Has anyone else picked up on this or written about it...?

Elaborate your theory.

I would caution to include Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I'm assuming you're trying to tie a theme between Nolan's films. However, you have to realize that the relationship to the Father in the aforementioned films stem from the franchise and would be problematic in a aligning with Nolan specifically.

For me, it would be a more of a mentor relationship than a paternal one.

But, please, elaborate a bit on your concept.

I only see Batman Begins and Inception with a recurring theme of fatherhood.

I know that the fatherhood theme in Batman Begins is partially a legacy of the franchise, but a director has a choice about what he focuses on in his films, and I did think Nolan crafted the scenes with Bruce's dad quite carefully. They were very slow, and quiet, and father Wayne's grace and goodness was given the time to mark the film. That wasn't just the Batman backstory, Nolan's voice was in there too.

In Inception there are two big fatherhood stories...Cobb wanting to get back to his kids and Cillian Murphy's character's issues with his dad. Arguably the two most moving bits of the film were Cobb finally getting home and holding his kids, and Murphy's character's face as he opens the safe. Happy fatherhood endings both.

I would also say that there is a fatherhood theme in The Prestige. It's been a while since I've seen it so I might have the detail of it wrong in my memory, but Bale's character's (or well, you know) relationship with his kid (or kids? i can't remeber) is important. The scene where Bale sees his kid from behind bars in jail was emotionally important in the story. I need to watch that film again probably. Apologies if I've screwed up the details in my head. But the love that Bale's character had for his kids definitely stuck in my memory of that film.

I'll give you Inception and Batman Begins, but it's a bit of a stretch applying it to The Prestige or any other Nolan film.

AaronFaulkner wrote:For me, it would be a more of a mentor relationship than a paternal one.

I think that's much more applicable.

Following - The Young Man and Cobb
Memento - Leonard and Teddy
Insomnia - Ellie and Dormer
Batman Begins - Bruce and Ra's/Alfred/Fox
The Prestige - Angier and Cutter
The Dark Knight - Bruce and Alfred/Fox
Inception - Cobb and Miles or Ariadne and Cobb

I get what you're saying, mentors are definitely everywhere in Nolan films...but I still think that fatherhood's power to redeem a man is a strong element of both inception and the prestige. Alfred hugging his daughter at the end of prestige is the same as Cobbing hugging his kids at the end of Inception. Being good dads to their kids rescues them from their mistakes.

My 2 cents..

The Prestige became ultimately for the Borden's about fatherhood. "This aint a bloody competition anymore, its about this little girl's life" "That girls without a father and you're letting him hang"

Batman Begins was a very clear fatherhood related movie, but Bruce wont ultimately become a father will he?

Inception, "Those kids, your grandchildren are waiting for their father to come home, thats THEIR reality." A clear reference to whats MORE important than one's own self: Your own self's children, and to be a father for them.
and then theres the whole Robert Fischer scenario of him being the "ignored child" by a father who was not so much there for him.

Well I've just seen the trailer for Interstellar, and I have to say...I called it!

Nolan's films are about Fatherhood all day long.

Fatherhood!