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 Quick: Who was the first screen Batman? If you answered, “Adam West,” then go to the back of the line.
Lewis Wilson became the first to don the famed cowl in 1943. He starred in Batman, a fifteen-part serial largely forgotten today. Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, though, you can now own the complete saga on DVD.
I watched all fifteen chapters, and frankly, they made me dizzy! They weren't meant to be watched in rapid succession. When you do, the formulaic repetition becomes glaringly obvious. As each chapter opens, Batman and Robin (Douglas Croft) escape a death trap. They change to Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. The villain - from his elaborately hidden lair - then hatches a new plot. Bruce and Dick learn of the plot and rush to stop the villain's henchmen. They change back to Batman and Robin and fall into a NEW death trap. The chapter ends. A new chapter then opens and the same cycle starts again! Of course, that's pretty representative of 1940s' serial fare in general.
The 1943 Batman provides much to mock, if you're in the mind to do so. Wilson's costume is horrible: it's ill fitting, his belt is ridiculously large, his bat ears are floppy and his trunks are pulled up above his waist. The cape and cowl seem to change color - being completely black in some shots and much lighter in others. J. Carroll Naish, who doesn't look the least bit Japanese, plays a Japanese villain. Choreographed fight scenes are frequent, and you can understand why the 1960s' Batman show found these an easy target for parody. (You can mentally picture the "Bam! Pow!" effects as you watch the serial.)
 I’m probably being a little harsh, though. Most old movie serials were filmed quickly and cheaply for the Saturday matinee kiddy crowd. Simply put - they are what they are.
Underneath the cheese, the serial provides some good old-fashioned derring-do. It mirrors a seemingly simpler time when heroes had square jaws, damsels needed rescuing, and hidden villains plotted dastardly schemes. There are even a few “pulp fiction” details. The Japanese-but-he-doesn’t-look-it villain, for example, hides in an amusement park horror tunnel! He also enjoys turning his victims into “electronic zombies.”
In keeping with this tone, we find a Batman who’s a shadowy figure. He intimidates criminals and has an uneasy relationship with the police. Batman and Robin spend a lot of time being obscured by their capes. This covers the aforementioned-absurdity of the costumes (probably the main goal) but also fits the “creature of the night” motif. Don’t assume that this Batman is especially grim, however, as he and Robin do possess a sense of humor (They seem to enjoy pranking both Alfred and the police).
The serial is pretty well cast. Wilson is a fairly good Batman. He’s even better as Bruce Wayne, a perpetually-bored socialite who just might be more than he seems. Douglas Croft is surprisingly likeable as Robin. In fact, he’s possibly the best screen Robin of all time - energetic and competent while brandishing youthful charm. Shirley Patterson plays Bruce Wayne’s long-suffering girlfriend, while William Austin brings comedy relief as a swishy, bumbling Alfred.
All in all, a surprisingly good time with the Dark Knight.
Trivia & Random Notes
* Commissioner Gordon does not appear. Instead, we meet a police chief named "Captain Arnold,” played by Charles C. Wilson.
* In the comic books, Alfred was originally a stout, clean-shaven butler. Following this serial, he lost weight and grew a mustache to resemble William Austin.
* This Batman does not have a Batmobile. Instead, he drives around in Bruce Wayne's car. In some scenes, Bruce and Dick change costumes in the back of the car while Alfred drives! Yet, no one ever seems to witness these scenes - or stop to put two and two together.
* The Bat Cave is repeatedly called "the Bat's Cave." The Bat's Cave proper seems to be just one room that Batman uses to interrogate prisoners. It's bare, save for an old desk and a couple chairs - and the bats that fly around. An adjoining room houses the crime lab. Bruce and Dick access the crime lab and the Bat's Cave via a grandfather clock. They walk into the clock and through a door in the back, rather than pushing the clock aside, as they do in the comics.
* Charles Middleton, who appears as “Ken Colton,” played Ming the Merciless in the Flash Gordon serials with Buster Crabbe.
 How does it look?
All things considered, it looks good. You see occasional crackles and flickers, but I never found them so plentiful or obvious as to be distracting. It is an old, low budget serial, so some of that should be expected.
Where are my bonus features?
Alas, this two-disc set contains no extras. That’s too bad, really. The serial is over 60 years old, so some historical perspective would be nice. Many modern Batman fans probably know little about it.
The Bottom Line
No, this isn’t Casablanca, and it’s not Batman Begins, either! If you’re a comics fan with a sense of history, then you’re bound to appreciate it. Old-time serial fans will have a blast. For hard-core Bat-fans, it’s a must have. If you’re not in one of those categories, though, then you might find it difficult to sit through this. As I said, the plot generally goes in circles, so a chapter or two can go a long way!
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