Superman (1978) - full transcript

Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, young Clark discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor, while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane

"In the decade of the 1930s, even

the great city of Metropolis...

was not spared the ravages

of the worldwide depression.

In the times of

fear and confusion,

the job of informing the public...

was the responsibility

of the Daily Planet...

a great metropolitan

newspaper, whose

reputation for

clarity and truth...

had become a symbol of hope

for the city of Metropolis."

This is no fantasy...

no careless product

of wild imagination.

No, my good friends.

These indictments I have

brought you today...

the specific charges listed

herein against the individuals...

their acts of treason, their

ultimate aim of sedition...

these are matters

of undeniable fact.

I ask you now to

pronounce judgement...

on those accused.

On this...

This mindless aberration, whose

only means of expression...

are wanton violence

and destruction.

On the woman, Ursa...

whose perversions and unreasoning

hatred of all mankind...

have threatened even the

children of the planet Krypton.

Finally, General Zod.

Once trusted by this council...

charged with maintaining

the defence

of the planet Krypton itself.

Chief architect of this

intended revolution...

and author of this

insidious plot to

establish a new

order amongst us...

with himself as absolute ruler.

You have heard the evidence.

The decision of the council

will now be heard.

Guilty.

Guilty.

Guilty.

The vote must be

unanimous, Jor-El.

It has therefore now

become your decision.

You alone will condemn

us if you wish...

and you alone will be

held responsible by me.

Join us.

You have been known to disagree

with the council before.

Yours could become an important

voice in the new order...

second only to my own.

I offer you a chance

for greatness, Jor-El.

Take it. Join us.

You will bow down

before me, Jor-El.

I swear it.

No matter that it

takes an eternity,

you will bow down before me.

Both you...

and then one day...

your heirs.

No.

- Let us out of here.

- Help me.

- Forgive me.

- I shall return.

Forgive me.

I shall return.

An unpleasant duty has been

masterly performed, Jor-El.

They have received the

fate they deserved.

Isolation in the Phantom Zone...

an eternal living death.

A chance for life, nonetheless.

As opposed to us.

It's suicide. No, it's worse.

It's genocide.

Be warned, Jor-El.

The council has already evaluated

this outlandish theory of yours.

My friends, you know me to be

neither rash nor impulsive.

I am not given to wild,

unsupported statements.

And I tell you that we must

evacuate this planet immediately.

Jor-El, you are one of

Krypton's greatest scientists.

Yes, but so is Vond-Ah.

It isn't that we question your

data. The facts are undeniable.

It's your conclusions

we find unsupportable.

This planet will explode

within 30 days, if not sooner.

I tell you, Krypton is

simply shifting its orbit.

Jor-El, be reasonable.

My friend...

I have never been otherwise.

This madness is yours.

This discussion is terminated.

The decision of the

council is final.

Any attempt by you

to create a climate

of fear and panic

among the populace...

must be deemed by us an

act of insurrection.

You would accuse me

of insurrection?

Has it now become a

crime to cherish life?

You would be banished to

endless imprisonment...

in the Phantom Zone...

the eternal void...

which you yourself discovered.

Will you abide by the

council's decision?

I will remain silent.

Neither I, nor my wife

will leave Krypton.

Have you finished?

Nearly.

It's the only answer, Lara.

If he remains here with us he

will die as surely as we will.

But why Earth, Jor-El?

They're primitives, thousands

of years behind us.

He will need that

advantage to survive.

Their atmosphere will sustain him.

He will defy their gravity.

He will look like one of them.

He won't be one of them.

No.

His dense molecular structure

will make him strong.

He'll be odd. Different.

He'll be fast. Virtually

invulnerable.

Isolated, alone.

He will not be alone.

He will never be alone.

The energy input to

Jor-El's quarters...

is now in excess.

Our data indicates the loss

is due to a misuse of energy.

Investigate.

And if the investigation

proves correct?

He knew the penalty he faced.

Even as a member of this council.

The law will be upheld.

You will travel far,

my little Kal-El.

But we will never leave you...

even in the face of our deaths.

The richness of our

lives, it will be yours.

All that I have, all that I've

learnt, everything I feel...

all this and more...

I bequeath you, my son.

You will carry me inside you

all the days of your life.

You will make my

strength your own,

see my life through your eyes...

as your life will be

seen through mine.

The son becomes the father,

and the father the son.

This is all I...

All I can send you...

Kal-El.

Stop. Stop, stop.

Which Einstein called...

his theory of relativity.

Embedded in the crystals

before you is the

total accumulation

of all literature...

and scientific fact from

dozens of other worlds...

spanning the 28 known galaxies.

Early Chinese writings point out

the complex relationships...

By carrying this complex equation

to its ultimate power, my son...

Chief among these powers

will be your sight...

your strength, your hearing...

your ability to propel yourself

at almost limitless speed.

The early history of

our universe was a

bloody mosaic of

interplanetary war.

Each of the six galaxies which

you will pass through...

contain their own individual

law, space and time.

It is forbidden for you to

interfere with human history.

What was that?

Now, wouldn't that

beat all get-out?

Will you...? You...

Huh?

Pa...

Oh, my.

All these years, as

happy as we've been...

how I've prayed the good Lord...

see fit to give us a child.

Honey, will you hand

me that rag up there.

You take things easy, Jonathan.

Remember what Doc Frye said

about that heart of yours.

Now the first thing we've got to

do when we get home is find out...

who that boy's proper family is.

He hasn't got any. Not

around here, anyway.

Martha, are you thinking what

I think you're thinking?

We could say he's the child

of my cousin in North Dakota.

And just now orphaned.

- Oh, Martha.

- Jonathan, he's only a baby.

Martha, now, you saw

how we found him.

There's something very

strange about that boy.

Yeah, you saw him.

Martha, you saw him...

just as plain as I did, Martha.

Martha Clark Kent, are you

listening to what I'm saying?

Jonathan.

Alright, bring that ball

back. Come on, now.

Again, and through the uprights.

Pick up that ball,

it's a fumble. Come

on back, let's sharpen

and try again.

Hey, yo. Let's go.

Come on, let's get that ball over

the uprights, not underneath it.

What, do you think

that ball's gonna

do, just fly there by itself?

- Come on.

- Ra, ra, ra.

What's wrong? We've got

to get it together, guys.

Come on, gang.

Come on.

- That was a great game.

- Yeah, but next week we're...

Alright.

Come on, gang, hustle. Let's go.

Stack your helmets neatly.

Remember about those uniforms.

Cleaned and washed by tomorrow...

and looking like a football team.

Clark, have the clothes

washed and ready...

- for tomorrow's game.

- Yes, sir.

Got to beat Mount Vernon High.

- Can you give me a lift?

- Home early.

Lana? Don't bother

with these, huh?

I'll take them in with

the other equipment.

- Thank you, Clark.

- Sure.

I think you're the nicest

guy in the whole school.

Well, thanks.

Of course, it's part of the job,

being team manager and all.

And I'd do it for you anyway.

Listen, a whole bunch of us are

going up to Mary Ellen's...

play some records.

Would you like to come?

Oh, well...

Heh. I don't know...

Sure. Sounds like

it'd be a lot of fun.

Kent can't make it. Still

got a lot of work to do.

What are you talking about? I

just finished stacking all the...

- All that?

- Oh.

Oh, Brad.

- Hey, come on, Lana.

- Come on, Lana.

Bad taste, bad Brad.

Sorry, Lana. Guess I'd

better clean it up.

Come on, Lana.

Come on, let's go.

- He's got to clean up.

- Bye, Clark.

- Yeah. Bye, Lana.

- Clean this up, Clark.

