The Daily Planet
We'll zip past the fact that Ben Affleck is starring in this movie, and that his name, because we did have TV reception at one time and commercials planted worms in our brains, always makes me think of a talking duck.
That said, I was captured by Terri Gross's interview with Mr. A this week related to his role in an upcoming or already-released movie that goes by either the name "Truth, Justice and the American Way" (which to a child of the 50s tells me what the movie is about) OR the insipid and off-putting "Hollywoodland".
In either case, the movie is one I will eventually have to see (maybe while I'm killing time in Mobile over Thanksgiving) as a long-time and undying fan of the "real" superman, George Reeves, whom I have never forgiven for killing himself when I was 11--a death not everyone takes as a suicide, apparently, and the plot around which the movie, by whichever name, is formed.
The Fresh Air interview made much of Reeves' discomfort with the role, both as an actor, and as a tortured human body under the very bright lights of the times (movie film was very slow and stage lights very hot). The upper torso of the Super-costume was mostly moulded foam rubber (which even so didn't give old George much impressive mass, muscle-wise). The rest of the outfit was a wool sweater in effect. Apparently, the man suffered terribly from heat rashes, and as the series progressed, Superman in costume appeared less and less, Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter from the Daily Planet, more and more.
Even as a kid, I was a little embarrassed for the Man of Steel, and wondered if he didn't worry that his Super-Manhood was so prominent in those little tighty-whities he wore. From the Affleck interview, yes, this was both a concern and the source of much off-camera ribaldry with Lois. You can imagine the puns and jibes. (Did Lois ever appear without the silly hat and white gloves? Did she ever once let her hair down? She seemed very formal and cold to me and I could never imagine any real romance between mortal and super-hero.)
Note of interest: Reeves first full-length feature was in 1951: Superman and the Mole Men. Anybody see this one? Wanna guess who the Mole Men were? I might have to find this for a weekend evening when Ann is working.
Comments
Wait a minute. There's something I don't understand. You mean there are actually first-run movie theaters in Mobile?
Posted by: pablo | September 27, 2006 6:52 AM
dang Fred. With this post and the last one I'm beginning to think you're going soft-core.
The 50's Reeves was before my day, but I think Christopher did a fine job in my day.
Posted by: fletch | September 27, 2006 8:09 AM
George killed himself when you were eleven??!! I've got underwear older than you! Actually, I always thought Reeves was just embarassed to have to stoop to such a cheesy enterprise as that TV series. It, like most filmed series in those days, was just awful. BTW, he had a speaking role in Gone With The Wind in 1939.
Posted by: Reno | September 27, 2006 9:18 AM
Soft-core? Hmmm. Mighty mighty soft, I'd say.
Fletch, have you seen any of the original G Reeves Superman series? The special effects are laughable by today's standards, the characters almost comic book thin, the acting awful.
But this program constitutes some of my earliest memories of TV, and this Superman, not any that came after, was my personal superhero and role model. I've ordered the first season DVD from Netflicks.
Posted by: fred1st | September 27, 2006 9:21 AM
I seem to recall faintly some old Superman shows when I was a young'un but the details have long since faded away. Your description of the series sounds a lot like the original Batman show in the late 60s which I do recall much better. The sets were cheap and the special effects even cheaper, but the acting wasn't too bad given what they had to work with. Ok, Adam West couldn't act, but the others were ok.
Posted by: fletch | September 29, 2006 2:25 PM
Here is a great link to read up on George Reeves for those that are interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reeves
Posted by: Christopher Snapp | October 1, 2006 9:23 AM