Dick Tracy

 Dick Tracy

When “Batman” was released in 1989, it proved that movies could adapt comic book heroes in true fashion, capturing the classic elements and respecting the source material in every way. I wasn’t allowed to see the original Batman film upon its original release, as I was too young, and it was too violent, or something… probably my mum’s interpretation. So, the following year “Dick Tracy” was released, and being more kid friendly, I went along and watched it with my dad. I had no idea who the character was, but dad assured me I would enjoy it, as it was based on a comic book character. 

As the film opened, I watched a man in a yellow trench coat and top hat, walk out of his apartment building. The camera then swooped over a city that looked like it was taken straight out of a comic book. The design and architecture was animated and very film noir. It was beautiful to look at. Then, we meet a bunch of characters sitting in a warehouse playing poker and smoking cigars. They are amongst the most disfigured and ugly bunch of blokes you’ve ever seen. A homeless kid has stumbled amongst them, and is shocked to see a black car drive through the wall and shoot the crap out of them. The assailant then leaves a message behind, “Eat Led Tracy” written from holes in the wall with the bullets of his machine gun.

The film instantly draws you into its world, with its colourful costume design, fast paced story and cartoonish action and set design. I can remember being amazed by what I was seeing on screen at the age of eight, but also struggling to keep up with the film as it moved along at a lightning pace. I found myself asking my dad questions constantly, which frustrated him as he was watching it for the first time as well. I think my dad taught me to be patient and actually watch a movie, letting it answer all the questions I was asking, and sure enough it did. I learnt a lot from watching Dick Tracy for the first time, such as paying attention to the details. Given Dick Tracy was based on a comic book about a detective, it was full of clues and many, many side characters who all played an important part. The film also taught me to just shut and pay attention in general, as the film jumped from one scene and location to another with quick succession, and I had to remember each characters names and figure out what was going. Little did I know I was watching a master filmmaker at work.

Warren Beatty had been one of Hollywood’s biggest and most prolific stars for over twenty years. Sadly, he didn’t do much after Dick Tracy and is now semi-retired. But for a kid who had never seen any of his movies before, I got a great introduction to his unique style of directing and acting. Joining him on this stage, where a huge cast of A-listers, including Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman and Madonna. The "Like a Virgin" Pop Star, showed the world she was a pretty good actress, playing Breathless Mahoney; a lounge singer who seduces Tracy and plays both sides of the law to her advantage. As a young kid, I didn’t listen to her music but I fell in love with her after watching this film. She was a total babe, and burst out of the screen with her breast, oops I mean, her best performance ever. 

Of course, Pacino and Hoffman turned in scenery-chewing performances as Big Boy Caprice and Mumbles respectively, and were both almost unrecognisable in their heavy make up.  The film never explains why all these criminals are disfigured. Maybe the comic book did, but I came up with my own conclusion. They were all hanging out in some warehouse when a barrel of toxic waste blew up, spilling its contents all over them. That’s the best I could come up with. And just when you’ve put the assortment of names to the ugly faces, a new villain shows up on the scene; with a raspy voice and no face, hidden under a black hat and trench coat, the mystery man seems to appear at every meeting and fight between the cops and the crims. But who is the character, and which side are they on? 

As the story goes, Dick Tracy lives for the law and his only agenda is to lock up every crook and vulgar looking gangster in the city. Joining him for the ride is The Kid; the young boy who stumbled onto the warehouse at the start of the film. He’s an orphan, with only the clothes on his back but a heap of attitude. Tracy takes care of him, and the youngster becomes something of a partner for the workaholic cop. As the movie moves along, the pace slows down somewhat but the action picks up. All those funny faced characters we meet at the start get ample screen time to strut their stuff and serve the story, as Tracy closes in on the main villain, Big Boy Caprice.

Besides the guns and car chases, Dick Tracy has something for everyone. The soundtrack is excellent, with a classic sounding score and several original songs performed by Madonna, that serve the story instead of distracting you from it.

Dick Tracy makes this list for me, because it introduced me to what movies could be. It was like a graduation for me from the regular childish movies I had watched, to more mature stuff, where things weren’t always explained directly to you, and the main characters weren’t kids. With a cast full of adults and a dramatic story, it’s got nothing to do with kids riding bikes, aliens, pirates, baseball, monsters or karate. But the film is still accessible for kids, with it’s larger than life characters, colourful costumes and comic book style camera work, that could capture a youngster’s attention, and keep their curiosity involved from start to finish. 

The film was obviously a labour of love for Warren Beatty to tell the story of a detective battling an entire city of crims; made with passion and old-fashioned movie making magic, it was different, original, creative and clever. 

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