Christian Bale inspired by Columbo

Christian Bale sought inspiration from 'Columbo' for his role in 'Amsterdam'.

The 48-year-old actor portrays a one-eyed veteran-turned-doctor in David O. Russell's upcoming murder mystery and he admitted he "studied" Peter Falk's performance as the titular character in the long-running detective series to get ideas.

Asked if he'd been inspired by 'Columbo', he explained: "Absolutely. Yes. Yes. His mannerisms! I studied him for sure."

Christian and David spent five years carefully mapping out the story over breakfasts in various diners and the men explained the Oscar-winning star's order varied dramatically depending on what other movie he was working on at any given point.

Christian told Deadline: "I varied from having a lot of coffee to having like 16 eggs and three bowls of rice. We did take pictures of me and Dave during the course of breakfast together and I got to tell you, whoa baby."

David added: "That’s Christian. As we went through all this film, I had many other projects that came and went, and I thought this is the one I want to do."

The 'Wrestler' actor thinks the pair's discussions generated enough material for more than one movie, but he thinks how David shaped them into the finished film was "beautiful".

He said: "Well, I would have made at least two films, maybe three with all we came up with from the beginning. There were times where I would be in town for months on end and we would meet regularly and…"

David interjected: "Sometimes two or three times a week."

Christian continued: "And then I would go home for a little bit, and while I was gone, I have to say he did his best work. I’d come back and it would take him much longer. No. David has his own way. It’s like, all these satellites of ideas come over him. We’d talk about them, I’d go away, come back and see what he did with those. I’d forget, but he doesn’t forget anything and it was beautiful to see it all come together."