Batman Returns was gothic director Tim Burton's second venture into bringing the Caped Crusader to the silver screen. But unlike his first movie about the Dark Knight, Batman Returns bore the director's creative stamp a lot more in visuals, themes, characters, and music, scored by Burton regular Danny Elfman. As a result, this has become one of the most recognizable and unique versions of Batman and two of his most famous foes to this day.
With Burton's signature twist on two already iconic Batman villains and a dark story about duality, Batman Returns has some fantastic quotes regarding these two subjects. But there are also some brilliant lines that reveal a lot about the characters, and also provide some light humor in Burton's gloomy Gotham setting.
"I Don't Know About You, Miss Kitty, But I Feel So Much Yummier."
Catwoman is easily one of the most famous characters in the Batman universe, and Michelle Pfeiffer's femme fatale portrayal of the cat burglar is not only one of the best and most unique portrayals of Catwoman but also one of Burton's best characters who still holds up in Burton's Batman movies today.
At the beginning of Batman Returns, Selina Kyle is a mousy secretary who seems to be down on her luck in love and life. But when she is revived by cats after her boss Max Shreck pushes her out of a window, Selina has a breakdown and trashes her apartment, before grabbing an old leather jacket to fashion the iconic stitched catsuit. Her first words as her new identity ooze self-confidence, sexuality, and mischief, things Selina previously wouldn't have had the courage to express.
"My Name Is Not Oswald! It's Penguin. I Am Not A Human Being! I Am An Animal!"
As with Catwoman, Burton's grotesque version of the Penguin is one of the most iconic versions of the villain. Portrayed by Danny DeVito, this Penguin is a far cry from the civilized monocled crime lord most people are familiar with. Regardless, he has been given a full make-over and has proven to be one of Tim Burton's best villains to date.
Although a villain, Burton has made Penguin oddly sympathetic - he is both comical and extremely tragic at the same time. Dumped in the sewers as a baby and raised by penguins, Oswald Cobblepot just wants to be among humans once again. But his villainous plans are outed by Batman and Penguin flees to the sewers, where he furiously renounces his "human name" and reverts back to his bestial sewer-dwelling monster status. Nasty schemes aside, it's hard not to pity the Penguin in this movie.
"Please. I Wouldn't Touch You To Scratch You."
Batman Returns not only treats the audience to two beloved Batman villains but two Batman villains working together. Although with separate motives, Catwoman and the Penguin team up to bring down Batman. But what separates the two is that Catwoman is more of an anti-hero while Penguin is a villain.
Catwoman only wants to cause chaos while Penguin is more willing to murder innocent people. Catwoman shows resentment at the Ice Princess being unjustly killed at the hands of the Penguin but it's his advances towards her that puts the final nail in the coffin of this dastardly duo's partnership. Selina immediately rejects his proposal with such a line that physically expresses her disgust in perfect Catwoman fashion.
"I Wish I Could Hand Out World Peace And Unconditional Love, Wrapped In A Big Bow."
Played by Christopher Walken, Max Shreck is a corrupt businessman looking to drain Gotham of its power to his own selfish gain. While Penguin and Catwoman steal every scene they are in, it is arguably Shreck that is the true villain of the movie.
What makes Shreck even more of a villain is that he pretends to be a kind and giving man in the eyes of Gotham's citizens. Referred to as "Gotham's own Santa Claus" by the Mayor of Gotham at the start of the movie, Shreck gives a speech of love and Christmas spirit at the tree lighting, and the false sentiments and well wishes are unbelievably ironic. It's because of this that Shreck is not only one of Burton's best villains but also one of Burton's most underrated characters.
"Remember, Max: You Flush It, I Flaunt It."
It is through Max's first meeting with Penguin that the audience discovers just how much of a corrupt businessman Shreck is. Penguin wants to return to life above the sewers and asks for Shreck's help to do so.
When Shreck refuses, Penguin gleefully reveals potential blackmail material that had been flushed down into the sewers over time: toxic sludge from Shreck's textile plant, incriminating shredded documents, and the severed hand of Shreck's business partner that was supposedly "on extended vacation." This whole moment, from the dark settings of the sewers to the villainous characters present, is amusingly macabre and is the start of a team-up more villainous than Penguin and Catwoman.
"It's Vichyssoise. It's Supposed To Be Cold."
Not far from Bruce Wayne's side is his loyal butler Alfred, played by Michael Gough. While his screentime in the movie is less compared to the other main characters, Alfred is vital to helping both Batman bring down the Penguin and being something of a father figure to Bruce Wayne.
In one scene, Alfred brings a tray of soup for Bruce in the Batcave as he works, but he spits it out when he realizes it's cold. In true butler and father-figure fashion, Alfred dryly tells him: "It's vichyssoise. It's supposed to be cold." It's a brief interruption but it's a funny and humbling moment in an otherwise dark fantastical movie.
"S**t. I Picked The Cute One."
While Burton's Penguin is rather different from the sophisticated villain from the comics and the TV series, one key trait that Burton did keep with the Penguin was his signature umbrella. Ranging from guns to switchblades, Penguin has a vast array of umbrellas to use for his schemes - although not all of them were beneficial.
In his dying moments, Penguin emerges from the sewer waters in one final attempt to kill Batman. But the first umbrella he pulls out is a useless umbrella that resembles a child's nursery mobile. Originally intended to lure Gotham's children to their death, it ironically becomes part of the rather tragic death of the Penguin.
"Mistletoe Can Be Deadly If You Eat It. But A Kiss Can Be Even Deadlier If You Mean It."
The relationship between Batman and Catwoman has always been somewhat erratic, no matter what Batman universe it is. Ranging from romantic to full-on rivalry, their complicated relationship is one of the most notable in the franchise.
In Batman Returns, Bruce and Selina become romantically involved while their alter egos battle each other. That's not to say there wasn't any flirtation between them when in costume, such as when Catwoman pins Batman down under some mistletoe. Yet, this flirtatious exchange is the moment that makes both Bruce and Selina realize who each of them really is at the costumed ball. By beautifully showing their vulnerability as a result of the double lives they both battle with, it's one of the best moments in Tim Burton's Batman movies.
"We're The Same... Split Right Down The Center."
A key theme that both Tim Burton's oeuvre and Batman share is the theme of duality. So it's little wonder that Burton managed to capture not just Bruce Wayne's double life but also Selina Kyle's so perfectly.
In the movie's climactic final moments, Batman stops Catwoman from killing Shreck just in time and tries to calmly talk her out of it, expressing his empathy before ripping off his mask. This is the only moment in both of Burton's Batman films, or perhaps even the entire Batman franchise, where Batman and Bruce Wayne become one whole person instead of two separate identities.