I loved this film, and I'm not complaining about his acting ability, but why was Jack Nicholson performing 2 roles?
Was Tim Burton trying to draw parallels between the characters? or was he just the best man for the job in both cases?
The first thing I thought of when I saw Nicholson in 2 roles was Doctor Strangelove. Peter Sellers played many roles in that film, and I think this is a nod to him. They are both campy, dark comedies.
shareFrom the trivia section:
Tim Burton has said many times that he was told repeatedly he could not kill off Jack Nicholson's character in a movie. This led to his decision to cast Nicholson in two roles, and to kill him off in both of them.
---
Lincoln Lee: I lost a partner.
Peter Bishop: I lost a universe!
I always assumed it was a riff on Peter Sellers doing multiple roles in Dr Strangelove, especially with the Pres. having his own equivalent of the Big Board in his office. And Rod Steiger's exasperated General was clearly a reference to George C. Scott.
I have to admit, I'm not a fan of Jack Nicholson's efforts at comic roles. I admire the boldness of his broad brushstrokes, but I don't find him funny at all. His pompous President had some cynical appeal, but to me his Vegas huckster was a complete misfire.
It's a pity, because so many other performances (esp. Martin Short, Glenn Close, Rod Steiger, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Annette Bening and Lisa Marie) were spot-on.
You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.