The Dark Knight William Fichtner "The Bank Manager"

[TripXyDE]

WILLIAM FICHTNER

my my... aren't we forgetting that he didn't die? that it was not a grenade? talk about planting a big name actor for such a teensy tiny role... now here's a role that somebody can speculate on whether he's a planted role for some sequel or what his relevance is in this movie except than somebody who will just "deliver the news" to the mob.

After all, his role as "Bank Manager" can have any Gothamite name under it.

your thoughts? Or maybe about his fate?

 

[thatguyinmotown]

WILLIAM FICHTNER

my my... aren't we forgetting that he didn't die? that it was not a grenade? talk about planting a big name actor for such a teensy tiny role... now here's a role that somebody can speculate on whether he's a planted role for some sequel or what his relevance is in this movie except than somebody who will just "deliver the news" to the mob.

After all, his role as "Bank Manager" can have any Gothamite name under it.

your thoughts? Or maybe about his fate?

It's an interesting question. But don't you think maybe Fichtner was cast simply as Nolan's nod to Heat?

 

[Bat-Mite]

I don't know if it's safe to assume he didn't die. What proof is there that the gas coming out of that grenade wasn't lethal?

 

[SuperFerret]

WILLIAM FICHTNER

my my... aren't we forgetting that he didn't die? that it was not a grenade? talk about planting a big name actor for such a teensy tiny role... now here's a role that somebody can speculate on whether he's a planted role for some sequel or what his relevance is in this movie except than somebody who will just "deliver the news" to the mob.

After all, his role as "Bank Manager" can have any Gothamite name under it.

your thoughts? Or maybe about his fate?

You ever hear of "bait and switch"? Basically, it relies on you thinking one way based on prior outside knowledge or assumptions (i.e. known actors won't be given bit parts) and then goes the other way with it to take you by surprise (you'll never see that character again).

 

[SuperBatman]

It could've been Fear gas for all we know. Maybe the Joker got his hands on some of it also remember the Joker's Message to him

I Believe whatever doesn't kill you makes you Stranger.

 

[Ryudoz]

You ever hear of "bait and switch"? Basically, it relies on you thinking one way based on prior outside knowledge or assumptions (i.e. known actors won't be given bit parts) and then goes the other way with it to take you by surprise (you'll never see that character again).

I'll take Steven Segal in Executive Decision for the Block.

 

[ABleedingCorpse]

I think Fichtner was just in the movie as a referance to Heat and nothing more. He didn't die (as far as we know), but that doesn't mean that he's a character that will return. In the reality of it all, the Bank Manager prolly retired after that and got out of Gotham. He's possibly paralized or something. He's of no real importance. He served a purpose and that is all.

 

[SuperFerret]

I'll take Steven Segal in Executive Decision for the Block.

I don't care for Segal, so I don't get it.

 

[[A]]

He really is a big name actor..?

 

[thatguyinmotown]

I'll take Steven Segal in Executive Decision for the Block.

LMAO...exactly what I was thinking.

 

[DeaDheaD]

He really is a big name actor..?

no, he just does a good job with small or supporting roles

 

[Nivek]

He really is a big name actor..?

He's pretty well known and recognized, thats about it.

 

[[A]]

no, he just does a good job with small or supporting roles

I agree!

 

[Edward Nigma]

LMAO...exactly what I was thinking.

as was i.

yeah, he's in a lot of stuff, but he always plays a small role.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

William Fichtner was not originally cast in the role, Dwight Yoakam was. Dwight wanted to do it but he ran into a scheduling conflict. So somehow word travelled to Fichtner, and he agreed to do it sort of as a favor/because he likes Nolan, despite knowing how small the role was.

 

[[A]]

Dwight Yoakam doesn't look like a bank manager

 

[TripXyDE]

Dwight Yoakam doesn't look like a bank manager

ahh... but not if its a bank run by the mob

his great great grandfather was a criminal who runs banks anyway...
see for yourself...

kidding! (that's from "Bandidas")

aaaanyway...
yes, it may be a case of "bait & switch".... but then again, it could not be that
SuperBatman, yes, it couldve been fear gas. Scarecrow has turned his fear gas as a chemical junkies get to trip on from time to time. Joker probably got some.

 

[[A]]

ahh... but not if its a bank run by the mob

Nice picture. I must admit, I only saw the guy on Panic Room

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Dwight Yoakam doesn't look like a bank manager

Found the article:

It wasn’t exactly the role of a lifetime.

But for alt-country kingpin and part-time thespian Dwight Yoakam, it was a real career coup: a juicy cameo in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming “Batman Begins” sequel “The Dark Knight.”


“And actually, there were a couple of different parts,” says the Renaissance man. “There was a ne’er-do-well cop who’s one of Gary Oldman’s guys, but I really couldn’t focus enough to deal with that. Then they came back to me and said ‘We know you don’t have time to do that one, but can you do this one instead?’ And it was a banker who had dealings with the Joker, and I wanted so badly to go do that banker and mess around with [Joker portrayer] Heath Ledger. But I just couldn’t do it.”


Yoakam had a serious reason for avoiding Gotham City. He was knee-deep in Bakersfield. Or, more accurately, the legendary Bakersfield Sound created by his late friend and mentor, Buck Owens, to whom he was respectfully devoting an entire album of cover songs.

http://www.examiner.com/a-993882~Dwight_Yoakam_pays_tribute_to_Buck_Owens.html

 

[TripXyDE]

Nice picture. I must admit, I only saw the guy on Panic Room

Dwight Yoakam does have a "psycho look". He looks like he may have been Mad Hatter's father or something. Yoakam has looks that feel at home in Gotham... maybe specifically in Arkham

 

[bkey]

William Fichtner was not originally cast in the role, Dwight Yoakam was. Dwight wanted to do it but he ran into a scheduling conflict. So somehow word travelled to Fichtner, and he agreed to do it sort of as a favor/because he likes Nolan, despite knowing how small the role was.

Exactly. There's nothing more to the role than that.

 

[choskins]

Dwight Yoakam does have a "psycho look". He looks like he may have been Mad Hatter's father or something. Yoakam has looks that feel at home in Gotham... maybe specifically in Arkham

He looks so damn assholish. t:

 

[C. Lee]

I don't care for Segal, so I don't get it.

LMAO...exactly what I was thinking.

Spoiler

At the height of his popularity...Segal started out in the action movie "Executive Decision" as the leader of a military special forces team...and then totally unexpectedly gets killed about a half hour into it.

 

[DACrowe]

It was a nice nod to Heat and a cool thing for the audience. Plus, I think it was to show you how ****ed up and violent Gotham is that bank managers keep and know how to wield shotguns because things are so bad. Also, the Joker letting himl ive is a nice surprise twist and as he is the only person Joker let live after encountering as an enemy, that says a lot.

BTW does anyone know how the Russian thug died? Was he really cut into little pieces and fed to his dogs or was Joker just threatening him? Well?

 

[LegendaryCaleb]

It was a nice nod to Heat and a cool thing for the audience. Plus, I think it was to show you how ****ed up and violent Gotham is that bank managers keep and know how to wield shotguns because things are so bad. Also, the Joker letting himl ive is a nice surprise twist and as he is the only person Joker let live after encountering as an enemy, that says a lot.

BTW does anyone know how the Russian thug died? Was he really cut into little pieces and fed to his dogs or was Joker just threatening him? Well?

well...Joker did have his dogs for his final fight with batman...so I assume he was fed to his dogs...

also...I was hoping Fichtner would get a lil more screentime...(mainly because I love Prison Break)