Evil Catwoman vs. Lovesick Catwoman

[dell]

Of course this only applies to Julie's version. Lee's is a cold-hearted manipulator for whom "romance" and "attraction" are only weapons in her con artist toolkit, and with Eartha, gender is irrelevant.

You are spot on with Lee's Catwoman, but Eartha hints that she finds Batman attractive. However, it never goes beyond that. I would have been happier if Julie's Catwoman had acted the same way. Make it obvious that there is an attraction, but be nonchalant about eliminating Batman if he isn't willing to do things her way.

[SprangFan]

Fair enough, but now we get into the thing that bothered me about the TV version of Catwoman when I was a kid, and that is that she is willing to kill. Of course, she never manages to follow through, but she's willing.

In the comics, Catwoman did not kill -- unlike the Joker and some other rogues -- and it is pretty much this fact alone that makes it possible for Batman to even *consider* a romantic entanglement (let alone marry her, which the "Earth-2" version of Batman does at one point). Catwoman is a thief, but she is not a killer. On TV, Catwoman places the Dynamic Duo in death traps as potentially lethal as any devised by the other rogues, and that, in my opinion, should rule her out in Batman's mind as a person worthy of his interest.

So in other words, my problem isn't that Catwoman digs Batman, it's that sometimes it seems like he reciprocates.

[Mr. Deathtrap]

Citizens,

Sprangfan's point about the comic book Catwoman not killing is very well taken and demonsttrates the character Julie played in the show is different.

The fact is, her character, unlike the others, changes as the series progresses. In her first appearance, she demonstrates she is every bit the threat to our heroes a male villain would be. This necessity, I believe, is why she tries to kill Batman and Robin. She is trying to prove herself to Batman and her criminal colleagues.

In her second appearance, she again tries to kill our heroes in a deliciously evil way which domonstrates her superiority and contpmpt for the Dynamic Duo. Then, in the course of preventing her ultimate crime, Batman saves her life and opens her proverbial eyes.

In the third story, Catwoman is smitten with Batman and tries to change their attitudes about her by destroying their minds. The echo chamber trap would not have killed them, but was incredibly torturous. In the story with Pussycat, she is clearly after Batman and uses Robin to ge get to him. Finally, in the college story, she first has Batman arrested to get him out of the way so she could operate freely. When that doesn't work, she moves on to plan B—killing her enemies.

The teamup with Sandman does not really fit into this analyssis because Catwoman was added to the story later and it was handled by another writer. Still, trapping her enemies in a maze is hardly lethal.

Had Julie appeared in season 3 and the format would have remained the same, it would have been interesting to see the degree to which Catwoman's inclination to avoid killing Batman would have continued.

Well, that's my 2 cents.

Mr. Deathtrap

[catwoman-henchman]

For me, a 100% evil CW would be 100% boring. She's multifaceted. Adam West described Julie Nemar as 'mercural'. Why not Catwoman?

Well...Adam, in the A&E Bio. called her "out there." More accurate definition of Julie herself. The Catwoman character being "mercurial," maybe. The writers did have the character do some contrary things, and mix up evil and comedy.

Julie was never a fan of having her character "sipping sodas with Batman." Catwoman playing Batman with flirtation...fine. But the scripts actually had Catwoman falling for him which was silly and yeah, pretty detrimental to what made these two characters so much fun together. (Again, that's the characters...Julie and Adam are great friends).

As for the "Kill him" line on Robin...Julie loves that. It's probably the favorite CATch-phrase of hers on the show (behind the one-word "Purrrfect.")

Throughout Julie's career, she's worked very well against a complete opposite, so Adam's "stolid" straight version Batman fits right in. Batman's tempted by her evil, intimidated by her glamor and embarrassed by the emotions stirring in his "bat belt," so to speak (a line Adam's used on a talk show or two!)

When Julie's in "aggressive mode," the fun is in the fluster...Bob Cumming and Jack Mullaney in "My Living Doll," Jerry Lewis turning to cross-eyed stone in "Li'l Abner," Maharis and Milner stunned in the 2 "Route 66" episodes that were pilots for a proposed series.

[Riddler Fan]

Before she first put on her (in)famous Cat Suit Julie once played a she devil in a Twilight's Zone episode. And she played it with (what else?) devilish glee.

[Progress Pigment]

For me, a 100% evil CW would be 100% boring. She's multifaceted. Adam West described Julie Nemar as 'mercural'. Why not Catwoman?

Well...Adam, in the A&E Bio. called her "out there." More accurate definition of Julie herself. The Catwoman character being "mercurial," maybe. The writers did have the character do some contrary things, and mix up evil and comedy.

I believe it was in Adam's book that he referred to her thusly. I don't currently have a copy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L3UrW_jCDY

[bat lugosi]

Thanks to High C for creating the thread. I may not agree with all the things you pointed out but it was very interesting. I get a kick out of it but Batman is way too square in these situations. The post kind of makes me ask the question of who was Catwoman before Catwoman? I choose to believe she was Selina Kyle once but when she turned into Catwoman she became Catwoman 24/7...but what happened with her? Catwoman's big thing is greed so I figure it had something to do with that, and perhaps being inspired by Batman to don a costume but choosing the other side of the coin. I have been working on a Batman fan story on and off for a good few years which features Catwoman ( I can't seem to finish it ) and one new element that popped up is where did the Julie Newmar Catwoman come from? Perhaps it's better if It's mysterious.

