Sunday, August 2, 2020

BATMAN: “FINE FINNY FIENDS” (1966)



PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTIONS: *psychological, sociological*



The first season of BATMAN ’66 finishes up with one of the weaker Penguin episodes—though, to be sure, it looks like a TV classic next to some of the things that befell the character in Season Three.

Whereas “Fine Feathered Fiends” hinged on the idea that the heroes themselves designed the villain’s crime for him, “Finny”—a reference to the aquatic aspects of penguins—posits the idea that the villain practically tells everyone in advance what his target will be. Witnesses see Penguin’s thugs kidnap the Wayne butler Alfred from a phony fish-market, but he subsequently shows up at Wayne Manor, apparently no worse for wear. Even before Alfred returns, Batman guesses that Penguin wants inside info about a millionaires’ charity function, at which Alfred serves as major domo. Despite these suspicions, neither of the heroes figure out that Alfred has been subliminally brainwashed, through the villain’s use of a device called a “Penguin box” (and which looks like a steam cabinet made of papier-mache). However, Penguiin wants Batman and Robin out of the way before he commences his operation. He contrives to leave a clue behind at the fake fish-market, which the Gotham cops overlook and the Duo immediately pick up on. They find Penguin’s hideout, get caught, and almost die in a deathtrap. Before breaking out, Penguin’s current moll Delia swoons over Batman’s stellar handsomeness, but this time her sentiment serves a purpose in the overall plot.

Penguin and his hoods abandon their hideout, though for cost-cutting reasons, the fiends come back to the same location for the final scenes. Though the heroes are free, they apparently fail to stop Penguin from ripping off the charity dinner, which also ties in to an institution of dubious repute these days: a beauty contest packed with feminine pulchritude. But the Duo’s failure is a fakeout, and once more the Penguin is forced to fold his umbrellas and fade into the distance—if only for the first season.


Though there aren’t a lot of great camp lines in Sheldon Stark’s script, one keeper is “Who’ll save our natural resources now?”


No comments:

Post a Comment