# Christian Bale loses his temper **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256 "2009-02-03T15:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/41 "2009-02-03T17:46:30Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Or maybe you would just demand that he be fired, to be more professional. Firing someone is a long, complicated process. You’re on a tight deadline, remember? Millions of dollars riding on it? You can waste valuable time dicking around with HR, or you can chew the guy out, hope it shocks him into paying attention, and get on with the job. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/42 "2009-02-03T17:48:21Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Everyone fucks up. Doctors, engineers, programmers, fucking saints, fuck up form time to time. Repeated fuckups should get you canned. It doesn’t give anyone else the right to belittle you in such a way. > > Like I said, would that have been me, instead of losing the time to film that scene it would have been a few days of a hospital stay for Mr. Bale which would have been a lot more costly to the production. Wait, what? So you want Bale to demand him fired instead of yelling. And you would have _beat up_ Bale if he didn’t follow this? Really? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/43 "2009-02-03T17:49:24Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > Firing someone is a long, complicated process. You’re on a tight deadline, remember? Millions of dollars riding on it? You can waste valuable time dicking around with HR, or you can chew the guy out, hope it shocks him into paying attention, and get on with the job. I’m arguing against Kinthalis, it wasn’t my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/44 "2009-02-03T17:52:40Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Wait, what? So you want Bale to demand him fired instead of yelling. And you would have _beat up_ Bale if he didn’t follow this? Really? I would have kicked his ass IF he would have gotten in my face cursing at me and threatening to kick my ass, yes. I have no way of knowing if he’s just talking shit or if he’s one of those celebrities that throw phones at their co-workers/employees so, yeah. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/45 "2009-02-03T18:07:13Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > So you basically think it’s worse to yell at someone than to demand them fired? Weird. He also thinks that a reasonable reaction to being yelled at is physical assault. Which is weirder. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/46 "2009-02-03T18:16:35Z")
Oh please. He wasn’t just “yelling at him”. He wasn’t even just cursing him out. He threatened to kick his ass several times during his tirade. I don’t know about you, but it’s been my experience that if you threaten people with violence, often, you receive a violent reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/47 "2009-02-03T18:17:43Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > He also thinks that a reasonable reaction to being yelled at is physical assault. Which is weirder. Not so very weird. Depends on your cultural background, I suppose. Where I grew up, verbal abuse could be expected to provoke a physical response. Took a lot of adjustment when I went to college and encountered people from parts of the country where verbal abuse is more routine. (Still backing Bale on this one, though. Sounds like he had grounds to be pissed.) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/48 "2009-02-03T18:25:11Z")
I don’t know, maybe it is a cultural thing? I’m from Jersey 😉 But really, Miller, what exactly would you expect to happen if right now, you went out of your office, picked a random person on the street and started cursing him out and threatening to kick his ass? And if you say anything other than “I expect to get a punch in the mouth” You’re lying. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/49 "2009-02-03T18:30:03Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > But really, Miller, what exactly would you expect to happen if right now, you went out of your office, picked a random person on the street and started cursing him out and threatening to kick his ass? But this wasn’t a random person on the street. This was a coworker who had repeatedly made the same stupid mistake and screwed up Bale’s work. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/50 "2009-02-03T18:33:30Z")
Can you explain to me why that makes a difference in the expected response? So you admit that a perfect stranger is likely to deck you and walk away (or alternatively run away from the crazy person). But since he’s a coworker he’s supposed to stand there and take it? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/51 "2009-02-03T18:38:26Z")
The coworker understands that he’s got it coming. He’s also not going to take any swings at Batman if he wants to keep his career. You can say it’s unfair, but the movie stars are more important to the studios than Directors of Photography The movie stars sell the projects. No one buys a ticket because of who the DP was. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Batman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@The\_Batman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Batman)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/52 "2009-02-03T18:40:42Z")
[QUOTE=Kinthalis] Can you explain to me why that makes a difference in the expected response? So you admit that a perfect stranger is likely to deck you and walk away (or alternatively run away from the crazy person). But since he’s a coworker he’s supposed to stand there and take it? [/QUOTE] He’s supposed to know that the other guy is full of shit. If someone want’s to fight they fight. They don’t posture and brag about it, they go for it. He doesn’t have to stand there with his tail between his legs either. He can talk smack back if its appropriate (i.e. if it won’t get you fired or if you don’t care it will) but to fight someone because of threats and chest thumping is an overreaction here and in Jersey and in China and anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/53 "2009-02-03T18:41:01Z")
