Devastated by his recent personal setbacks, Peter lost his web-producing and wall-climbing powers and decided to make a personal choice (while having a vision of his final conversation with Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson)): "I want a life of my own.Although the film was not a commercial success upon its release and criticized as sentimental soap-opera, it attained well-deserved status as one of the greatest films of its kind.2 million (domestically), from a budget of only $35 million.Comic book fans sent thousands (50,000) of letters o Warner Bros.to protest Michael Keaton""s casting as Batman.Jack Nicholson, portraying the Batman""s arch-enemy he Joker in Tim Burton""s comic-book blockbuster, took a stake in he film""s profits (and merchandising)." In the visually expressionistic, dramatic scene, he ascends up the spiraling staircase, visually entrapped by its circularity.Among many faces that turn skyward and yearn for freedom in the Americas, a Bulgarian couple, Jan Viereck (Helmut Dantine) and Annina Brandel (Joy Page) hopefully wonder aloud: "Perhaps tomorrow, we""ll be on the plane.