Consume All Media! Batman and Robin: "Chapter One: Batman Takes Over"

Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe watched a boring man in a pith helmet. This time, they watch the first ever Bat-Sequel.

Batman and Robin

Film Info

Release date: May 26th, 1949

Studio: Columbia Pictures

Written by Royal Cole, George H. Plympton, & Joseph F. Poland

Based on the DC Comics characters created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, & Jerry Robinson

Produced by Sam Katzman

Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet 

Writer Highlights

Royal Cole (1907-1993)

Other comic book media credits: Captain America (1944), Superman (1948), Blackhawk (1952), & the 1954 episode of Adventures of Superman: “Beware the Wrecker”

George H. Plympton (1889-1972)

Other comic book media credits: Hop Harrigan (1946), The Vigilante (1947), Superman (1948), Congo Bill (1948), Atom Man vs. Superman (1950), & Blackhawk (1952)

Joseph F. Poland

Other comic book media credits: Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941), Spy Smasher (1942), Captain America (1944), Superman (1948), & Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)

Creator Highlights

Bill Finger (1914-1974)

Other comic characters adapted: The Green Lantern & Superman’s Smallville love interest Lana Lang

Other comic book media credits: Wrote two episodes of Batman (1966) & a segment of The New Adventures of Superman (1966)

Bob Kane (1915-1998)

Other comic book media credits: Kane appears as a newsboy in Batman (1943) and went on to be a project consultant on Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995), & Batman & Robin (1997).

Producer Highlights

Sam Katzman (1901-1973)

Other comic book media credits: Hop Harrigan (1946), The Vigilante (1947), Superman (1948), Congo Bill (1948), Atom Man vs. Superman (1950), & Blackhawk (1952)

Director Highlights

Spencer Gordon Bennet (1893-1987)

Other comic book media credits: Superman (1948), Congo Bill (1948), Atom Man vs. Superman (1950), & Blackhawk (1952)

Though this is the first-ever comic book sequel, there's not much tying it to the first serial. Not only is the creative team behind the scenes different, but the characters have all been recast. Say goodbye to your first Batman and Robin, Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft.

Say hello to your new Batman and Robin, Robert Lowery and Johnny Duncan.

Robert Lowery had previously acted in a handful of action films, but I'm most interested in a short film called Sex Hygiene (NSFW WARNING: Lots of dicks, not all of them healthy). The film is about a military man who visits a prostitute and gets syphilis. The entire base then watches a film within the film, also called Sex Hygiene, which is a pretty frank and graphic educational film about sexual diseases. It's co-directed by Westerns legend John Ford and also features George Reeves who went on to play Superman in the Adventures of Superman television series. So if you want to see a film featuring Superman, Batman, and syphilitic penises, look no further. Lowery later appeared in an episode of Adventures of Superman alongside George Reeves, but to my knowledge there were no disease-ridden genitals.

Johnny Duncan had previously played dancers in most of his films, including at least 11 roles as a "Jitterbug Dancer." Sadly, Robin does not dance in this serial, let alone jitterbug.

But what do Batman and Robin get up to? And how do they compare to their predecessors? Let's dive in further to find out.

Batman and Robin: “Chapter One: Batman Takes Over” - 27:31 (Available on Amazon)

We start with a brief crime montage and a narrator explaining how Batman and Robin stop these sorts of things. Then the narrator reveals that Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, a rich playboy who lives... in the suburbs of Gotham.

Not quite what I expected out of Wayne Manor. But what about the Batmobile? This was what Batman and Robin rode around in during the original serial.

Do we get an upgrade for this sequel?

Nope. It's still just a car. A kind of worse-looking one, in my opinion.

Speaking of worse versions, the narrator informs us that the only person who knows Bruce Wayne's secret is his butler, Alfred (Eric Wilton).

Previously portrayed by William Austin, this Alfred gets a lot less to do and is a lot less humorous. He's just a rather by-the-numbers butler. In fact, Wilton had already played butlers in over 80 films. If he ever got bored playing this role, it certainly shows in this serial.

