The Cat and the Fiddle

It was fortuitous that there was going to be an eclipse of the sun. Allowing Batman and Robin to escape. Batman even mentions that he just knew that they would escape in time as they are always on the side of the right.

They then decipher a clue as to Catwoman's plan to assault Mount Gotham. It does not exist so it must be a skyscraper. The tallest building in the city is the Gotham State Building and eccentric millionaire Zubin Zucchini is holding a special event to sell his wo Stradivarius violins.

A disguised Catwoman is on her way to deal with Zucchini. Only Catwoman finds that there are disguises everywhere.

The comedy and silliness seems to work better with the Catwoman story. There was a highlight with a young James Brolin playing an armoured van driver who is studying to be an accountant.

You have to admit writer Stanley Ralph Ross had a blast coming up with over the top character names. Best one yet is the armored car driver called Ralph Staphylococcus, played by young James Brolin, his third appearance on the show.

Of course, the crafty Catwoman can't help but flirt with Ralph --also keeping her eyes on Zubin Zucchini's two priceless violins at the same time.

Actually, it's the violins that's her downfall. The Catwoman disguises herself (and extremely well!) as wealthy, reclusive Minerva Matthews, who is interested in purchasing the violins, at a mere $250,000 each.

But it's more fun to steal than pay, and the violins are a lure, which trips up the Catwoman big time. Ross, who wrote 27 episodes in all, has a lot of fun with this episode and the sets and colors are fabtastic as usual.

TV western star Jack Kelly returns as Jack O'Shea. Zucchini is played by veteran actor David Fresco, who generally played "older" characters, much older than his real age. He was everywhere on tv, usually cast as barbers, waiters and clerks. Also look for George N. Neise (as Douglas), another popular actor, both as good and bad guys.

I agree with the last reviewer, this episode is a real camp classic as it shows "another" side of Batman, who kind of, ever so gradually, is falling for Catwoman. It's incredible to watch these two as lovesick frenemies??? This obviously was done by Ross to put a little soap opera in between all the adventure. Very clever stuff!

Do not miss the gigantic magnifying glass torture chamber! An original BATMAN torture device if there ever was one. Well directed by Don Weis, who also directed GHOST IN THE INVISIBLE BIKINI around the same time.

10 plus stars. SEASON 2 EPISODE 4 remastered dvd box set.

James Brolin plays a small part as an armored-truck driver in this episode, and, wow, does he ever look like future Batman Christian Bale!

In this first appearance of Catwoman in the second season, we see how the villain incorporates three criminals into her gang whom she instructs to give her big hit, first she catches the dynamic duo and places them on two grills with gigantic magnifying glasses that will enhance the rays solar panels to burn them up and then impersonate an eccentric and multimillionaire old woman to seize three valuable stradivarius violins. The chapter is extremely funny, Julie shines as Minerva Mathews and the writers wrote an intelligent script full of gags.