Master criminal 'The Bat' dresses in furry mask and cape to carry out a daring jewel heist, leaving behind a distinctive bat-shaped calling card to announce his imminent vacation in the country. The action then switches to the country home of the late Courtleigh Fleming (Charles Herzinger), currently occupied by Miss Cornelia Van Gorder (Emily Fitzroy), who has leased the property unaware that a fortune is supposedly stashed somewhere within the building in a secret room. A variety of characters turn up at the old mansion, each with their own agenda, and much crazy 'old-dark-house' style shenanigans ensue.
Impressive sets and creative use of lighting provide The Bat with some arresting visuals, but with an unnecessarily intricate plot, umpteen intolerable characters (including a thoroughly annoying, perpetually hysterical maid and a creepy Japanese butler called Jappy!), a lack of action, and some really weak comedy, the film also proves incredibly tedious for much of the time. What makes matters slightly more interesting, particularly for comic book fans, is the fact that the film was clearly the inspiration for DC's legendary superhero Batman, and some fun can at least be derived from spotting the elements that the caped crusader's creator Bob Kane cribbed for his comic character.
3.5 out of 10, rounded up to 4 for IMDb.
Impressive sets and creative use of lighting provide The Bat with some arresting visuals, but with an unnecessarily intricate plot, umpteen intolerable characters (including a thoroughly annoying, perpetually hysterical maid and a creepy Japanese butler called Jappy!), a lack of action, and some really weak comedy, the film also proves incredibly tedious for much of the time. What makes matters slightly more interesting, particularly for comic book fans, is the fact that the film was clearly the inspiration for DC's legendary superhero Batman, and some fun can at least be derived from spotting the elements that the caped crusader's creator Bob Kane cribbed for his comic character.
3.5 out of 10, rounded up to 4 for IMDb.