Batman Returns was released in 1992, only three years after the first film, and was considered a bit of a cash grab after the first dominated the box office and the greater pop culture landmark. However, looking at it from that lens totally undoes the brilliant work that director Tim Burton put into the movie. The set-pieces are larger than life, and so are the villains.
Specifically, Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot, AKA The Penguin. It may not be the most lauded of all the Batman villains, but this character portrayal deserves the praise and recognition that many other actors are getting for playing Batman villains. Despite being outwardly silly, it's just as layered and deep as the rest of them.
Tragic Backstory
As hilarious as the character often is - he actually has a tragic and haunting story. Abandoned as a baby for being too hideous (and for attacking the family cat), Oswald Cobblepot is raised in the sewers by a circus and a family of penguins. Obsessed with returning to the light one day and finding out who he really is, Oswald is dragged into a corporate war with charismatic business leaders and ultimately decides to run for mayor of Gotham.
While he may play second fiddle to Catwoman in this film, The Penguin still serves as a dangerous enemy to Batman.
The Competition
Batman's rogues gallery is often considered to be among the best of any superhero. They've had numerous chances on the big screen, and characters like The Joker and Catwoman have elevated beyond the original source material to become household iconic names. There have even been Academy Award wins for these roles, with Heath Ledger winning an Oscar posthumously.
Rarely is The Penguin brought into this same type of conversation. While certainly getting his chance to be adapted in multiple projects, the same adoration that other villains get is woefully missing for this character. Even more importantly - for Danny DeVito's performance in Batman Returns. What he gives is a totally unhinged performance that knows how to take itself seriously, while also embracing the camp of it all. It's important to take your role seriously as an actor, but allowing your physicality and costume work to power your performance is the sign of a truly great actor. DeVito fits right in with the best of the best villain performances, not just in a Batman film, but in any superhero movie to date.
The Burton Impact
Fresh off the release of the original Batman, Warner Bros. was immediately interested in capitalizing on the success of the first film. The major creatives behind the first project, namely director Tim Burton, were not originally interested in following the first up with a sequel so fast. However, Burton was quickly convinced to come back after being given a significantly larger level of control over the project. Burton would do what he wanted to do with the first. He would make it stranger, darker, and more fast-paced. In other words, he'd make it more of a Burton movie.
Not normally thrown around as one of Tim Burton's best films, Batman Returns is the very definition of underrated. Burton undoubtedly does a fantastic job with the character, but a director is only as good as his actors. Luckily for Burton, Danny DeVito gives an all-time great performance.
The Performance
Ultimately, the character is a hurt and entitled character that, despite being given absolutely nothing in his life, still expects the world to fall perfectly into his hands. The Penguin has speech pattern differences, a unique way of walking, and a generally chaotic demeanor that are all captured perfectly by DeVito. It can be extremely difficult for an actor to pull audiences into the character when, on the surface level, there are so many things that can take them out of it. He looks silly, has a silly name, and is surrounded by jetpack-wielding penguins. DeVito does a great job of finding humanity in the ridiculous. Part of what made this performance so great was the collaborative process behind the scenes. Danny DeVito had a lot of say when it came to the direction of his character. Tim Burton had a funny anecdote about this process, "We didn’t have any loyalty to past histories of the Catwoman or Penguin characters either. We did absolutely our own thing. In my first draft, Danny DeVito’s complaint about Penguin was, “This is too much like a Danny DeVito character.”
While this may be considered sacrilegious by some - the ability to shift away from the text and create something new on the screen is another reason that this performance is so successful. It was something that had truly never been seen before, and only imitated since.
Lasting Impression
Danny DeVito has found a new level of appreciation from fans across the world with his performance as Frank Reynolds in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He had been around the scene for a long time, and even directed some films as well. Part of the lasting effect of this film is the general appreciation for Danny DeVito that audiences have. He has never really left the pop culture limelight, and has seemed like a genuinely interesting and kind person as well. Despite the role of Penguin being recast several times, he has even admitted that he would be interested in coming back to it.
There's a reason that the Batman villains are recognized as some of the best in any superhero movie. These roles are absolutely larger than life. As true as that is - it still should not be discounted when an actor as famous and as iconic as Danny DeVito can totally disappear into a role like this. At the end of the day, audiences know that Danny DeVito is behind the makeup. It takes a truly incredible actor to make them forget it during the movie, and that's exactly what he does. The character stands on his own, and deserves a place among the best of the best.