SCRIPT: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" by Stanford Sherman

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

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bat-rss
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SCRIPT: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" by Stanford Sherman

Post by bat-rss »

Here's a more familiar Marsha story, but with some differences from what was broadcast. We'll be recording a TO THE BATPOLES episode on this sometime next week, so you've got some time to look it over and post comments. We may quote your comments in the podcast! (Will fill you in on the exact recording date)

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"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
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Re: SCRIPT: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" by Stanford Sherman

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We'll be recording our discussion of this script on the morning of Tue, Jan 18, so you have a couple more days to post comments that we may use on the show!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
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Re: SCRIPT: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" by Stanford Sherman

Post by bat-rss »

Recording has been delayed 24 hours, to Wednesday morning!
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
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High C
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Re: SCRIPT: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" by Stanford Sherman

Post by High C »

I have a lot to say about this script, as you all can see. I apologize in advance for the length of this.

Of course, all that was retained from the original was the character name, her love of diamonds, and a mind-control aspect.

First of all, the main improvement, and it's a huge one, is that Batman and Robin now act and speak in character. Obviously, that is crucial. Beyond that, if I were simply evaluating the written words on the page, without, of course, having the knowledge of how the actors would bring it to life, it is not all that much more impressive to me than the rejected script by Cannan and Cash.

As for the differences from this and the aired episode:

1--The Batman/Marsha back-and-forth was added. It was based on this, a comedy bit from 1951
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_and_Marsha

I will say, as silly as the back-and-forth was, the scene needed to be longer to show Batman struggling to resist. It's too short as written in the 'final.'

2--For padding, the scene about 'what do Gordon and O'Hara tell their wives was added.' This doesn't help, for reasons I get into in my critique.

3--Sherman clearly didn't grasp the pacing of the show. Obviously, his idea of a 'double-tag' was scrapped.

4--The line about Robin noting that Gordon and O'Hara fell victim to the darts despite being older had not been added yet.

From a critical standpoint, it isn't that much better, imo, than the one that was scrapped. I realize I'm trying to apply logic to 1966 Batman, but this does not even follow Gotham City logic, to borrow John S. Drew's excellent term.

We will see in future episodes in season 2 that although The Duo are part of Gotham law enforcement--state actors, as attorney Jim Dedman called them in your episode No. 112--and when they go 'rogue,' the incompetent GCPD has no problem attempting to arrest them. So why not the same treatment for the Chief? Oh, right--because then there would not be a plot.

As I alluded to, again we know the idiocy of the GCPD is a well-worn gag. But the addition of the wives makes it hit differently, as the kids say. So idiot O'Leary, the usual James O'Hara, FitzSimons, of course, decides to leave him in the clutches of a villain even though he has a worried wife at home. Yikes. Again, I know it's been played for laughs, because it's season 2, but imagine if Marsha were a season 1 villain. And the show were still, I don't know, an action/adventure.

And, to be honest, for the first 35 minutes, the only difference between this Batman and Cannan and Cash's Bats is that he fights off the hypnotism though sheer will-power and he talks like Batman. Other than that?

He enters Marsha's lair with no Bat-gimmick as backup
He values a vow--THAT HE'S ALREADY BROKEN MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE SHOW (thanks for nothing, Charles Hoffman, keeper of continuity)--over Robin being under Marsha's spell forever
He apparently has forgotten about Bat-nesia gas (see what I did there?)
He needs Aunt Harriet and Alfred to bail him out

Also, in terms of MQOD herself, there is not much there. As Ken Holtzhouser noted in his correspondence to you, and Drew and Robert Long talked about on Drew's Batcave Podcast, there is a lot going on. Diamonds, witchcraft, Arabian-clad henchmen--it feels a bit overstuffed to me, much like The Puzzler with aviation, Shakespeare and puzzles.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
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