Some of the most powerful and defining lines in film history are uttered in a simple, quiet moment. No thumping music or hardcore action. Just a straightforward, effortless conversation between two actors.In The Dark Knight, when all hell breaks loose in Gotham, we, the audience and the gatekeepers of the City, struggle to predict the Joker’s next move. Batman himself has no clear answer. But Alfred Pennyworth does.The Joker’s troubled psyche, the potential motives behind his ferocious actions, and what he may be looking to achieve are summed up by Alfred in one single line:“Some men just want to watch the world burn.”Let’s try to understand this line and why it is so effective in not only defining the Joker’s mindset but also the modern antagonist. The Origin Of Alfred’s Dynamic LineBefore we go into what the line means, we need to understand the depth of Alfred’s (Michael Caine) knowledge and why he goes on to describe the Joker in this fashion. Alfred classifies the Joker in a rare category of criminals who are not interested in money or other material gains. They cannot be “bought” or “bullied.”Alfred shares an anecdote about chasing a bandit during his time in Burma. The bandit had been stealing jewels repeatedly. But in six months, Alfred and others with him could not find a single person who traded with him. Later, they found out that the bandit had been throwing the jewels away.Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) asks, “So why steal them?”This is when Alfred...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 2 days ago