We take a look at the amazing career of Christian Bale through his many great films, including Empire of the Sun, Little Women, American Psycho, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and his latest film The Fighter.
Christian Bale is highly esteemed English actor who, in addition to starring roles in big budget Hollywood films, has been heavily involved in films produced by independent producers and art houses.
Bale first caught the public eye at the age of 13, when he was cast in the starring role of Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun. The Guardian has said Bale is one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.
This awards season is already looking up for Bale, having won the Golden Globe for best supporting actor for his role in The Fighter, and a BAFTA nomination for the same.
The Fighter, 2011
Bale plays Dicky Ecklund in the film, the former boxer turned trainer to younger half brother Mickey ‘Irish’ Ward, who journey’s to win the world light welter weight title.
The Golden Globes have recognised both actors in the 2011 awards and have received nominations for their performances.
Bale is renowned for character roles with dramatic changes to his appearance, and Dicky is no exception as his life takes a turn into drugs and crime.
Public Enemies, 2009
Bale portrayed the role of Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent famous for tracking down notorious bank robber John Dillinger played by Johnny Depp who lived openly in 1930s Chicago, with the run of the city with little fear of reprisals from the authorities.
The FBI was in its early days and Director J. Edgar Hoover was keen to promote the clean cut image that so dominated the organization through his lifetime.
Purvis was a pivotal agent of the time who realizes that if he is going to get Dillinger, he will have to use street tactics and imports appropriate men with police training.
The Dark Knight, 2008
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets.
The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.
Batman Begins, 2005
When his parents are killed, millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne relocates to Asia when he is mentored by Henri Ducard and Ra's Al Ghul in how to fight evil.
When learning about the plan to wipe out evil in Gotham City by Ducard, Bruce prevents this plan from getting any further and heads back to his home.
Back in his original surroundings, Bruce adapts the image of a bat to strike fear into the criminals and the corrupt as the icon known as 'Batman'. But it doesn't stay quiet for long.
American Psycho, 1999
Bale played serial killer Patrick Bateman in Mary Harron’s adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis’ controversial novel.
In order to prepare for the role he researched his character by studying the novel and changed physically by spending months tanning and exercising to achieve the ‘Olympian physique’ of Bateman as described in the original novel.
He went so far as to distance himself from the cast and crew to maintain the darker side of Bateman's character. American Psycho premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival to much controversy.
Roger Ebert condemned the film at first, calling it "the most loathed film at Sundance", but gave it a favourable review, writing that Harron "transformed a novel about bloodlust into a movie about men's vanity."
Of Bale's performance, he wrote, "Christian Bale is heroic in the way he allows the character to leap joyfully into despicability; there is no instinct for self-preservation here, and that is one mark of a good actor."
Little Women, 1994
Bale plays Laurie a love interest of the March sisters in the classic story of Little Women. With their father away fighting in the Civil War, Joe, Meg, Beth and Amy grow up with their mother in somewhat reduced circumstances.
They are a close family who inevitably have their squabbles and tragedies. But the bond holds even when, later, men friends start to become a part of the household.
Empire of the Sun, 1987
Bale's performance as Jim Graham earned him widespread critical praise and the first ever "Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor" award from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.
Based on J. G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, tells the story of a boy, James Graham, whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, December 8, 1941.
Separated from his parents, he is eventually captured, and taken to Soo Chow confinement camp, next to a captured Chinese airfield.
Amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, Jim attempts to reconstruct his former life, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him.
The Fighter is out in cinemas on 2 February.
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