- Let's go.

- Bye, Clark.

- We're off to Mary Ellen's.

- See you, Clark.

Alright.

- Bye, Clark.

- Bye, Clark.

Bye, Clark. See you

tomorrow. Bye-bye.

Whoo-hoo.

Golly, I saw a boy out there

run as fast as the train.

Faster even.

Lois Lane, you have a

writer's gift for invention.

- I'll say that for you.

- But... But...

Lois, please read your book.

No one ever believes me.

Hey, look. There's Clark.

How come he's here?

Clark.

How'd you get here so fast?

- I ran.

- Ran, huh?

Told you he's an oddball.

Let's get out of here.

Been showing off a

bit, haven't you, son?

I didn't mean to show off, Pa.

It's just that, guys

like that Brad,

I just want to tear them apart.

Yeah. I know.

- Yeah, I know I shouldn't.

- Yeah, I know...

you can do all these

amazing things...

and sometimes you think that

you will just go bust...

unless you can tell

people about it.

Yeah. I mean, every time

I get the football...

I can make a

touchdown. Every time.

That's for sure.

I mean, is it showing off

if somebody's doing...

the things he's

capable of doing? Is

a bird showing off when it flies?

No. No, now you listen to me.

When you first came to

us, we thought people...

would come take you away

because when they found out...

you know, the things you could

do, and that worried us a lot.

Then a man gets older, and he

thinks very differently...

and things get very clear.

And there's one thing

I do know, son...

and that is you are

here for a reason.

I don't know whose reason,

but whatever the reason...

maybe it's because...

I don't know, it's...

But I do know one thing:

It's not to score touchdowns.

Huh?

Thanks, Dad.

I'll race you to it. Dad.

- You will, huh?

- Come on. Come on, Pop, run.

Come on. Move. Move. Yeah,

go, go, go. Come on, run.

Hey, Baron. Hey, Baron. Hey, boy.

Oh, no.

Jonathan.

Jonathan.

Dad.

No.

Jonathan.

No. Jonathan.

All those things I can do...

all those powers...

and I couldn't even save him.

Clark, get up.

Good morning, Smiley.

Clark, breakfast.

Are you gonna sleep all day?

Clark, come on. Get up.

I have to leave.

I knew this time would come.

We both knew it...

from the day we found you.

I talked to Ben

Hubbard yesterday...

and he said that he'd be happy

to help out from now on.

Mother...

I know, son.

I know.

Do you know where you're headed?

North.

Remember us, son.

Always remember us.

My son...

you do not remember me.

I am Jor-El.

I'm your father.

By now, you will have

reached your 18th year...

as it is measured on Earth.

By that reckoning, I

will have been dead...

for many thousands of your years.

The knowledge that I have...

matters physical and historic...

I've given you fully on your

voyage to your new home.

These are important matters, to be

sure, but still

matters of mere fact.

There are questions to be asked.

And it is time for you to do so.

Here in this...

This Fortress of Solitude...

we shall try to find

the answers together.

How does a good man

live? What is virtue?

When does a man's

obligation to those around

him exceed his

obligation to himself?

And these are not

simple questions.

Even on Krypton...

there is no precise science which

provides us with the answers.

I can only tell you

what I myself believe.

And to this end I've tried to

anticipate your questions...

in the order of their

importance to you.

So, my son...

speak.

Who am I?

Your name is Kal-El.

You are the only survivor

of the planet Krypton.

Even though you've been

raised as a human being...

you are not one of them.

You have great powers...

only some of which you

have as yet discovered.

Come with me now, my son...

as we break through the bonds

of your earthly confinement.

Travelling through time and space

in the six known dimensions.

Your powers will far exceed

those of mortal men.

It is forbidden for you to

interfere with human history.

Rather, let your

leadership stir others to.

In this next year, we shall

examine the human heart.

It is more fragile than your own.

For the past two years...

As we pass through

the flaming turmoil

which is the edge of

your own galaxy...

we'll enter the realm of

the red Krypton sun...

source of your strength

and nourishment...

cause of our eventual destruction.

The planet Krypton, my son.

Your home, as it was.

This year, we shall examine the

various concepts of immortality...

and their basis in actual fact.

The total accumulation

of all knowledge,

spanning the 28 known galaxies...

is embedded in the crystals which

I have sent along with you.

Study them well, my son...

and learn from them. We've

reasoned out logical judgements.

By the time you return to the

confines of your galaxy...

12 of your years will have passed.

For this reason, among others,

I have chosen Earth for you.

It is now time for you to

rejoin your new world...

and to serve its

collective humanity.

Live as one of them, Kal-El...

to discover where your strength

and your power are needed.

Always hold in your heart the

pride of your special heritage.

They can be a great people,

Kal-El. They wish to be.

They only lack the

light to show the way.

For this reason above all,

their capacity for good...

I have sent them you...

my only son.

Okay, this is it, Mac,

the Daily Planet.

Fresh fruit. Hey, lady,

how about a tomato?

Fresh fruit. Hey,

baby, how's it going?

Hey, fresh fruit and vegetables.

They're so fresh...

Fresh fruit and vegetables.

Get them while they're hot.

Look at these tomatoes.

Aren't they beautiful?

He did a great job. You see

his article this morning?

Smile.

- How many T's in "bloodletting"?

- Two.

- What are you writing, Miss Lane?

- An ode to spring.

How do you spell "massacre"?

- M-A-S-S-A-C-R-E.

- A... C...

R-E. Thank you.

Golly, how come you get

all the great stories?

A good reporter doesn't

get great stories, Jimmy.

A good reporter makes them great.

Here's that story on

the East Side murder.

Way I see, it's a banner headline,

front page with

maybe my picture...

There's only one P in "rapist."

Lois Lane, say hello

to Clark Kent.

- Told you one P.

- Hello, Miss Lane. How are...?

Remember my expose on the

sex and drug orgies...

in the senior citizens' home?

How you doing? Jimmy

Olsen, photographer.

Oh, hi. Clark Kent.

Nice to meet you.

Yeah.

It's got everything. It's got sex,

violence, the ethnic angle...

So does a lady wrestler

with a foreign accent.

- Kent, can you open this?

- Oh, sure, Mr White.

This could be a

series of articles:

"Making Sense of Senseless

Killings," by Lois Lane.

We get psychologists,

sociologists...

Lois, you're pushing a bunch

of rinky-dink tabloid garbage.

The Daily Planet

has a tradition...

Oh, I'm sorry.

Gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean

to shake it up like that.

Oh, of course not, Lois.

Why would anyone want to make a

total stranger look like a fool?

I'll take that.

Oh, thank... I'm sorry, Mr White.

Olsen, why am I paying you when I

should have you

arrested for loitering?

- Go get Mr... A towel.

- Kent.

- Move, kid, move.

- Right, chief.

- Make mine black, no sugar.

- Right, chief.

- And don't call me sugar.

- Blood is in Metropolis...

- Right, sugar.

- While the crocuses bloom.

Chief wants coffee, no sugar.

I'll take tea with lemon.

Lois, why don't you take Kent

out to meet everybody, huh?

Just introduce him around. He's

starting with the paper today.

I'm giving him the city beat.

Chief, that's my beat.

Lois, Clark Kent may

seem like just a

mild-mannered reporter,

but listen...

not only does he know how to treat

his editor in chief

with respect...

not only does he have a

snappy, punchy prose style...

but he is, in my 40 years in this

business, the fastest

typist I've seen.

- That's great.

- Excuse me. I'm sorry.

Here, you forgot my article.

Oh, excuse me, Mr White?

I was wondering if

perhaps you could

arrange for half my salary...

to be sent to this address

on a weekly basis.

