In 1987 the master Steven Spielberg directed a remarkable film called Empire of the Sun – a story about a 12-year-old English boy in China, separated from his parents by the invasion of the Japanese during World War II, and his battle for survival.  The part of the 12-year-old boy was played by a 13-year-old Brit named Christian Bale.  The film was nominated for six Oscars.  Young Christian wasn’t nominated for one of the golden statues, but he did win several young actor awards for his remarkable performance in the film.

Bale subsequently grew up, and became a very good-looking 6’2” man.  And he is a very good actor.  He has worked steadily, if not remarkably, since that time.  He won awards for a moderately visible role in American Psycho and a lead part in a little-known film called The Machinist, for which he lost about 60 pounds to play the part of an insomniac who hadn’t slept in a year. 

For the most part, he has done an excellent job with parts in movies that never really went anywhere.  But it has apparently been a living. 

One of Bale’s most interesting “bombs” was a film that should have been a hit, called Equilibrium.  This thrilling and inspirational sci-fi story was one of the most important films in the last ten years.  Its quick demise was enough to raise questions of possible outside influence.  The film portrays a society in which the people were all being subdued with their daily dose of a mood-leveling drug called “Prozium”.  The theory of the Fascist government is that people who take this drug are unwilling or unable to commit violent acts, so the dose is the ultimate security measure.  Bale plays a Prozium policeman whose job is to make sure everyone was taking their dose – and to summarily execute rebels who refuse to do so.  Those who stop taking their Prozium become fascinated with things like music and art, which is the first clue they are rebelling against the system.  When Bale’s character decides to see what life is like without the drug, he becomes aware of the suppressive effect of the chemical straitjacket and eventually leads the rebels to victory over the evil Prozium peddlers.  Given the remarkable similarity to the word and purpose of the currently controversial drug Prozac, it seemed likely to this author that the movie was pulled from the market for some reason other than lack of popularity.  I never saw an ad for it.  I saw a poster in a theatre and simply walked into the movie.  The people in the theatre were cheering and whooping like a Star Wars audience.  But the movie folded its tent and disappeared immediately, without so much as a whimper in the press. 

Prozac’s maker, Eli Lilly, has a history of using money and influence to suppress opposition to the drug.  In one trial in the early 1990s, Lilly was sued pursuant to the murderous rampage of a man under the influence of the drug.  Near the end of the case, the plaintiffs suddenly ceased their attack and allowed the case to end prematurely without producing in court damaging evidence they had in their possession.  The case went to the jury, who found in favor of Lilly.  Later, the judge in the case changed the verdict when he found that Lilly had secretly settled with the plaintiff out of court. With their settlement in hand, the plaintiffs then cooperated with Lilly by allowing the case to proceed and go to jury as if there were no settlement, to establish the precedent of Lilly’s win. 

Nevertheless, Bale’s career continued, and now he’s the new Batman, in the best Batman movie yet, Batman Begins.  Helped out with excellent talent like Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer and others, this Batman captures the dark flavor of the series in a gripping story about betrayal, honor and redemption.  It’s definitely worth the price of admission.