MovieChat Forums > Batman: The Movie (1966) Discussion > Favourite live-action Catwoman

Favourite live-action Catwoman

posted 9 years ago by HarveyManfredSinJohn
17 replies | jump to latest

This may be a controversial choice but I prefer Lee Meriwether to Julie Newmar, particularly in terms of looks, although the latter was certainly athletic. I like that the appropriately-named Eartha Kitt established early-on that Catwoman was not defined by her skin tone although overall I'm less fond of her incarnation of the role in comparison to Meriwether and Newmar.

Michelle Pfeiffer is the most beautiful Catwoman and gave the best performance but the character as written was very different to any of the various comic-book incarnations of the character.

Anne Hathaway's version is arguably the best written although she seemed to be side-lined for the most part and I still have my doubts as to whether Hathaway was the best choice for the role, although she was more convincing than I would have expected beforehand.

I'm not counting Halle Berry since she didn't even play 'Selina Kyle', although I maintain that the problem with her version of Catwoman had nothing to do with her performance, or capabilities as an actress, and everything to do with how the character was written and the overall poor quality of the film.

[–] johnnyb94109 9 years ago

Meriwether was a Miss America who had won swimsuit, so not at all controversial as the best looking. Her cold, calculating and aloof Catwoman easily slips into "Kitka mode," a feat Newmar could not have pulled off so enchantingly.
Newmar had the curves and personality, off course, and Michelle was the athletic one.

[–] Metafizzypop 9 years ago

Julie Newmar. I've had a mad girl-on-girl crush on her since forever. For me, there's no one else even in the running.

But Lee Meriwether was good, too, and I remember her fondly from The Time Tunnel, another one of those great 60s TV shows.

[–] bjlevine 9 years ago

It's Julie Newmar then everyone else. She was born to play Catwoman.

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[–] doughboyjonesmkii 9 years ago

While Newmar was indeed gorgeous I liked Kitt's over the top cat mannerisms the best. In a show that revolved around being completely ridiculous she delivered the most fun performance.

I'm genuinely convinced that every movie would be better with Arnold Schwarzenegger in it.

[–] cfkane-5 8 years ago

Newmar for her body. Ertha Kitt for her performance and Lee for her Kitka. I don't play favorites. They each brought something to the role.

[–] j-taylor-goddard 8 years ago

I thought Lee Meriweather gave the best performance, I always found Julie Newmar a bit too cute and sweet to be nasty - for me she became rather unconvincing when trying to play the evil side of Catwoman, and her cat noises sounded like a cute kitten.

But Julie Newmar was certainly the best looking!

[–] phillindholm 8 years ago

Hands down, Lee Meriwether for me. Gorgeous woman, and my favorite ''Catwoman'' due to her ''evil'' interpretation of the part. She was (and is) wonderful!.

[–] darryl-tahirali 8 years ago

Lee Meriwether for me. Hands-down my favorite Catwoman from the TV series era. And let's be honest, the movie is just a feature-length episode. Haven't seen Anne Hathaway yet.

5. Eartha Kitt
4. Halle Berry
3. Michelle Pfeiffer
2. Julie Newmar
1. Lee Meriwether

Wish Meriwether had been in the series and not just the movie. Just as hot as Newmar and a better actress.

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"The past is never dead. It isn't even past." -- William Faulkner

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

Anne Hathaway

[–] richardchatten 8 years ago

Ms Hathaway says she based the way Selina Kyle talked on Hedy Lamarr. Too bad Christopher Nolan didn't think to show her footage of Myrna Loy or Audrey Totter, and give her more to do (and tell her to keep her mouth closed when not speaking)!

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

Yeah, she needed some touching up in her performance. A lot of people say she probably wasn't the best choice for the role, and while I agree, I do still think she did pretty well and could have done better with more preparation, etc.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

[–] richardchatten 8 years ago

I thought she was easily the best post-TV series Catwoman, but received absolutely no assistance from Christopher Nolan, who shows no interest in directing her to maximum advantage (in the later stages of the film there are far too many shots were she just stands around in the background looking aimless). SPOILER COMING: When it's revealed that Marion Cotillard (who would have made a much better Catwoman, just as Sharon Stone would in 'Catwoman') is the mastermind behind Bane's diabolical scheme, I thought - Great! I can't wait for the showdown between her and Catwoman; but instead she gets killed off almost casually when she crashes that truck!

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I thought she was easily the best post-TV series Catwoman,

Agreed with that.

received absolutely no assistance from Christopher Nolan, who shows no interest in directing her to maximum advantage (in the later stages of the film there are far too many shots were she just stands around in the background looking aimless).

Yes, it's just one of those many technical problems that happened with TDKR. I'd consider the movie to be better than most people give it credit for, don't get me wrong. But so many story and character elements were attempted to be shown and told, but were shown and told rather poorly. Catwoman is a great example because she's an awesome character and has some depth, but it seems we were just sort of expected to "know" that about her simply because she's been onscreen before. Anne Hathaway really looks the part, especially with the mask on, and she's a good actress, I think it was simply a directing problem, as you said.

Great! I can't wait for the showdown between her and Catwoman; but instead she gets killed off almost casually when she crashes that truck!

A showdown between her and Catwoman would definitely have been fun. As for her actual death...that's really my biggest problem with the movie. Both Bane and Talia are killed like it's nothing. It's one quick blip and then we move onto the next thing. Bane's death needed to be epic and "strong". Batman needed to break him back, if you will. Talia's death had enough drama and all...it was just a dumb way to die.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

[–] richardchatten 8 years ago

At least when Catwoman killed Bane, I thought "At last! They've given her something to do!!" By then, she'd spent far too long all dressed up but nothing to do but just stand around looking sexy.

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

I get that, and I'm all for Catwoman killing Bane. Just the WAY he died was pretty stupid, I thought.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)

[–] richardchatten 8 years ago

It reminded me of the scene where Indiana Jones just shrugs and shoots that swordsman after he's just given a flashy display of his skills...

[–] Movie_Riggs 8 years ago

Yes, definitely. Of course, it worked in Raiders of the Lost Ark much better, particularly because we were interested to the swordsman a mere five seconds before he was humorously shot on sight.

"We're not too old for this sh*t!" -Riggs and Murtaugh, 'Lethal Weapon 4' (1998)