Every Geek worth their salt remembers 1989 as the summer of Batman. The film’s cultural impact was nothing short of massive. Its’ (pre-viral) marketing campaign was sheer genius and every studio wanted in on that action. Long-dormant superhero/pulp properties were revived, and for a short time, the door was wide open for such productions to get underway.
One such property was Dick Tracy, a film gestating longer than the aforementioned Batman. The property bounced from studio to studio and screenwriter to screenwriter for 15 years before it was made. The name most often associated with the square-jawed private eye was Warren Beatty, an actor known for laconic (and iconic) performances since he hit it big with Splendor in the Grass in 1961
Disney was quick to greenlight Dick Tracy after Batman’s incredible numbers came in. Beatty opted to direct the film himself, and had already proved his competence in that area. However, his rep was somewhat tarnished by this point after the colossal failure of Ishtar in 1987. As a director, he was known for his Kubrick-like perfectionism and as a producer he was known for being extremely stubborn.
Despite these misgivings Disney gave Beatty a free hand to produce a stylized vision that recalled Chester Gould’s comic strip, awash in nothing but primary colors, garish villains and a stylized production design that recalled the streets and scenes of a 1930s Hollywood backlot.
Disney launched a marketing campaign that rivaled Batman’s. I remember the Disney Store selling nothing but DT merchandise on the eve of the film’s launch. Subtle posters began cropping up with Tracy telling everyone, “I’m on my way,” via his wrist communicator.
Disney was biting off more than it could chew. Tracy was certainly an iconic character but had not penetrated the national consciousness the way Batman had. He was a fixture in the comic strips, but his last media incarnations were low-budget movies in the 40s and a TV series in the 50s, and neither of which was fondly recalled.
Still, I was kinda sorta excited. Any property spawned from the four-color page piques my interest. Early trailers sparked my interest further. I loved the fact Beatty was staying completely true to the strip and not bowing to the pressure of setting the film in the modern era, and in the “real world.” The Batman connection was strengthened by Beatty’s hiring of Danny Elfman to compose the score.
My friend Ray and I purchased DT T-shirts that bought us entry to a midnight showing of the film the day before it premiered. We had seen Batman the night before it came out as well, but it was obvious the level of excitement was nowhere near as close. The anticipation and thrill of seeing Batman was palpable. I’m not sure if the Dick Tracy midnight premiere was sold out. I don't think it was.
So was it good? I liked it then, and as the years go on, I enjoy it even more. Beatty, an actor whose popularity has mystified me over the years, was the perfect choice to play the by-the-book square jawed detective. Tracy is very stiff and one dimensional, and like so many heroes, he’s defined by his splashy rogues gallery.
Al Pacino is hilarious as Big Boy Caprice, a screaming hunchback whose rants include (erroneous) words of wisdom from the founding fathers. Beatty peppered his supporting cast with stars and character actors (many his personal friends) and everyone is given their moment of the sun, especially Dustin Hoffman as Mumbles.
I can’t say enough about the production design. Like Batman, Dick Tracy took place in a stylized version of reality, and for me, that’s one of the film’s highlights. Beatty’s stages the action within the camera frame, which is completely static, as if emulating a comic panel. His decision to utilize only primary colors only heightens the hyper reality in which the film is set. Elfman’s score is equally as memorable as the one he did for Batman, and the songs written by Steven Sondheim (and performed by Madonna) give the film a sultry swagger. The film never veers into high camp. Beatty is reverent to the source material and he gets points for that.
Disney made a fatal miscalculation by marketing the film as the logical successor to Batman. The merchandising fell flat and the film, while successful, did nowhere near Batman’s business. Audiences were likely disappointed by a final product that recalled a 30s gangster film featuring a hero completely lacking in charisma or angst.
As I noted in my Rocketeer defense the time for superheroes had not come just yet, but of all the films that followed in Batman’s wake I felt Dick Tracy was the one that really embraced its origins, creating a fantastic world populated by grotesque villains and straight as an arrow heroes. It was ambitious and while it didn’t reach the heights of Batman it deserved better than it got.
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