Dick Tracy (1990)

We’ve talked about the impact Batman had in 1989 and how it changed everything. In 1990, Hollywood really believed Dick Tracy was going to be the next Batman. It was Warren Beatty’s passion project, and Madonna, who was at her peak, was cast as the love interest. As it turned out, it wasn’t just onscreen she was Mr. Beatty’s paramour. The problem became: Dick Tracy was not Batman. The character did not have the same appeal, and again, it was a character only people of a certain age would have known about. It’s beautiful, with a four-color world so vibrantly displayed on screen. The villains are pitch perfect, and all played by the biggest names in Hollywood at the time: Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Henry Silva, and William Forsythe for just a few. Because of its 1930s look, it is a movie best appreciated on a 40-foot screen. The world feels very real, but ultimately it doesn’t evoke the emotions Batman did. It’s too stiff for its own good, when it should be trying to have some fun. It might also be a conundrum of a movie. If it had not been for Batman, maybe it would be better received, but would it have even gotten made without Batman?