What was Batman's greatest failure in live action?

[The Laughing Fish]

I thought this would be a challenging discussion, and a good choice for a poll. I tried to keep it as balanced as possible. Bear in mind, when I mean B66, I mean the 1966 feature film. But if you think there's something that Batman screwed up in the TV show, by all means share your opinion and explain why.

For me, I'd say Batman's greatest blunder in live action would have to be his decision to take the blame for Two-Face's crimes in TDK. Even more so than his inconsistent moral code in the trilogy. For two reasons:

• It completely undermines Batman's message about "people are ready to believe in good" during the boat crisis scene. Apparently, people AND convicts can be trusted into demonstrating an act of selflessness to spite the Joker...but they don't have the strength to cope with the news that some DA became a cold-blooded murderer? Give me a break.
• It brought negative consequences. Gotham was peaceful for eight years because of false pretenses, and it gave Bane and Talia the chance to exploit the situation; resulting in chaos and innocent people are either endangered or killed. Instead of Batman and Gordon carrying such an unnecessary burden, they should've been honest. Yes, Bane and Talia still would've taken over Gotham in TDKR, and Batman still would've stopped their nuclear bomb. But how much trouble could he have spared if he had simply told everyone the truth about Two-Face from the beginning?

Share your opinion and explain which moment you think was Batman's greatest failure on film to date.

[Slash Man]

With Penguin's trap, we never actually see Batman recover from that. We just kind of assume he had a lot of explaining to do between then and Batman Forever.

Also relevant, had Penguin not opted to turn Batman into a villain, he could have very well killed him by turning the Batmobile into an H-bomb on wheels.

[The Laughing Fish]

With Penguin's trap, we never actually see Batman recover from that. We just kind of assume he had a lot of explaining to do between then and Batman Forever.

The same can be said about Mask of the Phantasm. Like in Batman Returns, the Batsignal lighting up in the sky had to suggest that Batman had been proven innocent as he continues to fight for justice when he's called for it.

As much as I like both films, I do wish they showed how Batman cleared his name of wrongdoing. Even acknowledgement from the public learning the truth would've sufficed. The closest we got was in the Batman Returns comic adaptation.

[Catwoman]

Those lines should be reversed, I think Gordon would have been the one to recognize that even if Batman harbored some grudge, he would always be there to help his city when it needed him. The Mayor would be the one more in doubt.

Greatest failure. Hm...well I think anyone who suggests him not stopping Selina as his greatest failure is neither giving him nor her enough credit. She was unstoppable at that point and he still went way above and beyond to try. It was a losing battle. Anyone who thinks he could have stopped her shy of killing her has severe misconception issues about women. Max couldn't even stop her after putting four bullets in her. Batman didn't stand a chance.

The TDK thing with Harvey was so stupid I think it's beneath the character (even Baleman, with his cape of swiss cheese because of all the holes in the character) to suggest it as his greatest failure. But it probably fits.

[The Laughing Fish]

Those lines should be reversed, I think Gordon would have been the one to recognize that even if Batman harbored some grudge, he would always be there to help his city when it needed him. The Mayor would be the one more in doubt.

You're right. Don't forget Gordon did try to restrain the cops from shooting at Batman as soon as he was framed for the Ice Princess' murder, both in the film and in the comic. Given that Dennis O'Neil wrote the comic adaptation, you'd think he would've known it wouldn't make much sense to show the Mayor having faith in Batman, instead of Gordon.

[riddler]

Taking the blame for two faces crimes. It bugs me how people claim there was no other way out; supposedly Batman let Gordon frame him because he felt Dent's convictions would get overturned if he went mad but it would be easy to prove that only happened once he got scarred and Rachel died. Now what COULD get convictions overturned is evidence that Gordon tampered with crime scenes to frame Batman.

[The Dark Knight]

Batman Forever has Batman at one of his lowest points.

Dick Grayson and Chase Meridian kidnapped and held hostage.
His secret identity uncovered by two villains.
The batcave blown apart.
Losing memory of even being Batman (more so in the deleted scenes).

Pretty dire circumstances when you pile it all up like that.