A Signature Batman Forever Prop Turned Into An Unnatural Attachment For Jim Carrey
It cannot be overstated how huge Jim Carrey was in the 1990s. The rubber-limbed comedian had a massive box office draw, going from "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," to "The Mask," to "Dumb and Dumber." These films helped turn Carrey into a household name — and helped him land a role in a major blockbuster, "Batman Forever." Carrey, with his over-the-top personality, made for the perfect choice to play The Riddler, the puzzle-happy villain with a fondness for the color green.
"Batman Forever" was a kind of reset for the series. After the ultra-dark, ultra-kinky "Batman Returns," Warner Bros. wanted to go a different route with the Caped Crusader. Enter Joel Schumacher, who took over for director Tim Burton and ushered in a fun, neon-lit, cartoonish sequel that wasn't afraid to get silly. Carrey's Riddler is a scene-stealer, cavorting through the film like an imp and undergoing several wardrobe changes in true diva style. While The Riddler's look changes throughout the flick, there's one constant almost always clutched in his hand: his gold question mark cane, an accessory he's fond of twirling like a baton. And learning to spin that cane took a lot of work.
Dents in the wall
In "Batman Forever," The Riddler is a low-level employee of Wayne Enterprises, the company owned by Bruce Wayne/Batman, played by Val Kilmer. After his crazy ideas about mind control are rejected, The Riddler becomes a supervillain, teaming up with Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones, trying very hard to match Carrey's wackiness) to help alter the minds of Gothamites everywhere. Only Batman, and a soundtrack featuring the Seal song "Kiss From A Rose," can save the day.
The official production notes for "Batman Forever" features a section all about Jim Carrey and his cane skills. While it looks like the actor has a great grasp on the cane antics in the film, it took a while to get there. "You wouldn't think it was so miraculous if you came to my house and saw all the dents in the wall!" Carrey said. As the notes explain, Carrey first worked with actor David Shiner, who taught him the basics. After that, Carrey took it upon himself to devote time to making sure the cane twirling was perfect, constantly working on the skill either at home or between takes on set.
"You know, if you want to learn how to throw a football, you just sleep with the darn thing," Carrey said. "The cane really did become a part of me. Weird." In truth, the cane twirling probably wasn't necessary to the character. And yet, Carrey made it his own, cavorting his way through the pic with gusto. It's clear that the actor's devotion to learning this particular skill paid off.