Who was the Best Joker?

I'm writing this as a companion article to another piece, entitled "Who Was the Best Batman?" In that article, I took a close look at the men who played Batman in film, going back to Adam West in the '60's. Since The Dark Knight has proven that Batman films are still great, it's time to take a look at the Caped Crusader's nemesis, the Joker.

Without a doubt, the Joker is perhaps the most recognized face in Batman's rogues gallery. DC Comics has cast the Joker as Batman's arch-enemy throughout the ages, with a few others coming in close second. That bleach-white face with the plastered-on smile is impossible to forget. Three actors have taken their time with this character, and each of them has made a memorable mark. But who was the best?

First, as with my previous article, I'm only going back to the '60's. I have had little exposure to the black-and-white serials. Thus, I should not comment on them greatly. A writer must write what he knows, after all. But going to the 60's gives us a classic version of the Joker.

Cesar Romero

If you like classics, this is about as classic Joker as you can get. In the television series of the 1960's, ABC selected Cuban-American actor Cesar Romero to play the role. Romero was actually the first actor to portray the character on screen. Famously, he refused to shave his mustache for the part, insisting instead that makeup artists apply the bleach-white on top of the facial hair. The result was only minimally noticeable, and added to the campy feel of the show.

And that's really the Joker that Romero portrays, the goofball. He's quirky, cheesy, but all around just hilarious to watch. While some argue this downplays the villainous role, the '60's show was not really a serious take on the franchise anyway. So I let it go. Romero was the goofball, and he did it well.

Jack Nicholson

What can you say about this guy? A Few Good Men, The Passenger, The Shining. The list of roles this man has under his belt can stretch for miles. Coincidentally, he is one of two actors, only two, to be nominated for an Academy Award within every decade since 1960, the other being Michael Caine. In addition to such timeless roles, Nicholson played the Joker in Tim Burton's Batman, the first of the Burton Batman films.

While Romero played the goofball, Nicholson takes a darker approach. But not too dark. He still makes jokes, at his opponents expense, but he comes off much more violent. He owes that to Tim Burton and his vision of Batman more than anything. Since Burton took a more serious approach to the subject than ABC did in the '60's, the result is a more serious, and more violent villain.

But Nicholson's Joker isn't all dark. No, he's the theatrical Joker. The jokes are there, but with added violence. But he does it with a lot more flair. He doesn't just kill a mob boss. He electrocutes him, to a charred corpse, with a hand buzzer. He doesn't just gas the people of Gotham. He gasses during a parade in which he dumps a bunch of money on the street.

He's a class act, and he raises the style of villainy to a whole new level. That's what makes Nicholson's Joker so memorable.

Heath Ledger

Nearly 20 years later, another great actor would protray the Joker. Tragically, that actor would meet his end shortly thereafter. Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker has undoubtably gained many favorable reviews just because of his unfortunate passing. While we all mourn the loss of such a talented individual, is the praise really necessary?

Yes.

Sadly, many fans of Tim Burton's films continue to compare Heath to Jack Nicholson. That's like comparing Jack Nicholson to Cesar Romero. They are two entirely different characterizations. Each one of them has an important place.

Heath's portrayal is unique in that his Joker is entirely sadistic. There are jokes, even theatrical ones, but they don't come across as jokes. As Alfred says, "Some men just want to watch the world burn." Heath is a Joker focused on wreaking havoc in Gotham.

"This city deserves a better class of criminal, and I'm gonna give it to them."

This portrayal of the Joker is indeed close to the source material, to a degree. That leads me to the conclusion. So we have a goofball, an artist, and a psycho. Which is the best Joker? Well, I have to take the high road, and probably disappoint most of those reading this. The answer is none of them. And all of them.

The problem with portraying the Joker is that the Joker is far too complex a character to capture fully on screen. If you want the Joker who best lines up with the source material, well, you're out of luck. None of the portrayals so far accurately matches the Joker of the comics through the years.

Ironically, though, each portrayal brings out a unique side of the real Joker. The Joker of the comics IS a goofball, just an utter clown at times. He also has a taste for the theatrical, using various colorful ways to incapacitate his enemies. But at times, he just gets down and dirty, like when he shows up at Barbara Gordon's door, solely to shoot her.

Put all three of these men, Romero, Nicholson, and Ledger, together and you'll get the real Joker. So the answer is none and all of them. On screen, the character does not come through completely. The best any actor can do is capture one unique attribute and share it with the world. Who will play the Joker next? Heath's shoes will be difficult to fill, indeed. But I don't think the world is ready for another Joker. Not now. It's time to celebrate the actors who have portrayed him, and remember the memories they have left with us.