Batman and Robin
Directed by	Spencer Gordon Bennet
Produced by	Sam Katzman
Written by	George H. Plympton Joseph F. Poland Royal K. Cole Bob Kane (character)
Starring	Robert Lowery Johnny Duncan Jane Adams Lyle Talbot Ralph Graves Don C. Harvey William Fawcett Leonard Penn
Music by	Mischa Bakaleinikoff
Cinematography	Ira H. Morgan
Editing by	Dwight Caldwell Earl Turner
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	26 May 1949
Running time	15 chapters (263 min)
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	Batman

Batman and Robin (1949) is a 15-chapter serial released by Columbia Pictures.

Robert Lowery played Batman, while Johnny Duncan played Robin. Supporting players included Jane Adams as Vicki Vale and veteran character actor Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Gordon.

[edit] Plot

The plot dealt with the Dynamic Duo facing off against the Wizard, a hooded villain whose identity remains a mystery throughout the serial until the end.

[edit] Cast

• Robert Lowery as Batman/Bruce Wayne
• Johnny Duncan as Robin/Dick Grayson
• Jane Adams as Vicki Vale
• Lyle Talbot as Commissioner Jim Gordon
• Ralph Graves as Winslow Harrison
• Don C. Harvey as Nolan, a henchman
• William Fawcett as Professor Hammil
• Leonard Penn as Carter, Hammil's valet and The Wizard
• Rick Vallin as Barry Brown
• Michael Whalen as Private Investigator Dunne
• Greg McClure as Evans, a henchman
• House Peters, Jr. as Earl, a henchman
• Jim Diehl as Jason, a henchman
• Rusty Wescoatt as Ives, a henchman
• Eric Wilton as Alfred Pennyworth, (uncredited)

[edit] Production

"As usual on a Katzman production," note Harmon and Glut, "the low budget showed everywhere in money-saving shortcuts, and inadequacies." The Batman costume had a poorly fitting cowl and the Robin costume added pink tights to cover the "hairy-legs" of both the actor and stuntman. The Batmobile is again excluded, but instead of a limousine, as in the first serial, the duo drive around in a 1949 Mercury.^[1]

Several mistakes and failures of logic occur in the serial. One example of this is that the film shows the Batsignal working in broad daylight. Another occurs despite the fact that the heroes' utility belts had been replaced by normal belts for this serial, with no pockets or pouches. Nevertheless, in order to escape from a vault, Batman pulls a blowtorch from his belt. To compound this mistake, it is a full-sized blowtorch that would have been impossible to carry unseen on his person. Harmon and Glut suggest that this was probably scripted to be a miniaturised 3-inch blowtorch, as used in the comics, but the film-makers followed the directions for a "blowtorch" literally.^[1]

[edit] Release

[edit] Home media

The serial was released on DVD in 2005 to promote Batman Begins.

[edit] Critical reception

Despite the significantly higher budget, it was deemed slightly inferior to the original 1943 serial. But nevertheless, the acting was regarded as better than the first Batman serial. In particular, Lowery is regarded as being a much tougher Batman than his predecessor Lewis Wilson.^{[citation needed]}

Chapter four is "one of the weirdest episodes" of the serial. During this instalment, Batman spends half the chapter climbing a cliff while Robin pursues a speeding truck on foot.^[1]

[edit] Chapter titles

1. Batman Takes Over
2. Tunnel of Terror
3. Robin's Wild Ride
4. Batman Trapped
5. Robin Rescues Batman
6. Target - Robin!
7. The Fatal Blast
8. Robin Meets the Wizard
9. The Wizard Strikes Back
10. Batman's Last Chance
11. Robin's Ruse
12. Robin Rides the Wind
13. The Wizard's Challenge
14. Batman vs. Wizard
15. Batman Victorious

_Source:^[2]

[edit] See also

• List of film serials
• List of film serials by studio
• List of films based on English-language comics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Batman and Robin at the Internet Movie Database
• Batman and Robin at Allmovie