Alfred lets in a news photographer named Vicki Vale (Jane Adams).

Actor Highlights

Jane Adams (1918-2014)

Trivia: Adams used to act under the alias Poni Adams, a name given to her by her modeling agency because they thought Jane wasn't memorable enough. They also concocted a made-up story that her nickname came from her love of horses.

Other comic book media credits: Babette DuLoque in the 1953 Adventures of Superman episode “Ghost Wolf,” her final role.

Introduced in the comics the year prior to this serial, Vicki Vale was a journalist frequently trying to prove that Bruce and Batman were the same person. She was also an off-and-on again romantic interest for Bruce.

Adams is fantastic in this serial and seems to be one of the few people actually trying to act in it.

I mean, take a look at this guy.

Lowery's acting is about as boring as he looks. Both him and Johnny Duncan generally sound like they are reading off of cue cards and just want to get this whole thing over with.

But this whole thing is just getting started. The plot really begins when we meet Commissioner Gordon (Lyle Talbot).

Actor Highlights

Lyle Talbot (1902-1996)

Trivia: Talbot reportedly never turned a role down and worked well into the 80s. His lack of discernment led him to star in three films directed by Ed Wood, including the legendarily terrible Plan 9 from Outer Space (which also featured Johnny Duncan in a small role).

Other comic book media credits: Greg Pierce AKA X1 in The Vigilante (1947) & Lex Luthor in Atom Man Vs. Superman (1950)

Gordon's debut in the comics was right alongside Bruce Wayne himself in the very first panel of the very first Batman story featured in 1939's Detective Comics #27.

This is the only time Lyle Talbot played a comic book hero and he does it well! He doesn't get much to do, but he works competently with what he's given.

Gordon talks to Mr. Williams (Emmett Vogan) about the delivery of a new invention and about how they might need to beef up security.

Actor Highlights

Emmett Vogan (1893-1969)

Other comic book media: J. Westly Arnold in Hop Harrigan (1946) & Secretary of National Security in Superman (1948)

However, he doesn't have time to beef up the security before an armored truck pulls up and some guys get out of the back. A couple of security guards see this and decide to just start shooting at them without even bothering to see if they're supposed to be here or not. Williams hears the shots and relays this info to Gordon. Gordon decides to pass the buck even further and fires up the good ol' Bat-Signal.

This is the first on-screen appearance of the Bat-Signal which was introduced in the comics in 1942 as a way for the police to summon Batman to help them do their jobs.

It is used frequently throughout the serial and primarily during the daytime, which I have no idea how that works.

Alfred informs Bruce of the signal, so he ditches Vicki and heads through the secret entrance to the Batcave which, just like in the first serial, is located inside a clock.

Batman takes his sweet time getting there and when he arrives, the armored truck has already gotten away with the invention. Sure glad the police installed that Bat-Signal.

The stolen invention's inventor Professor Hammil (William Fawcett) is rolled in by his assistant Carter (Leonard Penn). Hammil calls them a bunch of idiots and rolls back out.

Actor Highlights

William Fawcett (1894-1974)

Other comic book media: Newshawker in Superman (1948), Blinky in Congo Bill (1948), the Mayor of Metropolis in Atom Man Vs. Superman (1950), & Dr. Rolph in Blackhawk (1952)

Leonard Penn (1907-1975)

Other comic book media credits: Electronics Store Henchman in Superman (1948), Andre Bocar in Congo Bill (1948), & various roles in Adventures of Superman (1952-54)

Seeing as how Penn previously played villains, that might clue you into the future of his character in this serial. But you'd be kind of wrong! We'll get there.

Right now there's suspicion on Professor Hammil for knowing that the invention was stolen before anyone had a chance to tell him about it.

Williams proceeds to give a demonstration of how the invention works using children's toys.

