Lots of actresses have portrayed the intrepid girl reporter of the Daily Planet, in film and television: Noel Neill, Phyllis Coates, Teri Hatcher, Erica Durance, Dana Delaney, Kate Bosworth and Amy Adams. But it was Kidder's turn as Lois Lane in the Superman films starting in 1978 that set the standard for who we think Lois would sound and act out side the comic book pages.
Her Lois was strong, self-assured and witty, ambitious but not unlikeable. You couldn't help but like Margot's Lois, She had a strong professional determination to get the scoop on the strange red caped visitor from another planer, yet also caught up in a strong personal attraction. Margot Kidder made us believe that Lois Lane was real.
Mark Hamill had this to say about Margot Kiider: "On-screen she was magic. Off-screen she was one of the kindest, sweetest, most caring women I've ever known. Your legacy will live on forever".
Well said, Mark.
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This weekend, I watched Hollywoodland, a 2006 movie aboiut the circumstances surrounding the death of actor George Reeves who was the star of the 1950s television series Adventures of Superman.
The story takes place in two time frames. One is from the perspective of Louis Simo, fictional character played by Adrien Brody. Simo is poking his nose into the death of George Reeves.
The other part of the movies follows Reeves, played by Ben Affleck. After scoring a role in Gone With the Wind, Reeves career has become mired in B-movies and serials. He wants more out of life and out of his acting career. Playing Superman, aka Clark Kent, in a cheaply made TV show isn't exactly what he had in mind but dang if the show doesn't become a success.
7 years after being cast as the Man of Steel, George Reeves dies of a gunshot to the head. The official story is that it was suicide. But there are a lot of holes in that story and this is what Hollywoodland follows up on. Simo finds lots questionable details that point towards Reeves being murdered. But by who? A frustrated fiancé? A jilted ex lover? A jealous husband?
Unfortunately for Simo, the theories of Reeve's murder are just a riddled with holes as the official story of his suicide.
Hollywoodland is a complex and engrossing tale. Adrien Brody's Louis Simo is not a likeable character; his pursuit of justice for Reeves is more about Simo making a name for himself. But tragedy and loss force Simo to confront who he really is and the dark parallels to the life of George Reeves.
As Reeves, Ben Affleck is amazing. Reeves is charming and likeable but the growing sense of failure that burns beneath the surface casts a shadow over his disposition. The circumstances of his life as presented here, it is possible to see that George may have indeed felt compelled to take his own life.
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Still watching Supergirl. I guess I'm still enjoying things over all with this series but this past Monday's episode was marred by too much hugging of the idiot ball.
Reign is looking to destroy her last human connection to her human self, Samantha Arias. that means killing Sam's daughter, Ruby. Lena Luthor has Ruby hidden somewhere perfectly safe. But Alex Danvers is determined to go see her. Which creates the hole that Reign flies through to get to Ruby.
Meanwhile, Supergirl is being a total bitch to Lena Luthor which is completely out of character. Yes, Supergirl is pissed that Lena has Kryptonite....no, that Lena knows how to make Kryptonite. But 2 years of trusting Lena and being her friend just go (SNAP!) out the window?
Way too much clinging to the idiot ball. Really making it hard to like you guys.
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Let's wrap up this post with one more tribute to Margot Kidder. The scene in the first Superman movie where Superman takes Lois flying is a beautifully romantic sequence. The narration by Lois of "Can you read my mind?" is, well, sappy and corny and when I was a kid, I really didn't like it.
But.....
I can't help but to think of it fondly, right now.
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