- Your bookie, right?

- My what?

Don't tell me, he

sends a check every

week to his sweet,

grey-haired mother.

Actually, she's silver-haired.

I'll see what I can do.

Thank you very much, Mr White.

Excuse me.

Well...

Any more at home like you?

Not really, no.

I didn't think so.

Well, get yourself

a desk over here.

Over here?

Yeah, right here. There are some

papers in a pile right there.

Sorry. Excuse me.

- Hi, Bill Breesen.

- Hi, Clark Kent.

- Very nice to meet you.

- Welcome aboard.

Thank you.

- Here's your towel, Mr Clark.

- Kent.

- What?

- Kent.

Oh. Clark Kent.

Jimmy Olsen.

Yeah. It's fantastic. So you...?

- I met this really great guy.

- Hey, fabulous.

Yeah, fabulous. I met

him at this dude ranch.

- Did you know I used to ride?

- Yeah, I've been since I was 7.

- Oh, I got to mail these letters.

- Okay, bye. Good luck tonight.

- Oh, hi, Clark.

- Hi, Lois.

How'd you like your

first day on the job?

Well, frankly, the hours were

sort of longer than I expected...

but on the whole, I mean, meeting

you and Jimmy Olsen

and Mr White...

gosh, I'd say it's been swell.

- Swell?

- Yeah.

You know, Clark, there are very

few people left in the world...

who feel comfortable

saying that word.

- What word?

- "Swell."

Really? I always thought

it was kind of natural.

Ooh.

- I'm sorry.

- Clark.

It's alright.

- Sorry, Lois.

- Oh, hi, Rex.

- Oh, Lois.

- See anything good today?

- Not until you came along.

- Lois?

- Oh, Rex, this is...

- Clark Kent.

- Yeah, hi, see you around.

- Bye.

- Lois?

- Hey, where you going?

- Can I help you with your coat?

- Oh, yeah. Thanks.

- So you like Mr White.

- I thought he was a nice guy.

- Jimmy Olsen was fantastic.

- Hey, come here.

Come on, come on. Get in

here. Hurry up. Come on.

We'd better get out of here.

I think we'd better

do what he says.

Come on, come on.

Get in here, quick.

Don't do anything.

- That's it.

- We're coming.

- Come on.

- We're coming. Excuse me.

- Go on, back there.

- Here?

Please don't point

that at me, sir.

You could hurt somebody with that.

Yeah, yeah.

- Okay, okay, hold it there.

- Just a minute, mister.

I realise of course that times

are tough for some these days...

but this isn't the answer.

You can't solve society's

problems with a gun.

You know something, buddy? You're

right. I'm gonna turn

over a new leaf.

Good for you, sir.

That's the spirit.

He doesn't really

want to hurt anybody.

Huh.

Right after I rip off

this lady's purse.

Of course.

Now come on, lady, hand it over.

Lois, I think maybe you better...

Lois, what are you doing?

Clark. Clark.

Clark, are you alright? Clark.

What happened?

Golly. I guess I

must have fainted.

Fainted?

- You fainted?

- Sorry.

Swell.

Oh, really, Lois, supposing

that man had shot you?

Is it worth risking

your life over $10, two

credit cards, a hairbrush,

and a lipstick?

- How'd you know that?

- Know what?

You just described the exact

contents of my purse.

Wild guess.

Taxi.

- Mustard, sauerkraut?

- Plain.

- What, no mustard or sauerkraut?

- No, plain, man. Plain.

Here's a buck. Go buy

yourself a trip to Bermuda.

Gee, thanks a lot.

- Hey.

- Hi, Otis.

- So, what's happening, partner?

- Look what we got.

- Let's take him.

- Wait a minute.

Maybe he'll lead us to

the big man himself.

- Lex Luthor?

- You got it, Armus.

We'll make captain by midnight.

Metropolis 46 to headquarters. We

have suspect under surveillance.

Let's go.

Hey, what do you read?

XK-101 rocket to be used.

Hey, what do you read?

- Hey, Matt.

- Hey, hey, Otis.

Just getting the

Daily Planet here.

Hey, what do you read? Down, down.

Okay, okay.

Okay. Alright. See, I'm paying

him. I got a pretzel too.

Thanks, Otis. Okay. How

many did he take, Shutzy?

Now arriving on track

10 upper level...

the Yankee Clipper from Augusta,

Boston, Springfield, Hartford...

This is Metropolis 46. We're

on foot. Over and out.

Let's go.

Your attention, please.

Your attention, please.

Metropolis Railway is announcing a

delay of departure

for the express...

to Philadelphia, Cleveland,

Indianapolis, and Chicago.

That train will now depart on

Track 28 lower level at 8:15.

No further delays are

expected at this time.

Your attention, please.

Your attention, please.

The Metropolis Flyer is now

ready for departure...

on the upper level, Track 6,

stopping at New Rochelle.

Alright, he's going down

to the train platform.

I'm going after him.

Okay, Harry. I'll call for

backup. Be careful, now.

- Alright, Armus, alright.

- All aboard, please.

Now boarding on the lower level...

Smoking cars forward, all aboard.

Hey.

Metropolis Transportation.

Metropolis

Transportation. Buffalo, Syracuse.

Come along, got to get these oars

going. Keep it moving,

keep it moving.

Ten minutes we leave,

folks. Ten minutes.

Metropolis Transportation,

folks. Hurry along, now.

All aboard. Boarding.

Ten minutes, folks. Come

on, air-conditioned cars.

Mount Vernon, Poughkeepsie,

Glen Corners.

Aboard now. All aboard.

Metropolis Transportation.

Metropolis Transportation.

Buffalo, Syracuse.

Smoking cars are

forward. Move along now.

Put your luggage up the top.

Smoking cars forward.

All aboard. Boarding.

Armus, Armus, make it Track 22.

I seen him, and I'm right on

him. Lower level, Track 22.

So that's it.

Armus, come in

please. Listen, make

it Track 23. Repeat, Track 23.

I watched him and I think I

know how he does it. Out.

It's amazing that

brain can generate

enough power to keep

those legs moving.

Harry.

Harry, where are you? Harry.

Oh, no.

Harry...

Sick.

- Sick. You're really sick.

- Sick, Miss Teschmacher?

Sick, when I'm mere days from

executing the crime

of the century?

No, no, no. Step away

from that, please.

How do you choose

to congratulate the

greatest criminal

mind of our time?

Do you tell me that I'm

brilliant? Oh, no, no.

That would be too

obvious, I grant you.

Charismatic. Fiendishly gifted.

Try "twisted."

Get away from there. Get

away, get away, get away.

Tell me something, Lex.

Why do so many people have to die

for the crime of the century?

Why? You ask why?

Why does the phone always ring

when you're in the bathtub?

Why is the most brilliantly

diabolical leader of our time...

surrounding himself

with total nincompoops?

I'm back, Mr Luthor.

Yes, I was just talking about you.

You were followed again.

In spite of those

catlike reflexes.

Mr Luthor. Mr Luthor, I'm sorry.

Otis.

Is that the newspaper I

asked you to get me?

Yeah.

Why am I not reading it?

Because I haven't

given it to you yet?

- Right.

- Oh.

At last, it's official.

Thanks to the generous

help of the United

States government,

we will pull off...

the greatest real-estate

swindle of all time.

Lex, what is this obsession

with real estate?

All the time, "land, land, land."

Miss Teschmacher, when I was 6

years old, my father said to me...

"Get out."

Before that. He said, "Son,

stocks may rise and fall.

Utilities and transportation

systems may collapse.