Not really off topic - But, did any one else notice that Bale’s accent was noticeably American? It was not a Welsh/British accent at all. I guess he stayed in character for the chewing out - and maybe that day’s shot called for him to be aggressive and cursing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/54 "2009-02-03T18:41:30Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > So you admit that a perfect stranger is likely to deck you and walk away (or alternatively run away from the crazy person). But since he’s a coworker he’s supposed to stand there and take it? Considering that his repeated screw-ups caused the problem in the first place, yes. The difference in your example is not that the stranger is a stranger, but that he hasn’t done anything to deserve getting chewed out. ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/55 "2009-02-03T18:42:44Z")
I am so tired of entitlement. He is cursing out the DP for what they both recognize was a fuckup, but he keeps it going way too long just so he can humiliate him and make him feel how tenous his job is. When he’s done doing that, he threatens to kick his ass. I understand losing your temper, but he needs to check his ego. No one deserves to be treated that way. It’s overkill. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/56 "2009-02-03T18:58:45Z")
> [@Atomicflea](#): > > I am so tired of entitlement. He is cursing out the DP for what they both recognize was a fuckup, but he keeps it going way too long just so he can humiliate him and make him feel how tenous his job is. When he’s done doing that, he threatens to kick his ass. > > I understand losing your temper, but he needs to check his ego. No one deserves to be treated that way. It’s overkill. Shrug. Bale is an actor. He’s overdramatizing. Gosh, no actor’s EVER done THAT before… ---
**Author:** ![Chase\_Ransom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@Chase\_Ransom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chase_Ransom)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/57 "2009-02-03T19:10:58Z")
Some things are better left as is. Kinthalis obviously doesn’t “get” what Miller & Co and saying. My money is on Bale. It may have been a bit excessive, but getting a verbal tirade (for a fuck up) is better than getting fired (and in that industry you never know what will end your career), fined (the $ lost for each fuck up must be huge considering the production costs), or otherwise. Also, I call BS or hypocrisy on Kinthalis on the whole “I would have kicked his ass” and “I would have taken him to the side and calmy spoken…”. No offense, but anyone who thinks its warranted to physically attack a person for “being a dick and mouthing off”, is probably the same kind of person who would lose their temper and do the same thing Bale did. Plus, it means you don’t measure the consequences of your actions. If you were the DP and you kicked Bale’s ass for mouthing off after you fucked up, good luck finding work after that and not getting into a massive law suit that will ruin you for life. Your “I would have taken him to the side and spoken…” is the conduct of someone in absolute control of their emotions, and that kind of person would not start a fisticuffs just because an actor tells you you are an idiot. I think you are unrealistic and disingenuous in your position. I worked in construction many years, which I think is an industry with some similarities to movies. Time is money, and mistakes can cost people even their lives. It is NOT like “ooops, put the wrong paper in the copier again”. Trust me, I have cussed out workers/employees for repeat fuck ups on major issues. It is not a preference, it is your job to get the message through HOWEVER you must. When I would see a worker with his safety harness unhooked…you bet your ass they got an earful from me. ---
**Author:** ![criminey.jicket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@criminey.jicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/criminey.jicket)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/58 "2009-02-03T19:12:26Z")
Appallingly bad manners and abusive in real life, funny as hell in [The Remix](http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=YTihsJQHt48). YT-NSFW link. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/59 "2009-02-03T19:14:06Z")
Something I don’t understand: Did the DP ruin the shot by doing something that REQUIRED a re-take, or did he ruin it by doing something off-camera that took Bale out of the scene? It makes a difference, at least imo. Either way, Bale’s a dick: nobody deserves that kind of screaming fit over a mistake that didn’t put anybody in physical danger. But if it’s the latter, what I don’t understand is how it would take Bale out of the moment when there are already huge lights and cameras and no actual walls for the shot- in other words, how much more suspension of disbelief does it take to ignore guys walking around on set when you’ve already ignored the fact you’re in a studio? (Stage actors have to ignore greater distractions than that all the time.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256/60 "2009-02-03T19:16:28Z")
> [@Chase\_Ransom](#): > > If you were the DP and you kicked Bale’s ass for mouthing off after you fucked up, good luck finding work after that and not getting into a massive law suit that will ruin you for life. On the plus side, you get to be known as the guy who kicked batman’s ass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-bale-loses-his-temper/484256.md?page=4)