Basically, it's a machine that controls other vehicles remotely. I'm not sure what practical use this would have other than for villainy. Also, it runs on diamonds. Which also sounds like a supervillain gadget to me.

Back at Professor Hammil's much-nicer-than-Bruce's mansion, Hammil puts himself in what looks like an electric chair. It looks even more like an electric chair when he turns it on and it seems to send electricity through his body.

Instead of killing him though, it gives him the ability to walk! He uses this newfound ability to walk through a secret passageway in his fireplace.

Has no one in Gotham heard of doors?

Then we meet The Wizard who is ready to steal some diamonds.

The Wizard has no comic book counterpart and doesn't even look like a wizard.

The serial plays these two scenes (edited together differently) of Hammil getting juiced up and the Wizard entering his hideout many times throughout the serial, really trying to make you think that Hammil is the Wizard. Even though he sounds nothing like him and in fact sounds suspiciously like Hammil's assistant Carter. And that's because he is played by the same actor who plays Carter.

But The Wizard isn't Carter. More on that later.

Meanwhile, a radio announcer, Barry Brown (Rick Vallin), badmouths Batman.

Actor Highlights

Rick Vallin (1919-1977)

Other comic book media credits: A truck worker in Atom Man Vs. Superman (1950), Stan and Boris in Blackhawk (1952), & various roles in Adventures of Superman (1955-58)

Bruce, Dick, and Vicki hear this negative radio review as they are out for a drive. Then they hear a jewelry store explode. Vicki ditches them to investigate, while Bruce and Dick pretend to be uninterested. Once Vicki is gone, they change clothes in the back of their car. In public. This happens a lot in both serials and it seems incredibly risky to me. Find a bathroom or something!

Batman and Robin fight the henchmen, but they get away with the remote help of the Wizard. He stops cars and sets them on fire to aid in their escape.

Once the henchmen get away, they take the diamonds through a secret cave entrance. Something Batman still doesn't have at this point. He just has to park his car in the driveway and go through a clock in his living room.

Anyway, then the henchmen go through a trapdoor that leads to a submarine.

The Wizard uses his machine to move the submarine to his island hideout. The henchmen aren't allowed to know where they are going, but once they get there, they walk up to a cave door and press a button. The Wizard then activates a device in his lair that scans and projects an image of what's outside.

Seems a little overly complicated for something that is basically a peephole.

Also, much like the Hammil juicing-Wizard entrance scenes, this cave-submarine-projection bit will play out multiple times throughout the serial. And this sequence is just a repeat of the extended carnival ride to the villain's lair in the original Batman serial, which also ended with a projection of whoever was outside the door. (Though it was an x-ray of a hand in that one.)

Anyway, the henchmen and the Wizard plan their next hit. They're gonna hijack a plane transporting diamonds.

Later, Bruce and Dick hear a Barry Brown radio broadcast about the planned hit. They call Gordon and say they'll be the pilots.

I'm not sure whether to count this as the first Batplane considering it's not actually Batman's plane...

The henchmen also have a plane and... Oh, hey! I recognize the pilot, Jimmy (George Offerman Jr.)!

Actor Highlights

George Offerman Jr. (1909-1995)

Other comic book media credits: Stuff in The Vigilante (1947)

I thought Offerman was wonderful in The Vigilante, so at first I was a little sad to see him playing a henchman in this. But he actually gets quite a bit to do and some of it is actually quite interesting!

The Wizard takes control of Batman's plane and forces them to land. The henchmen force Batman to throw out the diamonds, then the Wizard blows up the plane with Batman and Robin presumably inside it.

Should you watch it, though? The plot and some of the side characters are decent and the villain not being a racist caricature is definitely a step up. The biggest problem is that Batman and Robin are played so unenthusiastically. They just look incredibly bored.

Tune in next time for Batman and Robin: "Chapter Two: Tunnel of Terror" (Available on Amazon.)

A version of this article was previously published on The Dipp.

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