People are no damn good. But

they will always need land...

and they'll pay through

the nose to get it."

"Remember," my father said...

- Land.

- Right.

It's a pity that he didn't see

from such humble beginnings...

how I've created this empire.

An empire? This?

Miss Teschmacher, how

many girls do you know...

who have a Park Avenue

address like this one?

Park Avenue address?

Two hundred feet below.

Do you realise what people

are shelling out up there...

for a few miserable rooms

off a common elevator?

What more could anyone ask?

Sunshine? A night on the

town instead of under it?

- Otis?

- Yes?

Did you feed the babies?

Not... Not today, Mr Luthor.

Otis, feed the babies.

- Mr Luthor, please.

- Otis.

Relax.

Your babies weren't

hungry, Mr Luthor.

Lex, you're sick.

You are really sick.

You would take a diaper pin

to cut a baby's throat.

You'd fix the brakes on your

own grandmother's wheelchair.

I don't know, just explain

one thing to me, Lex.

Why do I love you so much?

Because life with

me is never dull.

No, it's never dull, Lex...

because you are the pits.

You're really the pits.

Later.

- Olsen.

- Yeah?

Get this Loch Ness update

right into Composing.

Yeah? No, that's it, Roth.

Put it to bed. Right.

What are you standing

around here for?

I'm not...

- I wasn't gonna say it.

- Go.

- Ah, the sex maniac profile.

- Right.

Look, 9-to-5 it's a Pulitzer

Prize winner. What do you bet?

There's no Z in "brassiere."

Hey, nice job on that

union scandal, Kent.

Well, gosh, thanks, Mr White.

Oh, hi, Clark. Good night.

- Here, let me carry that for you.

- Oh, thanks a lot.

Lois, have you got a minute?

Excuse me, please. Lois?

And these two go to the addresses

on the envelope, okay?

Lois, I was wondering if you would

like to have dinner with me?

Gosh, Clark, I'm

sorry. I'm booked.

Oh.

Air Force One's landing at the

airport and this kid's there...

to make sure you-know-who answers

a few questions he'd rather duck.

My goodness, don't

you ever let up?

What for?

I've seen how the other half

lives. My sister, for instance.

Three kids, two cats,

and one mortgage. Yech.

I would go bananas in a week.

Oh, can I take you to the airport?

Not unless you can fly.

- Clark? Ladies.

- Sorry.

Change my clothes. Thank you. Bye.

Hey, Lois, maybe we could...?

Lois?

Would you be a pet and mail that?

Oh, sure... Good night.

Oh. Going down,

please. Going down.

- Going down?

- Going up, up, up.

Good night.

Daily Planet Copter

One, this is ground.

Planet One, go ahead.

We have Miss Lane

here for a ride to

Metropolis Airport to

meet Air Force One.

Roger, we're on our way

and have you in sight.

Have one aboard for

transfer, over.

Roger, Planet One. You're cleared.

Wind, 020 at 15, gusting.

Altimeter two-niner-eight-niner.

Roger, over and out.

A malfunction. Can't get lift-off.

- You hooked the cable.

- What's happening?

- Ah.

- Set it down.

Oh, my God. We've lost stabiliser

rotor control, I can't hold it.

I can't hold it. I can't hold it.

Wake up.

Help.

Help. Help.

Come on, step back.

Step back, folks.

Alright, let's get back a little.

Move over across the street.

Bring the cameras over here. Okay.

Okay, you see the

helicopter up there?

Help me.

Alright, move back. Let

the ambulance through.

Help me.

Ah.

Okay. Come on, hold it. Get back.

Come on. Come on, get off the

streets. Come on, get back.

Move, let the firemen through.

Boys, come on, now. Make a line.

Move to the other

side of the street.

Come on. Get along.

Get away from the building.

Hold these crowds

back. Move. Move.

Help me.

- Say, Jim, whoo.

- Excuse me.

That's a bad outfit.

Whoo.

Okay, Bresslaw, move

these people out.

Oh, God, look up there.

What the hell's that?

- Oh.

- Easy, miss. I've got you.

You... You've got me?

Who's got you?

I can't believe it. I just

cannot believe it. He got her.

Gentlemen, this man needs help.

Well, I certainly hope this little

incident hasn't put

you off flying, miss.

Statistically speaking, of course,

it's still the safest

way to travel.

Right. Wait.

Who are you?

A friend.

Bye.

Hi there. Something wrong

with the elevator?

Ah.

Going down.

Nah.

Officer.

Good evening, Officer Mooney.

Well, they say confession

is good for the soul.

I'd listen to this man.

Take him away.

Come on. Let's get out of here.

Move your ass. Come on. Come on.

Okay, let's go. Let's go.

Drop your weapons.

Drop your weapons.

Come on, let's get out of here.

Okay, hold it. Hold

it right there.

- Freeze, you turkeys.

- Don't shoot.

Be cool. You got us.

Bad vibrations?

Sergeant, you don't believe

me. I swear, flying.

With a big red cape and

bright red boots, as well.

- Watch the desk.

- Quick as a wink, he was gone.

Flew up in the air again, he

did, like a big blue bird.

- A blue bird...

- You don't believe me.

- With bright red boots.

- Flying.

Take off, go back to Murphy's bar.

- Continue what you started.

- Don't believe me.

I'll be off in a few minutes and

I'll meet you there myself.

Mooney, the first bottle's on me.

Let me get my hat.

Hey, Frisky, will you

come down from there.

Hey, cat. Come on,

Frisky, come down.

Come on down, you dumb cat.

Come on.

Frisky, you dumb cat, will

you come down from there?

Come on, Frisky,

come on. Come down.

Hi. I'll get him.

Come on. It's alright.

Here you go, miss.

Gee, thanks, mister.

He's such a naughty cat.

- I always tell him not to...

- Hold on, now.

Let's not be too hard on Frisky,

okay? You know something...

we all get a little afraid

of heights now and again.

Well...

goodbye, Frisky. So long, now.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Mummy, Mummy, Frisky

was stuck in the tree.

This man swooped out of the

sky and gave him to me.

Haven't I told you to

stop telling lies?

Get a weather report

from Metropolis Airport.

Metropolis Airport,

this is Air Force One.

Could we have the weather report?

Roger, Air Force One.

Metropolis, currently

ceiling 500 overcast.

700 broken, visibility

one half and showers.

Wind 240 at 25, altimeter

niner-niner-eight.

Roger.

Well, it doesn't look too

good. What do you think?

No, it doesn't.

Yeah, and the old man hates

bumpy, that's great.

Better tell him to get

rid of his drink.

The old man drinks?

After a mouthful of

peanuts, wouldn't you?

- What the hell was that?

- What happened?

We lost power in number one.

Lost power? We lost

the whole engine.

- Shut down one.

- Pull one throttle closed.

- Bring up two and three.

- There's not enough pressure...

Mayday, mayday, Metropolis

tower. Air Force One.

We have lost port outboard

engine and part of wing.

Request emergency landing.

What's the position?

Ten miles south-west

of Metropolis Airport.

Notify them the

president's on board.

Position, 10 miles...

that's 10 miles south-west

Metropolis Airport.

Heading 305. Height, 6000 feet.

What the hell happened?

We got our engine back?

What the hell's

going on out there?

Fly. Don't look. Just fly.

We got something.

I ain't saying what

it is. Just trust me.

You enjoyed it.

I don't know what to say, Father.

I'm afraid I just

got carried away.

- I anticipated this, my son.

- You couldn't have.

You couldn't have imagined...

How good it felt?

You are revealed to the world.

Very well. So be it.

But you still must keep

your secret identity.

Why?

The reasons are two.

