Disney’s 1992 musical Newsies was a financial disaster, but the lead role of Jack “Cowboy” Kelly gave Christian Bale the opportunity to demonstrate that he was ready to be a movie star. At the time, Bale had been a child star in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of The Sun four years prior, with Newsies being an important transition into more adult roles for Bale. Newsies is a musical about the Newsboys’ Strike of 1899 in New York City, when the teens and children who sold newspapers went on strike to protest the newspaper conglomerates raising the price of a newspaper.

As the magnetic leader of the strike, Bale's Jack Kelly showcased a spectrum of emotions and a variety of skills beyond just acting, singing, and dancing. Bale displays the charm he would later bring to Little Women and Christian Bale's best movies.

Newsies' Jack Kelly Let Christian Bale Show Many Talents

Jack Kelly Was A Physically Demanding Role for Christian Bale

Jack Kelly is a fictional amalgamation of real-life teenage strike leaders, and Newsies does not work without the charismatic force that is Christian Bale at the center. Bale was only 17 when he filmed Newsies, and Jack Kelly gives Bale the chance to showcase his acting range, playing cheeky bravado as "Cowboy," then pulling back to show a heartbreaking vulnerability when Jack is alone with someone he trusts. Bale commands the screen as he sings a ballad while riding a horse through the streets of Manhattan, all while dreaming of a new life out west.

Jack Kelly was inspired by newsies strike leaders Morris Cohen and Louis “Kid Blink” Balletti. Kid Blink is a minor character in the movie.

English by birth, Bale’s ability to emote through the thick newsies accent is impressive. As just a teenager, Bale holds his own in Newsies against screen legends like Ann-Margaret and Bill Pullman. Jack displays an outward toughness softened with moments of sensitivity, which Bale would bring to other characters like Trevor Reznik in The Machinist and Dicky Eklund in The Fighter, the role which would win Bale his only Oscar to date.

Bale displays an underlying athleticism through rigorous dance and fight choreography. The dancing in Newsies is anything but traditional - boys are jumping rope while in step, leaping from hay barrel to hay barrel without missing a beat, and launching from the floor to a table while others run beneath them in sync. Bale participates in all the major group numbers and holds his own musically. Bale’s commitment to making sure he matched the role physically is something he would bring from Newsies to future roles, especially Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

Newsies was the directorial feature film debut for Kenny Ortega, who had choreographed dance-heavy movies including Dirty Dancing and Xanadu and who would go on to direct instant classics High School Musical and Hocus Pocus.

Bale Demonstrated The Skillsets He Would Need For Future Roles In Newsies

Jack Kelly Role Allowed Bale To Show Off His Fight Choreography Prowess

The fight choreography in Newsies is very stylized, fitting for a children’s movie, but it highlights Bale’s athleticism. Jack Kelly scales the walls of the Refuge just to check in on a friend, rides on horseback, and literally jumps in to protect the weak. In the energetic opening number, Jack coaxes two bullies into a chase, then ducks under a car only to repair swinging from an awning to kick them both to the ground. These skills feel like a street-level version of Batman.

Bale’s Jack also has a sweet romantic subplot with the sister of a fellow striker, and their conversations allow Bale to reveal an earnest, vulnerable side. Jack its to her that he “isn’t used to anyone caring if [he] comes or goes.” A period romance role is a perfect audition reel for Laurie in Little Women, a role which Bale would have just two years after Newsies.

Why Newsies Was A Box Office Bomb

Disney Did Not Know How To Market Newsies

Newsies grossed only $1.2m on its opening weekend, finishing 13th at the box office. Many theaters pulled the movie after its weak start, and ultimately Newsies recouped less than one-fifth of its budget in theaters. Newsies faced stiff competition at the movie theater in the summer of 1992 - Basic Instinct and White Men Can’t Jump were still in theaters attracting huge crowds, and Beethoven and FernGully: The Last Rainforest siphoned children and family audiences. Beyond the competition in theaters, Newsies faced a number of other obstacles.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest was released on exactly the same day in theaters as Newsies.

Musicals were not a popular genre in the 90s. Additionally, the cast lacked major star power to draw viewers, although Christian Bale was praised in reviews. Most importantly, Disney did not know how to market Newsies. The serious nature of the strike which was at its core about child labor was at odds with the jubilant song and dance sequences. Audiences could not ascertain whether the movie was for kids, families, or musical theater lovers. Luckily, Newsies found its niche on home video and ultimately had a second life as a Tony-winning Broadway musical.