Batman Returns

SmokeScreeners Rating:   

Year of Release:  1992

MPAA Ratong:  PG-13

Director:  Tim Burton

Distributor:  Warner Brothers

The film was reviewed by Dr. Barry Hummel on 2/18/2008.

Dr. Hummel posted the following additional discussion:

"There is significantly less tobacco use in Batman Returns than in Tim Burton's original Batman.  However, the two most prominent scenes of smoking are both worth further discussion.

The first scene occurs early in the movie, after the birth of the film's villain Oswald Cobblepot, also known as The Penguin (Danny DeVito):

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Shortly after this scene, Oswald's parents plot to drown him in a local river... so I guess they are not too worried about the health consequences of smoking around their young infant son.

Later in the film, industrialist Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) hatches a scheme to get the Penguin elected as the Mayor of Gotham City.  In this scene, image consultants are charged with trying to makeover the Penguin:

[youtube:xB2kfx5BolM]

Notice that someone slaps a cigarette in The Penguin's mouth, asking him to 'claim his birthright'.  What exactly does this mean?  The Penguin's response is to spit out the cigarette.  In fact, The Penguin is never seen smoking in the movie!

So, why exactly does the movie poster show The Penguin with a cigarette holder dangling from his mouth?"