First, you cannot serve

humanity 28 hours a day.

- 24.

- Or 24...

as it is in Earth time.

Your help would be

called for endlessly.

Even for those tasks which human

beings could solve themselves.

It is their habit to abuse

their resources in such a way.

And secondly?

Second, your enemies

will discover...

their only way to hurt you:

By hurting the

people you care for.

Thank you, Father.

Lastly...

do not punish yourself for

your feelings of vanity.

Simply learn to control them.

It is an affliction common

to all, even on Krypton.

Our destruction could have been

avoided but for the

vanity of some...

who consider us indestructible.

Were it not for vanity, why...

at this very moment...

I could embrace you in my arms...

my son.

Reports are coming in of

a miraculous saving...

- of Air Force One...

- A burglar was apprehended...

by a man in a blue

suit and red cape.

Rescuing Miss Lois Lane...

writer on the Daily Planet,

with one hand, and a...

Yeah, that'll be the day, huh?

I said, that'll be the day

when a guy could fly, huh?

Oh, I don't know.

You'd be surprised.

- Yeah.

- Some sort of fantastic hoax.

Your guess is as

good as anybody's.

True or false, miracle or fraud?

- The answer is up to you.

- Man or myth? Miss Teschmacher.

Turn it off.

Mr Luthor? What's a myth?

Something unreal. Something

not quite human.

Something like you, Otis.

I'm a myth.

Lex, what's the story on this guy?

Do you think he's the

genuine article?

If he is, he's not

from this world.

Why?

If any human being were gonna

perpetrate such a

fantastic hoax...

it would have been me.

Otis. My robe.

Right away, Mr Luthor.

It all fits somehow, his

coming here to Metropolis...

and at this particular time.

There's kind of a cruel

justice about it.

Miss Teschmacher, you

look so pretty today.

I'm gonna take your picture.

Smile.

There you go.

Otis.

To commit the crime

of the century...

a man would just naturally want to

face the challenge of the century.

Listen, Mr Luthor,

maybe this guy that

flies is just sort

of passing through.

- You know?

- Passing through?

Not on your life, Otis...

which I would gladly

sacrifice, by the way...

for the opportunity of destroying

everything that he represents.

And, Otis, by the way...

the next time, put my robe on

after I'm out of the pool.

Mr... I'm sor...

Now look. The Post: "It flies."

The News: "Look, Ma, no wires."

The Times: "Blue bomb

buzzes Metropolis."

The Planet: We have the

story of the century here.

I want the name of this

whatchamacallit...

to go with the Planet

like bacon and eggs...

franks and beans, death and

taxes, politics and corruption.

I don't think that he

would lend himself...

to any cheap promotion

schemes, Mr White.

Exactly how would you

know that, Kent?

Just a first impression.

Who's talking cheap? I'll make

him partner if I have to.

- Right?

- Right, chief.

I want the real story.

I want the inside

dope on this guy.

Has he got a family? Where does he

live? What does the S stand for?

"Tonight at 8, your place.

Hopefully, a friend."

How does he fly?

A friend?

Tony, who is he? Mike,

what's his name?

What's he got hidden under

that cape? Batteries?

Why did he show up last night?

Dick, where does he come from?

Does he have a girlfriend?

What's his favourite

ball team, Kent?

Now, listen to me. I tell

you, boys and girls...

whichever one of you

gets it out of him...

is gonna wind up with the single

most important interview...

since God talked to Moses.

What are you standing

around about for?

Move. Get on that story.

Let me tell you

something, Vinnie. A good

reporter doesn't get

great stories...

a good reporter makes them great.

Oh, yeah?

- Olsen.

- Yeah. Chief wants me.

- Yeah, chief?

- Black, no sugar.

Black, no sugar. You heard him.

Sheesh.

"Eight o'clock," he

says, 8:00, 8:00.

Some friend.

The story of my life.

Cinderella bites the dust.

Good evening, Miss Lane.

Hi.

Oh, I'm sorry, did you

have plans this evening?

Oh. Oh, this old thing... No.

It's no trouble at

all to come later.

No. Don't move.

Or...

Sure, you can move.

Just don't fly away, alright?

Sorry to drop in on you

like this, Miss Lane...

but there must be a lot

of questions about me...

that people would

like the answers to.

Of course, yes.

You really shouldn't smoke,

you know, Miss Lane.

Don't tell me. Lung cancer, right?

Well, not yet, thank goodness.

Would you like a glass of wine?

No, thanks. I never

drink when I fly.

Nice place.

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Should we get started

with the interview?

Oh. Thank you.

Well, let's start with

your vital statistics.

Are you married?

No. No, I'm not.

Do you have a girlfriend?

No, I don't, but if

I did, Miss Lane,

you'd be the first

to know about it.

How old are you?

- Over 21.

- Oh, I get it.

You don't want anyone to

know how old... Okay.

How big are you? How tall are you?

- About 6' 4".

- Six-foot-four.

- And how much do you weigh?

- Around 2, 225.

Two... 225?

Well, I assume, then, that...

the rest of your bodily

functions are normal?

Sorry. I beg your pardon?

Well, putting it delicately...

do you...

eat?

Yes. Yes, I do. When I'm hungry.

You do. Of course you do.

Well. Well, then, is it true...

that you can see through anything?

Yes, I can. Well, pretty much.

And that you're totally

impervious to pain?

Well, so far.

What colour underwear

am I wearing?

I'm sorry. I embarrassed

you, didn't I?

No.

- I did.

- No, no. Not at all.

It's just that this planter

must be made of lead.

- Yes, it is. So?

- Oh, you see, I...

I sort of have a problem

seeing through lead.

Oh, that's interesting.

"Problems seeing through lead."

- Do you have a first name?

- What, like Ralph or something?

- No. I mean like...

- Pink.

- Huh?

- Pink.

I'm sorry, Miss Lane. I

didn't mean to embarrass you.

You didn't embarrass me.

What's your background?

Where do you hail from?

Well, that's kind of hard

to explain, actually.

You see, I'm from...

Well, pretty far away.

Another galaxy, as

a matter of fact.

I come from a planet

called Krypton.

Huh?

Krypton.

Oh, Krypton. With a C-R-I...? No.

No, actually, it's Krypton,

with a K-R-Y-P-T-O-N.

K-R-Y... Do you like pink?

I like pink very much, Lois.

- Why are you...?

- I'm sorry?

I mean, why are you

here? There must

be a reason for you to be here.

Yes. I'm here to fight for truth

and justice and the American way.

You're gonna end up fighting every

elected official in this country.

I'm sure you don't

really mean that, Lois.

- I don't believe this.

- Lois?

I never lie.

Oh.

Oh.

Just how fast do you

fly, by the way?

I don't know, really.

You know, I never actually

bothered to time myself.

- No?

- Say...

why don't we find out?

And how do you propose we do that?

Take a ride with me?

You mean I can fly?

Actually, I'd be handling

the flying, if that's okay.

This is utterly fantastic.

Wait a minute. Where

are you going?

- Are you serious?

- Sure.

What's the matter,

don't you want to go?

Okay. You don't need these.

I need a sweater. It

must be kind of cold.

No, you'll be warm enough.

- Ready?

- Clark...

said that you're just a figment

of somebody's imagination...

like Peter Pan.

Clark. Who's that, your boyfriend?

Clark? Oh, Clark.

No, he's nothing.

- He's just a...

- Peter Pan, huh?

Huh.

Peter Pan flew with children,

Lois. In a fairy tale.

Ah.

Oh.

Oh. Ah.

Can you read my mind?

Do you know what it

is that you do to me?

I don't know who you are.

Just a friend from another star.

