up the judicial nominations of Priscilla Owens and Janice Rogers Brown, the latter a minority woman.

ALICE LEMOS
Woodside, N.Y.

‘Summer of Sol’

Lance Esplund’s article [“The East Side Braces Itself for the Summer of Sol,” Page 1, April 28, 2005] unfortunately brings attention to a most horrific piece of concrete in Madison Square Park. Praise for Mr. Esplund’s writing, but I stop short at agreeing with his take on the “sculpture” being assembled in Madison Square Park. I honestly thought that they were installing a large public bathroom, which would at least serve a purpose. The best part of this sculpture … is that it is only going to be there temporarily.

MICHAEL MAHLE
Manhattan

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