Batman And Robin (1949)

Starring Robert Lowery, John Duncan, Jane Adams, Lyle Talbot, William Fawcett
Directed by Spencer Bennet
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

Caped crimefighters Batman and Robin face a new foe in The Wizard, who steals a remote control machine that allows him to bring all forms of transportation under his power. 

The second Batman movie serial drops the anti-Japanese propaganda of the first and incorporates more elements from the Batman comics, but falls short of being a quality adaptation.  The costumes need work especially Batman's cowl, which Lowery and his stand-ins keep having to adjust on film.  There's no sign of the Batmobile, with Batman and his alter ego Bruce Wayne driving the same roadster, and paying little attention to the suspicions this might cause.  John Duncan, aged 26 during filming, and looking even a bit older than that, is hardly ideal as Robin The Boy Wonder, but there haven't been many cinematic Robins who were age-cast well.  It's also unfortunate that with Batman's rich Rogues' Gallery, that a villain from the comics wasn't chosen.  However, the masked and cloaked Wizard has a perfect arrogant voice, and there's plenty of characters in the script who the dynamic duo suspect may be behind the mask, including my favorite, the perpetually grumpy and sour-faced Professor Hammil, played by William Fawcett.  It's good to see Vicki Vale and Commissioner Gordon from the comics introduced here, and Talbot as Gordon I think is a fine casting choice.  This isn't a great serial, with nonsense and plot holes a plenty, but it is an entertaining one, with good stunt work and fun music, and I've always liked Lowery, who I think does a more than acceptable job playing the Caped Crusader of the time.