Here I am, like a kid

out of school...

holding hands with a god.

I'm a fool.

Will you look at me, quivering.

Like a little girl, shivering.

You can see right through me.

Can you read my mind?

Can you picture the

things I'm thinking of?

Wondering why you are...

all the wonderful things you are.

You can fly.

You belong in the sky.

You and I...

could belong to each other.

If you need a friend...

I'm the one to fly to.

If you need to be loved...

here I am.

Read my mind.

Oh, we forgot to time ourselves.

Huh.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

Oh.

- You okay?

- Huh.

Well, good night.

Oh, good night.

What a super man.

Superman.

Lois? Lois?

Anybody home? Hello? Lois?

- Hi. Can I come in?

- Oh, yeah.

Lois, for goodness sake, did

you even hear me knocking?

Huh.

Lois, we did have a

date tonight, remember?

Oh.

- Lois? You haven't been...

- Oh, no, no.

Well, I should certainly hope not.

Well, let's push off, shall we?

- I'd better get a coat.

- Okay.

It might be kind of

cold out. No, I mean...

I need a purse, and I have

to fix my hair, and...

put some blush on...

Lois...

there's something I have

to tell you. I'm really...

I mean, I was, at first,

really nervous about tonight.

But then I decided,

well, darn it, I was

gonna show you the

time of your life.

That's Clark, nice.

I was thinking maybe we

could go for a hamburger.

Now, then...

given the exact location of the

galaxy that he mentions...

and the proximity to our

own solar system...

it's amazing.

Amazing. Too good to be true.

It's too good to be true.

He's 6' 4", has black hair...

blue eyes, doesn't drink, doesn't

smoke, and tells the truth.

Miss Teschmacher, some

people read War and Peace...

and come away thinking it's

a simple adventure story.

Others can read the ingredients

on a chewing gum wrapper...

and unlock the secrets

of the universe.

Lex, what has chewing

gum got to do

with the secrets of the universe?

Right. Right, Miss Teschmacher.

N, N, N...

M. You want M, Mr Luthor?

Coming right up.

So there you go. M.

M, as in "moron," Otis?

No, no, no. It's N.

N, as in "Neanderthal,"

"nincompoop," "nitwit."

And I, as in "ladder".

Ladder, Mr Luthor.

Coming right up.

I didn't see, because I...

I'm sorry, Mr Luthor. I... Ooh.

In the interview, he says

that the planet Krypton...

exploded in 1948.

Ridiculous little freak

took three years

in a rocket ship to get to Earth.

- Ergo...

- Ergo. Ergo, 1948, three years...

- He's 6' 4", you know that?

- I said that.

Did you say he don't drink

and he don't smoke?

I said that. It was in the

paper right there. I said it.

Do you know why the number 200

is so vitally descriptive...

to both you and me? It's

your weight and my IQ.

Now, think, people, think.

Deductive reasoning, that's

the name of the game.

Fragments from the planet Krypton

exploded and went

into outer space.

It is reasonable to

assume that some

of those particles of debris...

drifted to Earth.

Meteorites.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

Voilà.

Voilà.

Voilà.

A meteorite found in Addis Ababa?

I know I'm gonna get rapped in

the mouth for this, but so what?

So what? You mean, to us

they are just meteorites.

Fair enough. But the level of

specific radioactivity

is so high...

to anyone from the planet Krypton,

this substance is lethal.

Wait a minute, Mr Luthor.

You mean fire and

bullets can't hurt

this guy, but this stuff here...

Will kill him.

- Oh.

- Oh.

Yeah, wow...

Doesn't it give you kind of...

a shudder of electricity

through you

to be in the same room with me?

Not like the one you'll get when

you try to lay that rock on him.

He can see you coming from miles

with those super peepers of his.

Oh, Lord, you gave them

eyes, but they cannot see.

Nor can Superman, through lead.

He can't see through lead.

And kryptonite will destroy him.

- Any questions, class?

- Wow.

Wonder what they're

wearing in Addis Ababa.

Looks like a burnous,

a wraparound.

There's gold. It's 24 carat...

- Are we going to Addis Ababa?

- Not 18 carat gold.

Mother Bird to missile

convoy. Over.

Missile convoy to

Mother Bird, go ahead.

Everything looks good. See

you at base. Over and out.

Roger, Mother Bird. Over and out.

Mr Otis, do you live in England?

I don't think so, Mr Luthor.

Why are you driving

on the left side?

Ready, Miss Teschmacher?

Have you ever tried

running in high heels?

He probably has.

God, what a mess.

- What?

- I don't know, man.

Yeah, I'm gonna get a

call to headquarters.

See if we can get

an ambulance here.

This is Charlie-Baker-Four...

- Man, look at this.

- Whoo-wee. Looks pretty bad.

- Think she's dead?

- Better check her pulse.

Alright, get an

ambulance down here.

I don't wanna hold this convoy

up more than I have to.

She's having trouble breathing,

sir. What do you think?

Well, I suggest

vigorous chest massage.

If that doesn't work,

mouth-to-mouth.

Yes, sir.

Sergeant, I won't

have one of my men

doing anything I

wouldn't do myself.

- Yeah, but, sir...

- Get an ambulance.

Alright, men. Gather around.

About face.

Ow.

Hup. Two, three, four.

Hup. Two, three, four.

Enough. Enough, enough, enough.

I'm okay now. I'm okay.

By the way, what did you

have for lunch? Whew.

- My, my.

- Sorry.

Hi. Somebody hurt?

- Well, that was fast.

- Fast?

When this woman's

life is at stake?

Let's see here...

- You have a stretcher?

- Get a stretcher.

- Get a stretcher.

- Get a stretcher.

Get a stretcher.

Get a stretcher. Go on, you guys.

Anything I can do?

Oh, I think you've

already done it.

- Oh, yeah?

- She's gonna be alright.

- I don't feel too good.

- Miss Teschmacher...

- you've done very well.

- I've done very well.

I said that.

I did it. I did it, Mr

Luthor, Miss Teschmacher.

- I did it, just like you told me.

- Alright, Otis. Alright.

Alright, Otis. Listen, it isn't

that I don't trust you, but...

I don't trust you,

Otis. What'd you do?

Well, I set the first

directional vector to 38...

the second one to 67, and

the third one to 117.

- What about the fourth one?

- What fourth one?

Now, wait a minute. Wait a

minute. The third one to 117?

Yes. See? I wrote it down,

Mr Luthor. I wrote it...

Otis. Otis.

The third one was supposed to be

11, and the fourth one, seven.

Oh. Well, gee, Mr Luthor.

Oh, I see. I guess my arm

wasn't long enough, see?

Otis, would you like

to see a long arm?

Otis, would you like to see

a very, very long arm?

- Oh, no, Mr Luthor.

- Otis. Otis.

Ah.

My marshmallow.

Leave me alone. Give

me your arm, Otis.

Hand it over. I'll wring your

neck. I'll give you a long arm.

I'm sorry, Mr Luthor. I'm

sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

- I just got... I got mixed up.

- It's alright.

I'll go in there and

fix that thing.

It's okay.

It's okay, Otis, it's okay.

There's another XK-101 being

launched at the same time.

See? There's another XK-101 being

launched at exactly the same time.

I just said that.

No, she said there was a XK-101...

being launched at exactly

the same time, Mr Luthor.

Don't tell me that.

But there is another

XK-101 being launched...

- at exactly the same time.

- I told you not to tell me that.

Oh, no, no, no. Mr

Luthor, please. She

didn't mean it.

Miss Teschmacher...

Shut up in there.

Mr Luthor, are you mad?

You did it again, Otis.

