MovieChat Forums > Batman (1989) Discussion > So does the joker know?

So does the joker know?


Was watching this today and towards the end the joker seems to know batmans identity. How does he know? Or was this just a bad writing mistake?

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Batman says to Joker in the final scene "You killed my parents". Joker remembers it, saying that he was just a kid back then. The Murder of the Waynes was a huge thing; even if Jack hadn't known at the moment he killed them who they were, he'd have found out when it all 'hit the fan' the next day.




All for a box of chocolates...

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Yes, I know how the scene unfolds, and I understand that there murder would have been huge news. But this would mean we are to assume that the joker, didn't kill anyone else? I'm sure he killed tons of people, and more than likely other sets of parents. Batman says he killed his parents, and he immediately knows it was someones parents from 25 or 30 years ago? I'm sorry I call writing mistake there, unless we are to assume he had an idea of batman's identity.

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I'm sure he killed tons of people, and more than likely other sets of parents.

I think the clue is in the fact that Batman said parents - plural. Jack was a mob enforcer, he's obviously killed in his line of 'work'; rival mobsters, club owners behind on protection payments, etc. But I doubt he's killed too many 'sets' of parents.





All for a box of chocolates...

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Ok, fair enough. Put like that it is possible he would know who he meant. I didn't break it down enough. I have seen the movie literally dozens of times, but watching it the other day I caught that line, and was like, wait a second how the hell does he know who he is talking about! He did seem to make the connection awfully quick either way, I still think he may have had a hunch.

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It's a poorly written and directed scene, arguably the most mishandled in the film, and as a result it's never been fully clear one way or the other. The moment goes by way too quickly for us to really gauge whether Joker has figured out who Batman is however the lines themselves strongly imply that. The moment needed to be played out a little longer and allow Joker to really put it together BEFORE the line "Hey I was a kid when I killed your parents"

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Actually, I never got the impression that Joker had any idea who Batman was. His response was simply an off the cuff answer to Batman's accusation. Remember, Joker says "You made me!" Batman responds "You made me first. You killed my parents." (Those statements may have been reversed. Its been some time since I've watched the movie.) So Joker responds like a child would. Just like "you did it" " didn't do it" or "Your dumb!" "No you're dumb." (or "you're dumber")

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