Batman

***Batman*** is a 1989 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and produced by Jon Peters, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial *Batman* film series. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton in the title role, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. In the film, Batman deals with the rise of a costumed criminal known as "The Joker".

After Burton was hired as director in 1986, Steve Englehart and Julie Hicksonwrote film treatments before Sam Hamm wrote the first screenplay. *Batman* was not greenlit until after the success of Burton's *Beetlejuice* (1988). Numerous A-listactors were considered for the role of Batman before Keaton was cast. Keaton's casting caused a controversy since, by 1988, he had become typecast as a comedic actor and many observers doubted he could portray a serious role.[2]Nicholson accepted the role of the Joker under strict conditions that dictated a high salary, a portion of the box office profits and his shooting schedule. The tone and themes of the film were influenced in part by Alan Moore's *The Killing Joke* and Frank Miller's *The Dark Knight Returns*. Filming took place at Pinewood Studios from October 1988 to January 1989. The budget escalated from $30 million to $48 million, while the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike forced Hamm to drop out. Uncredited rewrites were performed by Warren Skaaren, Charles McKeown and Jonathan Gems.

*Batman* was a critical and financial success, earning over $400 million in box office totals. It was the fifth-highest grossing film in history at the time of its release. The film received several Saturn Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination, and won an Academy Award. It also inspired the equally successful *Batman: The Animated Series*, paving the way for the DC animated universe, and has influenced Hollywood's modern marketing and development techniques of the superhero film genre.

## Plot

The mayor of Gotham City orders District Attorney Harvey Dent (Billy Dee Williams) and Police Commissioner James Gordon(Pat Hingle) to increase police activity and combat crime in preparation for the city's bicentennial. Reporter Alexander Knox (Robert Wuhl) and photojournalist Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) begin to investigate reports of a vigilante dubbed "Batman", who is targeting the city's criminals.

Mob boss Carl Grissom (Jack Palance), who has already been targeted by Dent, discovers his mistress (Jerry Hall) is involved with his second-in-command, Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson). With the help of corrupt police lieutenant Max Eckhardt (William Hootkins), Grissom sets up Napier to be murdered during a raid at the Axis Chemicals plant. During the ensuing shootout, Napier kills Eckhardt, after which Batman suddenly appears. The two struggle, and Napier is accidentally knocked into a vat of chemical waste. Batman flees, and Napier is presumed dead.

Batman is, in actuality, Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), a billionaire industrialist who, as a child, witnessed his parents' murder at the hands of a young psychopathic mugger. Bruce meets and falls for Vicki at a fundraiser, and the two begin a relationship. Meanwhile, Napier survives the accident, but is horribly disfigured with chalk-white skin, emerald-green hair and a permanent ruby-red grin. Already a sociopath, Napier is driven completely insane by his plight, he reinvents himself as "The Joker", kills Grissom in revenge for his set-up, and usurps his criminal empire. In addition, the Joker seeks retaliation against Batman, whom he blames for his disfigurement. During his research for information about Batman, the Joker himself also falls for Vicki.

The Joker begins to terrorize the city, first by lacing hygiene products with a deadly chemical known as "*Smilex*", which causes victims to laugh to death when used in certain combinations. The Joker then sets a trap at the Gotham Museum of Art for Vicki, and he and his henchmen vandalize the surrounding works of art. Batman arrives and rescues Vicki, and the pair escape in theBatmobile. Batman gives information about Smilex to Vicki so she can warn the city via Gotham newspapers about the poisoned products.

Bruce meets with Vicki at her apartment, prepared to tell her that he is Batman. They are interrupted by the Joker, who asks Bruce, "*Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight?*" before shooting him. Bruce, who was wearing body armor, escapes, and recollects that the young mugger who killed his parents had asked him the same question; he realizes that the mugger was none other than the Joker himself. Vicki suddenly appears in the Batcave, having been let in by Bruce's butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Gough). After avouching himself to Vicki, Bruce—as Batman—leaves to destroy the Axis Chemical plant. Meanwhile, the Joker lures the townspeople to a nighttime parade with a promise to give away $20 million in cash. When the citizens arrive, however, he attacks them with Smilex gas, spewing it from his giant parade balloons. Batman arrives on the scene and saves Gotham City from the attack using the Batwing, but the Joker kidnaps Vicki and takes her to the top of a cathedral.

Batman pursues the two, and at the top of the dusty edifice, he and the Joker confront each other in single combat. When the Joker attempts an escape via a helicopter, Batman grapples the Joker's leg to a heavy stone sculpture, causing him to fall to his death. Commissioner Gordon unveils the Bat-Signal along with a note from Batman read by Harvey Dent, promising to defend Gotham whenever crime strikes again.

## Cast

* Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Jack Nicholson as Jack Napier/The Joker
* Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale
* Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox
* Pat Hingle as Commissioner Gordon
* Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent
* Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth
* Jack Palance as Carl Grissom
* Jerry Hall as Alicia Hunt
* Tracey Walter as Bob the Goon
* Lee Wallace as Mayor Borg
* William Hootkins as Lt. Max Eckhardt
* Hugo E. Blick as Young Jack Napier
* Charles Roskilly as Young Bruce Wayne
* David Baxt as Thomas Wayne
* Sharon Holm as Martha Wayne