Miss Teschmacher, I think you did.

- I know. But he

didn't say, "exactly."

- But he always hits me.

Mr Luthor, come on. Let me do

it again. I can get it right.

- Otis.

- I got experience now.

Otis, how would you like

the heady experience

of being thrown from

a moving vehicle?

You want a bite of that?

- Alright, get it right, will you?

- Yes, Mr Luthor.

McDonald, I thought you told

me this road was blocked off.

Jablonski, you said

it was blocked.

I didn't ask him, I asked you.

Alright, follow me.

Follow me, men.

- Back that thing off the road.

- Back that thing up out of here.

Off the road.

Back it off the road,

we got a convoy.

You fellas get back into that

thing and back it off the road.

We got a convoy

coming through here.

Listen, you're gonna

have to circle

back. I don't have time to argue.

Heck of a day, isn't it?

We took the wrong turn. We

were looking for Route 12.

Route 12? That's back

there, isn't it?

No, sir. It's up there.

Sergeant, we took the wrong route.

I'm a lieutenant, a naval officer.

Shut up.

Route 12 is back that way.

This man is a diabetic, you see.

And he has to have his insulin.

What's he eating chocolate for?

Well, it gives him a lot of sugar.

- Yeah.

- Alright, now listen, fellas.

Back out here, go back a

few miles, pull off...

Just back up, we'll open an exit.

Can't we get past you here?

Tell me, chief, what do you

think about all of this?

No oil, no uranium, no coal,

no precious minerals.

Hell, no water any more. Not since

the government dammed it all up...

to service those towns on the

other side of the mountain.

If we still had water,

we would never sell...

- our beloved land.

- Well my...

My associate, Mr Olsen...

is taking pictures of that dam,

but what I don't understand...

is why you'd sell out to a

person you've never met.

I mean, you don't even

know his name. Oh, yeah.

At the stupid-high

price he offered...

for this worthless piece of

desert, I hope it's Custer.

Perfect. That's just

what I need, thank you.

Reporting live from the

launch site, ground zero.

Well, today marks an

historic occasion.

Two XK-101 rockets will be

launched simultaneously...

one by the Army and by the Navy.

Hi, everybody. Has anybody

seen Lois around today?

No, I haven't, but the

chief wants to see you.

You're blocking the set, Clark.

Sorry, Gil. How's Judy

today, okay? Good? Great.

- Excuse me, Mr White?

- Come in, Kent.

You wanted to see me? Sir, have

you seen Lois anywhere today?

She's out west looking

into a land fraud deal.

Sent young Olsen with her

on his first assignment.

Some unidentified clown out there

is buying up thousands of acres...

of worthless desert

at incredible prices.

That doesn't seem to make sense.

The world doesn't make sense.

You ought to know that by now.

Look at this dispatch

from Addis Ababa.

People break into a museum

at night, kill two people...

and what do they take? A

worthless piece of meteorite.

- How do you figure that?

- Well...

frankly, I've never been able to

understand violence in any form.

I know that about

you, Kent. That's one

of the reasons I

wanted to talk to you.

I've been in this news game

40 years, man and boy.

And I got where I am with guts,

compassion, elbow grease...

and something you're

sadly lacking in, son.

- Humility?

- No, not humility.

You got bags of humility.

Aggression, confidence,

that's the ticket.

Take charge. Let people

know who you are.

This is Lex Luthor.

Only one thing alive

with less than four

legs can hear this

frequency, Superman: You.

In approximately five minutes,

a poison gas pellet...

containing propane-lithium

compound...

will be released through

air ducts in the city...

effectively annihilating half

the population of Metropolis.

I was a reporter before most

of my friends were copy boys.

I want you to do that. Get Lois

to introduce you to Superman.

Find out who he is.

What's he like?

Where'd he get that blue suit?

Did he have it made? Is

it silk? Is it plastic?

I know it all seems

a bit much, but

how else was I going to meet you?

I knew you'd never accept

an invitation to tea.

But a disaster, with people in

danger, people who need help...

well, I just knew

you couldn't resist

the chance to sort of pitch in.

Know what I mean?

It's Superman.

- Look.

- Oh, my God.

There's a strong streak of

good in you, Superman...

but then, nobody's perfect.

Almost nobody.

- What the...?

- Oh, Superman.

- Gee.

- Stand back, please. Stand back.

Nothing to get worried about.

Well, don't just sit

there. Get out.

Look at that overgrown boy

scout, Miss Teschmacher.

Tell me what you see.

Cuteness, dimples.

You like cuteness, huh?

Dimples.

I'll give you dimples.

The pressure is still on you,

Superman. You know what they say:

"if you can't stand the heat,

get out of the tunnel."

This is your last

chance, Superman.

Why don't you do yourself

a flavour and freeze.

Yeah.

Hah.

I think he's coming, Mr Luthor.

He's definitely coming, Mr Luthor.

It's open. Come in.

My attorney will be in touch with

you about the damage to the door.

Otis, take the gentleman's cape.

- I don't think he wants me to.

- Luthor, where's the gas pellet?

Somewhere...

in the back of my mind, actually.

It's a little idea

I was toying with.

Is that how your

warped brain gets its

kicks? Planning the

death of innocents?

No, by causing the death

of innocent people.

Seven, six, five, four...

three, two, one.

Fire.

Navy Bird, we have a launch.

Navy missile, XK-101.

Angle of attack is perfect.

- Climbing fast.

- Hydraulics, general function.

Now, as you may or may not

know, I am, as they say...

very heavy into real estate.

To make money in that

game, you have to buy

for a little and sell

for a lot, right?

- Right.

- Right.

So the problem:

How to make land more valuable

between the time you buy it...

and the time you sell it.

Now, this is California,

the richest,

most populous state in the union.

I don't need a geography

lesson from you, Luthor.

Oh, yes, of course,

you've been there. I

do forget, you get

around, don't you?

- Where was I?

- California.

California, right. The San Andreas

Fault. Maybe you've heard of it?

Yes. It's the joining of two land

masses. The fault

line is unstable...

which is why you get

earthquakes in California.

Wonderful. Couldn't have

said it better myself.

Everything west of

this line is the

richest real estate in the world.

San Diego, Los Angeles,

San Francisco.

Everything on this

side is just hundreds

of miles of worthless

desert land...

which happens to be owned by...

Lex Luthor, Incorporated.

Now, call me foolish,

call me irresponsible...

It occurs to me that a

500-megaton bomb...

planted at just the

proper point, would...

Would destroy most of California.

Millions of innocent

people would die.

The West Coast as

we know it would...

Fall into the sea.

Bye-bye, California.

Hello, new West

Coast. My West Coast.

Costa del Lex, Luthorville,

Marina del Lex, Otisburg...

- Otisburg?

- Miss Teschmacher...

- she's got her own place, Mr...

- Otisburg?

- It's a little bitty place.

- Otisburg?

Okay. I'll just wipe it off,

that's all. It's a little town.

You're a dreamer, Lex Luthor.

A sick, twisted dreamer.

Your plan couldn't possibly work.

I'll admit there

were a few problems.

Adjusting the precise

trajectory of the missile...

finding the optimum stress point

for the fault line itself.

Which, by the way, is

target zero, right...

here.

Ooh.

Chief, listen. I

promise you my friends

and I are gonna do all we can...

- to get to the bottom of this.

- Thank you, Miss Lane.

Okay, bye.

- What's happening, lieutenant?

- Trajectory malfunction, sir.

- Then abort.

- Yes, sir.

Function negative, sir.

- Can't you knock them down?

- Absolutely impossible, sir.

They have the new B-20

low-level avoidance systems.

Get me the Pentagon.

