# Batman interrogation scene (The Dark Knight) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912 "2014-09-19T06:46:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/1 "2014-09-19T06:46:26Z")
Batman fists The Joker’s hand after he smashes the Joker’s head into the table. The Joker feels nothing because he gets “all fuzzy”. Does Batman not know that the victim can get “all fuzzy” so the victim cannot feel the next hit? I always thought Batman was as intelligent as the Joker. How can he make such a mistake? Or is it not a mistake? Perhaps, he deliberately wanted to make the Joker fuzzy? If so, why? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/2 "2014-09-19T06:48:22Z")
What? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/3 "2014-09-19T07:09:21Z")
He made the mistake because the Joker was conducting psychological warfare against Batman, Dent and the city, and it was taking its toll. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/4 "2014-09-19T07:37:48Z")
People don’t think clearly when angry, you know. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/5 "2014-09-19T07:55:15Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > Batman fists The Joker’s… rule 34 dude! EDIT:The film was an obvious satire of the war on terror, I’d guess the scene was supposed to show how futile torture is. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/6 "2014-09-19T12:48:12Z")
> [@grude](#): > > The film was an obvious satire of the war on terror Allegory yes, satire no. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/7 "2014-09-19T12:58:41Z")
The sequence is: Batman: smashes Joker’s head. Joker: No, no, no - you hit them on the head, they go all fuzzy and can’t feel any… Batman: HAMMERS Joker’s hand into the table Joker: Shuts the fuck up. He visibly does feel the pain from the blow to the hand. Batman (we’re left to assume) knows about fuzziness and knows how to cut through it. That doesn’t matter, because the Joker proceeds to feed false information to Batman anyway. You could argue that the Joker is only faking the pain to make Batman feel in control and thus more likely to believe the false lead. But I think it fits the Joker’s twisted respect for Batman if he really is surprised by how capable - and how ready to use that capability - Batman actually is. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/8 "2014-09-19T14:02:53Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > The sequence is: > > Batman: smashes Joker’s head. > Joker: No, no, no - you hit them on the head, they go all fuzzy and can’t feel any… > Batman: HAMMERS Joker’s hand into the table > Joker: Shuts the fuck up. > > He visibly does feel the pain from the blow to the hand. Batman (we’re left to assume) knows about fuzziness and knows how to cut through it. That doesn’t matter, because the Joker proceeds to feed false information to Batman anyway. > > You could argue that the Joker is only faking the pain to make Batman feel in control and thus more likely to believe the false lead. But I think it fits the Joker’s twisted respect for Batman if he really is surprised by how capable - and how ready to use that capability - Batman actually is. Your description is incorrect - the Joker didn’t shut up. He raised his eyebrows for a second after the hand punch, then said “See?” as in “See? I didn’t feel that at all because you hit me in the head first.” Here’s the whole [scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnOLhXmhkyA). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/9 "2014-09-19T17:02:16Z")
Well, the movie has already established that the Gotham police department is run by morons. See, in OTHER Batman movies and comics, the Joker’s face looked the way it did because of a chemical accident that permanently disfigured his face. But in _ **The Dark Knight** _, we’re told the Joker is wearing makeup, or “war paint.” Yet once the Joker is captured, Commissioner Gordon is\*\* baffled \*\*that the police haven’t been able to identify him. Uhhh… Commissioner? Didn’t you or ANYONE at headquarters think to, oh I dunno, maybe… WIPE OFF THE MAKEUP before you tried to identiy him??? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/10 "2014-09-19T17:30:18Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Uhhh… Commissioner? Didn’t you or ANYONE at headquarters think to, oh I dunno, maybe… WIPE OFF THE MAKEUP before you tried to identiy him??? They fingerprint him and the prints aren’t in the database. The Joker is a ghost as far as the police are concerned. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > Your description is incorrect - the Joker didn’t shut up. He raised his eyebrows for a second after the hand punch, then said “See?” as in “See? I didn’t feel that at all because you hit me in the head first.” Here’s the whole [scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnOLhXmhkyA). Isn’t the “See?” a reaction from The Joker showing that Batman did it right? > [@](#): > > _[Batman Smashes Joker’s Head]_ > > The Joker: “No, no, no. You hit them on the head, they go all fuzzy and can’t feel any…” > > _[Batman HAMMERS The Joker’s Hand Into the Table]_ > > The Joker: “See? [That’s how you do it to make it hurt.]” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/11 "2014-09-19T19:39:42Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > They fingerprint him and the prints aren’t in the database. The Joker is a ghost as far as the police are concerned. So, they let him pose for his mug shot in makeup? Real smart. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/12 "2014-09-19T19:40:45Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > They fingerprint him and the prints aren’t in the database. The Joker is a ghost as far as the police are concerned. So, they let him pose for his mug shot in makeup? Real smart. And in any case, no matter what you’ve seen in\*\*\* CSI\*\*\*, it takes more than 5 minutes to identify a set of fingerprints! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/13 "2014-09-19T20:11:33Z")
When was it established in TDK that the Joker was wearing makeup? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/14 "2014-09-19T20:12:13Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > And in any case, no matter what you’ve seen in\*\*\* CSI\*\*\*, it takes more than 5 minutes to identify a set of fingerprints! We don’t know how long it is between The Joker’s capture and the interrogation. It’s likely hours. It could have even been a full day. > [@Miller](#): > > When was it established in TDK that the Joker was wearing makeup? When he wiped it off to play sniper at Gordon’s memorial. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/15 "2014-09-19T20:18:20Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > When he wiped it off to play sniper at Gordon’s memorial. Did he take the makeup off for that, or put makeup on? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/16 "2014-09-19T20:20:28Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > When was it established in TDK that the Joker was wearing makeup? If you watch the linked scene above, you can spots where it’s rubbed off, especially on his forehead. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/17 "2014-09-19T20:21:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > When was it established in TDK that the Joker was wearing makeup? Think someone also mentions The Joker wearing “war paint”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/18 "2014-09-19T20:21:47Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Did he take the makeup off for that, or put makeup on? He took it off. There’s a very quick shot of The Joker without any makeup and with his telltale scars. Image here: [![](https://chud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tumblr_lxap04OmlF1r5yv0zo1_1280.jpg) ](https://chud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tumblr_lxap04OmlF1r5yv0zo1_1280.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/19 "2014-09-19T20:26:26Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He took it off. There’s a very quick shot of The Joker without any makeup and with his telltale scars. Image here: > > [http://www.chud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tumblr\_lxap04OmlF1r5yv0zo1\_1280.jpg](http://www.chud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tumblr_lxap04OmlF1r5yv0zo1_1280.jpg) [Yeah, and here’s another one.](http://s1134.photobucket.com/user/HT89BatmanJoker/media/1233215502.jpg.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912/20 "2014-09-19T20:28:34Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Uhhh… Commissioner? Didn’t you or ANYONE at headquarters think to, oh I dunno, maybe… WIPE OFF THE MAKEUP before you tried to identiy him??? I always found that beyond ridiculous myself and the fanwanked reasons are never very satisfying. It was just a real dumb moment in the movie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-interrogation-scene-the-dark-knight/698912.md?page=2)