Sprang fan brings up an interesting point, wouldn't it be easier to believe Catwoman is into Batman than Batman into Catwoman? Batman does reciprocate at least somewhat. I think he's attracted to her physically for sure but at the end of the day he does not approve of her actions so it is not to be...that said he really does wants to rehabilitate her.

Sprang Fan and Gleeps, It’s Batman bring up the point that Catwoman is into Batman because he’s the only guy worthy of her, I figure this is why she has a school girl crush over the guy, that and of course he saved her life.

Like Progress Pigment I also feel that a completely evil Catwoman is boring but I get the feeling that most of you enjoy at least some flirtation. What episode would you feel is a happy medium between Evil Catwoman and Love sick Catwoman? I would say It’s her second appearance Hot Off the Griddle/The Cat and the Fiddle. Personally not my favorite Catwoman adventure but to me aside from the last scene she never seems love sick but she does flirt with Batman.

Anyway, fun thread, sorry in came in late.

[Batfan 66]

This thread seems a bit out of my league, but I'll throw my opinion in there anyway

Catwoman seemed really evil in the first few episodes she was featured in, seriously folks, the whole tiger incident? Poor Dynamic Duo!

Looked like she softened up after Batman saved her life, but it was kind of complicated to see/decipher what she was really feeling, with her sparing his life one time, trying to poison him another, telling her henchmen not to hurt Batman, suggesting to kill Robin, wanting to be his partner in life yet she wasn't willing to give up crime...its pretty random but I'm glad it was like that because a soppy-eyed in love Catwoman would have been very hard to pull off while still trying to appear to be a threat and keep the episode interesting. She just seemed very confused/uncertain, even though Catwoman obviously liked Batman a lot. I always thought the end to Batman Displays His Knowledge was sad, felt bad for Catwoman. I don't have any criticism for the evil or in love version of CW, Julie Newmar did an amazing job regardless

[elmrgraham]

A purrfect video.

[dell]

I could have appreciated the in love Catwoman if she would have played it more like in season 1. What I mean is she would let Batman live, but only on her terms. He had to join her and she would be in charge. If he didn't agree, then she would try to eliminate him.

[High C]

Well...Adam, in the A&E Bio. called her "out there." More accurate definition of Julie herself. The Catwoman character being "mercurial," maybe. The writers did have the character do some contrary things, and mix up evil and comedy.

Julie was never a fan of having her character "sipping sodas with Batman." Catwoman playing Batman with flirtation...fine. But the scripts actually had Catwoman falling for him which was silly and yeah, pretty detrimental to what made these two characters so much fun together. (Again, that's the characters...Julie and Adam are great friends).

As for the "Kill him" line on Robin...Julie loves that. It's probably the favorite CATch-phrase of hers on the show (behind the one-word "Purrrfect.")

Throughout Julie's career, she's worked very well against a complete opposite, so Adam's "stolid" straight version Batman fits right in. Batman's tempted by her evil, intimidated by her glamor and embarrassed by the emotions stirring in his "bat belt," so to speak (a line Adam's used on a talk show or two!)

When Julie's in "aggressive mode," the fun is in the fluster...Bob Cummings and Jack Mullaney in "My Living Doll," Jerry Lewis turning to cross-eyed stone in "Li'l Abner," Maharis and Milner stunned in the 2 "Route 66" episodes that were pilots for a proposed series.

This is a terrific post because it really puts the whole CW question in the context of Julie's career.

You make a wonderful point about how ‘the fun is in the fluster.’ That also describes her in the 1961 film The Marriage-Go-Round, making James Mason squirm. She won a Tony Award for the Broadway version of that film, and that highlights what I’m getting at here, and why I started this thread in the first place.

Yes, Julie in her prime often was cast as a sex object, for obvious reasons. But her immense talent and her on-screen attitude enabled her to ‘own’ that sexuality and make it into a comedic and/or dramatic force. Her skill as a performer enabled her to transcend ‘sex symbol’ and make her version of CW the iconic character we all know and love.

IMO, the writers/producers of Batman could have done a better job of playing to Julie’s strengths. I liked the idea of her, in both The Cat’s Meow and Scat! Darn Catwoman, wanting Batman IF she could control him, one way or the other. That falls in line more with the flirtation Julie enjoyed and the incredible sexual tension she could provide, with Adam’s portrayal helping that immeasurably.

But as she says, sipping a soda with Batman shouldn’t have been the goal. Teasing him, yes. I admit I don’t like the line she likes about Robin, ‘We’ll kill him.’ But I could tell she delivered that line with relish and gusto. I can’t say, just from the standpoint of an observer, that her heart was in some of the sappier lines she had to deliver to Batman. I don’t see it.