Michael Keaton Was Perfect for Batman (1989) Because He Plays a Convincing Billionaire

Today’s issue of Dust On The VCR is a subscriber request! This film was brought to you by Annie Gonzales Gregory, my brand new sister-in-law. If we’re being real, she’s also my favorite sister-in-law, since she’s the only sister-in-law who is a paid subscriber to this newsletter. (Your move, Ginna.) Annie is a joy to be around, especially when she and my wife Sara are in the same room. Those two really missed their calling in showbusiness. She’s also a true film appreciator who suggested a handful of classics, but since Batman was at the top of her list, I decided I’d take a stab at it, even though my editor John wrote about the iconic Looney Tunes promo ad from the Batman VHS a few years ago. I mean, there hasn’t been much of a discourse about Batman, right? Should be pretty easy.

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It’s impossible to determine such a thing, but Batman has to be the most popular fictional character of the last century, right?

Mickey Mouse is up there for sure, but without major motion pictures or any content for adults, I think his reach is limited. Also, he is a mouse. Mario is probably near the top too, though his games (and now films) only cover the latter half of the century.¹ And with all due respect to Robert Downey Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch, nobody really cares about Sherlock Holmes anymore, right?²

But Batman has captured the attention of the masses ever since his comic debut in 1939. In my lifetime, the biggest draw has come from a series of films that began when Batman surpassed all expectations, breaking a box office record by becoming the first film to earn more than $100 million in its first 10 days. Two Batman films have crossed the billion-dollar mark since then, and we’ve got another one coming next year, even though The Batman earned a measly $772 million.

This franchise is unique, particular in the blockbuster era, because so many different guys have played Batman. We’ve gotten six Batmans in just 10 modern live-action films.³ And that doesn’t even include the original Adam West film or the three combined voice performances from Kevin Conroy and Will Arnett.⁴ By comparison, James Bond—another contender for most popular fictional character of the last century—will be up to eight different portrayals when the newest actor is announced, but that’s over the course of nearly 30 films.⁵

This has prompted countless conversations about which version we as individuals claim as “our” Batman. The one that we see in our mind’s eye when we picture the character.

Mine goes back and forth. I think Christian Bale did the most with the character, giving him a more “serious” arc and stretching it successfully over the course of a hugely successful trilogy. And Val Kilmer’s Batman probably meant the most to me at any point in my life. Batman Forever hit theaters when I was 9 years old, and the marketing frenzy behind it had me more excited than I’d ever been about anything. It was the first Batman movie I saw in theaters, and possibly the first one I ever saw.⁶ He’s my Batman, if I’m being true to myself.

I’ve always treasured Keaton’s performances, though, and even more so as I’ve grown older. Not just his portrayal of Batman, which is a bit lacking in physicality but well-suited to what Tim Burton was going for. It’s his portrayal of Bruce Wayne that I find more interesting.

Batman has always been this fascinating dichotomy of a character. He’s often cited as a somewhat grounded figure because he has no super powers to speak of. (“He’s just like me!” one might say.) Underneath the costume, Batman is a strong but standard human being with an otherworldly passion for fighting criminals. And while it’s certainly a gray area, he’s relatively ethical about it—even to a fault, given that his lack of a personal death penalty often results in dangerous criminals being released back onto the streets one way or another.

On the other hand, Bruce Wayne is the richest man in Gotham City, and by virtue of a family fortune rather than his own hard work. (“I’ll never be like him,” one might say.) He’s a quirky one too, even overlooking the fact that he dresses up like a six-foot bat in order to keep his identity secret when fighting crime.⁷ In Batman, newspaper reporter Alexander Knox aptly sums up why this isn’t surprising: “The rich. Know why they’re so odd? Because they can afford to be.”

The idea of Batman has evolved in interesting ways over the years because his wealth is inextricable from his value as a superhero. Without wading too far into the socioeconomic waters, it’s never been very ethical or cool to be obscenely rich, ever since the dawn of man. But billionaires are dominating the news cycle in dumb new ways every year. They used to at least have the decency to not run for public office.

So why should Wayne get a pass? At first, he doesn’t—at least not from Knox, or his new colleague, photojournalist Vicki Vale (played by Kim Basinger). Before officially meeting Wayne at a fundraiser event, Vale and Knox wander into a room at his mansion where he displays treasures from all over the globe in a personal museum of sorts. Vale points out the paradox that exists within someone like Wayne who gives generously to humanitarian causes while also spending millions on priceless but pointless artifacts. “This guy must be the most worthless guy in America,” she says.

Of course, Wayne winds up charming her off her feet in no time. This is one thing I love about Keaton’s performance. He’s handsome, but he’s not too handsome, or at least not classically handsome; after all, Vale assumes he’s a regular partygoer when they first speak.⁸ But he’s a bit of an outlier when compared to the actors who followed him in this role.⁹ Kilmer and George Clooney were among the top sex symbols of their time, and Christian Bale and Ben Affleck exist in that stratosphere as well. Robert Pattison, our present-day Batman, follows closely in that lineage.

But Keaton is different—in a good way. With his thin frame and his short tuft of hair, he looks more like the billionaires we have today. The ones that are known for being billionaires rather than for being something else, at least.¹⁰

When Keaton was given the titular role in Burton’s Batman, the casting decision was widely criticized. People couldn’t fathom the star of Mr. Mom and Night Shift putting on the Batsuit—and I bet they were even more confused after seeing him in Beetlejuice. Hell, the studio gave Jack Nicholson top billing on the poster and in the opening credits. But Burton knew that someone like Keaton would bring a complexity to the character rather than just machismo and suaveness. Whether he’s “your” Batman or not, he’s the truest Batman we’ve ever had.

Batman is now streaming on HBO Max, and it is available to rent elsewhere.

1. I will not be using Mario’s last name, which is also Mario. I refuse to acknowledge him as “Mario Mario.” Except for in this footnote.

2. Perhaps I am wrong about this, though. Did you realize that both of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films grossed more than half a billion dollars? Apparently there’s a third one in the works, and now I’m wondering what took them so long.

3. Is there a widely accepted way of pluralizing “Batman”? I almost said “Batmen” but that didn’t feel right. Or would it be Batsman?

4. If you’re keeping score at home, yes, I did include Justice League even though it’s a superhero ensemble film. If we’re going to include Affleck’s Batman—and we should—I think we have to include both of his non-cameo appearances.

5. I know it’s a long shot, but I’m still holding out hope that Amazon will do the right thing and give the role to Dan Stevens. Even though Amazon doesn’t usually do the right thing. (Topical statement for today’s newsletter!)

6. Friend of the newsletter Matt Scalici wrote a perfect encapsulation of the Batman Forever promotional blitz, if you need a refresher course.

7. He does, however, leave half of his face exposed, which seems like a glaring flaw in the Batman costume. I’m sure nobody has ever written about this.

8. Since Annie chose today’s film, I texted her and asked “Do you think 1989 Michael Keaton was hot?” She gave a perfect answer: “Lol. I think he was charming?? So yeah I’d say so def better looking than a lot of other people in this world hahaha.”

9. I couldn’t tell you if Adam West was a sex symbol in his heyday, but he seems like one to me.

10. Beyoncé recently became the fifth musician billionaire, joining her husband Jay-Z as well as Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Bruce Springsteen. Four of those five people are hot. (Dolly Parton, who is also hot, is notably not a billionaire because she gives away too much of her money to things like children’s books and vaccine research, i.e. she’s too real.)