Red line.

Hello? Hello.

That's impossible. Stand by.

Two hundred and eighty

million dollars

and there's not a

goddamned thing...

- we can do about it?

- That's right, senator.

You got what you paid for.

Can't happen here. Heh.

Can't happen here.

Get me the president.

Yeah?

Mr President. Mr President.

- Goddamn it, what is it now?

- The Pentagon's calling, sir.

Well, what do you think,

Supe baby? Interesting?

Your theory's quite

impressive, Luthor.

Would you go to the viewing room?

But as for the rest, it's

nothing but a sick fantasy.

Fantasy? No. No.

It's history. It's

happening, Superman.

Miss Teschmacher.

- Yes, Lex?

- Where's the rocket now?

It's going like a bat over the

Grand Canyon. So is the other one.

The other one?

There's two of them?

Yeah, Superman. Double jeopardy.

Even you, with your great speed,

couldn't stop both of them.

While I, on the other hand, could

stop them with my detonator.

Alright, Luthor. Where is

it? Where's the detonator?

You diseased maniac.

Did you really think

you could hide

it from me by encasing it in lead?

I'll mould this box

into your prison bars.

Don't touch that.

I told you. It's

kryptonite, Superman. A

little souvenir from

the old home town.

I've spared no expense to

make you feel right at home.

You were great in

your day, Superman.

But it just stands to reason...

when it came time to

cash in your chips...

this old, diseased maniac...

would be your banker.

Mind over muscle.

You don't even care where the

other missile's headed, do you?

Certainly, I do. I know

exactly where it's headed.

Hackensack, New Jersey.

I have to leave you

now. No hard feelings.

We all have our little faults.

Mine's in California.

Lex, my mother lives

in Hackensack.

Miss Teschmacher.

Both birds uncontrolled.

Impossible to reset.

Otis.

Freeze.

Miss Teschmacher.

Miss Teschmacher.

Please, you can't...

You can't just stand there.

You can't just stand there...

and let innocent people, millions

of innocent people, die.

- Maybe.

- Please.

If it wasn't for my mother...

Please. Please help

me to save them.

If I help you, do you promise

to save my mother first?

But Lois and Jimmy...

Oh, but my mother comes first.

If you promise me,

I'll believe you,

because you always tell the truth.

I promise. I promise.

Why did you kiss me first?

It... I didn't think

you'd let me later.

Thank you, Miss Teschmacher.

Why is it I can't get it

on with the good guys?

Stand aside now.

I wouldn't stay here, either.

Army bird still heading due east.

Navy bird still heading due west.

Losing radar contact.

Next radar contact

in three seconds.

Intercept both birds.

Army bird still headed east, sir.

Someone's trying to

destroy Metropolis.

Actually sir, it looks like

it's headed for New Jersey.

Jersey? What the

hell's in New Jersey?

- Army bird gaining altitude.

- Miss Teschmacher.

- Radar contact strong.

- We have straight climb.

Miss Teschmacher.

Radar report, Navy bird,

San Andreas area.

Heading down. Fifteen

seconds to impact.

Navy bird heading down,

15 seconds to impact.

Fifteen seconds and counting.

- Impact: San Andreas.

- God.

We interrupt the program

for a news flash.

A military missile has exploded in

the Southern California desert.

The force of the explosion has

activated the San Andreas Fault.

California is suffering

a major earthquake.

What the...?

What's going on?

It's a quake. Look.

Look out.

Get to the back of the bus.

Okay, kids. It's alright now.

Thank God, we're

back on the bridge.

- Hey, it's Superman.

- It's Superman.

Holy mackerel.

Going off the tracks.

Hang on.

I can't hold her.

All personnel, evacuate now.

All personnel, evacuate now.

Watch that cable.

My eyes. I can't see.

Execute earthquake procedure.

- Execute earthquake procedure.

- Get out. Get out, get out.

Someone try and pull the main.

It's impossible, it's red-hot.

- Gentlemen, is that man alright?

- Yeah.

Gee, that's Superman. He must've

been the one that saved us.

- Ah...

- Hang on, Jim.

Go ahead, shoot.

The dam burst.

Forget the car. Come on, come on.

You're safe here, son.

That's okay. Miss Lane

will be driving by soon.

- Come on, George.

- Make for the hill.

There has been major

quake damage...

to Southern California.

The San Andreas Fault has

miraculously sealed itself...

yet Southern California

is suffering

major aftershocks of

a major earthquake.

The population is warned

to be aware of...

Please, come on, turn over.

- Which in some areas has...

- Come on.

Help me. Help me.

No.

Water.

Lois.

No, no, no.

No. No.

My son.

It is forbidden for you to

interfere in human history.

One thing I do know, son, and that

is you are here for a reason.

It is forbidden for

you to interfere...

Those things I can do...

all those powers, and I

couldn't even save him.

It is forbidden.

It is forbidden.

It is forbidden for you to

interfere with human history.

It is forbidden.

Hi.

Don't bother, I think it's dead.

Sure it's dead.

The problem with men

of steel, there's

never one around

when you want one.

Know what happened to me

while you were off flying?

I was almost in an earthquake...

I had this gas station blow up...

there's telephone poles

falling all over...

I'm almost killed, and to

top the whole thing off...

this stupid car runs out of gas.

I'm sorry about that, Lois...

but I've been kind

of busy for a while.

I'm sorry. That's alright.

We're sort of alike, aren't we?

I mean, our work comes first.

Hey.

Thanks a lot, Superman.

You put me in the middle of

nowhere during an earthquake.

No food, no water,

snakes everywhere.

I had no idea if you

were coming back...

Jimmy.

Listen, there's something I

have to do. I'll see you later.

He can't stay still for a second.

You could at least

send for a tow truck.

Oh. Golly, Miss Lane, it's too

bad Mr Kent didn't see all this.

Yeah, poor Clark.

He's never around when S...

Clark... Wait a minute.

- Wait a minute.

- What?

Lois Lane, that is the

silliest idea ever.

Let me tell you

something, Miss Lane,

I think he really cares about you.

- Clark? Of course he does.

- No, not Clark.

Oh, well, Superman cares

about everybody, Jimmy.

But, who knows, someday,

maybe, if he's lucky...

Miss Lane?

Jimmy, my hair.

Now.

Ooh, nice. Nice, nice.

Front page, Daily Planet?

Oh, gosh. I didn't have any film.

♪ You must have been

a beautiful baby ♪

♪ You must have been

a wonderful child ♪

♪ When you were only starting

To go to kindergarten ♪

♪ I'll bet you drove

the little boys wild ♪

♪ And when it came to

winning blue ribbons

Bet you showed the

other kids how ♪

♪ I can see the judges' eyes

As they handed you the prize ♪

♪ I bet you made the cutest bow ♪

♪ Oh, you must've been a

beautiful baby Because baby ♪

But Lex, you can't do this to me.

Why, Lex, why?

Because I love you,

Miss Teschmacher.

Miss Teschmacher...

By the way Miss Teschmacher,

your mother sends her love.

You're messing up my suit.

You big lummox, you.

Come on, stop it, will you.

Otis, it's your fault.

Watch the ground.

Good evening, warden.

These two men should

be safe here...

- until they can get a fair trial.

- Who is it?

Lex Luthor.

The greatest criminal

mind of our time.

Of our time.

- I hereby serve notice...

- Notice.

- That these walls...

- These walls here...

Will you shut up, please.

Alright, take them away, boys.

- You nitwit. Nincompoop.

- Guard, guard...

This country is safe again,

Superman, thanks to you.

No, sir. Don't thank me, warden.

We're all part of the same team.

Night.