Tim Burton’s 2014 film Big Eyes was inspired by the paintings of Margaret Keane.
Keane became known for portraits of children and other figures with unusually large, expressive eyes. The film dramatizes her relationship with Walter Keane, who publicly claimed credit for the artworks during their rise to popularity in the 1950s and 1960s.
Amy Adams plays Margaret Keane, while Christoph Waltz plays Walter. The story focuses on authorship, exploitation, and the eventual legal dispute over who created the paintings. Margaret’s work was not simply a fictional invention for the film; she was a real artist whose distinctive style became widely recognizable.
Burton directed Big Eyes from a screenplay by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The film marked a change from Burton’s more overtly fantastical projects by presenting a biographical drama about a real twentieth-century art controversy.