8. Im a Man of My Word
Unlike many directors, Christopher Nolan doesnt put deleted scenes on his DVDs, and theres a pretty simple reason for that: by and large, there
aren't any deleted scenes in his movies lines get cut, moments get trimmed, yes, but a close study of any of Nolans scripts reveals that there is not, contrary to popular belief, a three hour cut of any of his Batman movies floating around out there, with tons of extra scenes and plot points and such. The Dark Knight is a typically carefully constructed Nolan screenplay, and according to the published script, at least, theres really only one deleted scene, that takes place in the Jokers getaway car after he crashes Harvey Dents fundraiser at Bruce Waynes penthouse, and sends Batman leaping out a window to save Rachel Dawes. When Joker's getaway driver asks him "What about Dent?", Joker replies, very simply, "I'm a man of my word." Why the scene was cut is open to speculation; one commonly cited plot hole in The Dark Knights script is the fact that theres no explanation as to what happens to the Joker after Batman and Rachel fall out of that window, and this scene plugs up that little hole. Perhaps Nolan felt it slowed things down? Perhaps the Joker, as he claims later in the interrogation scene, thought Batman really
Dent, and figured after he leapt out the window that hed managed to kill two birds with one stone? One might be inclined to believe that this scene was never even shot, were it not for the above promotional image, which features Ledger fixing his makeup in the back of a getaway car (with a hood dressed similar to the ones that crash the penthouse)a shot which appears
nowhere in the finished movie. Obviously Nolan doesnt like airing his dirty laundry in public, but
any extra footage of Heath Ledger as the Joker is welcomemaybe for the upcoming box-set release?