Superman – 1978
You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly!
Director
Richard Donner

Writers
Jerry Siegel (comic) &
Joe Shuster (comic)
Mario Puzo (story)
Mario Puzo (screenplay) and
David Newman (screenplay) and
Leslie Newman (screenplay) &
Robert Benton (screenplay)
Tom Mankiewicz uncredited

Producers
Charles F. Greenlaw associate producer
Alexander Salkind producer
Ilya Salkind executive producer
Pierre Spengler producer
Michael Thau producer (2000 restoration)
Richard Lester producer (uncredited)

Cast
Marlon Brando – Jor-El
Gene Hackman – Lex Luthor
Christopher Reeve – Superman/Clark Kent
Ned Beatty – Otis
Jackie Cooper – Perry White
Glenn Ford – Jonathan Kent
Trevor Howard – 1st Elder
Margot Kidder – Lois Lane
Jack O’Halloran – Non
Valerie Perrine – Eve Teschmacher
Maria Schell – Vond-Ah
Terence Stamp – General Zod
Phyllis Thaxter – Martha Kent
Susannah York – Lara
Jeff East – Young Clark Kent
Marc McClure – Jimmy Olsen
Sarah Douglas – Ursa

Review by Jack Gatanella

Superman (1978)

Immensely entertaining start to a wonderful, exciting saga,
Superman is not exactly a pinnacle in film history, but is a great film never-the-less. There is so much to like about this film it boggles the mind. First off, Marlon Brando playing Jor-el in the way only Brando could. Second, you got Gene Hackman as one of the major bad-asses of comic-book adaptations.

Even parents (who might be reluctant to watch anything with their kids) will want to take a look-see at Brando, Hackman, and Christopher Reeve as the man of steel which many baby boomers remember to be their child hood hero. In fact, there are many who do consider this the best super-hero film ever made. Its way up there for me, as it is a well done, with some great action and good actors. A+

Superman 1978)

Review by Wayne Malin

Pretty good,
One of the better comic book movies. The story is vague (something about Lex Luthor causing California to sink into the ocean), but the movie holds your interest. The acting is mostly good–Reeve is perfect as Superman, Margot Kidder is OK as Lois Lane, Gene Hackman is fun as Luthor, but Valerie Perrine and Ned Beatty are just annoying. The script is a problem–some times it’s funny, other times it’s horrible. It was also obviously written “down” for the kids in the audience. Also there are incredible lapses in logic (it takes place in Metropolis, but you see Superman carrying Lois Lane past the Statue of Liberty!) and the special effects are pretty laughable.

Still, I was never bored and the acting by Reeve and the music score by John Williams carry you through the bad sections. Worth watching–perfect for the entire family. Try to see it letter-boxed though–it doesn’t work on full-screen TV.