Oct 261951
 
two reels

Oil drilling opens up a path for the underground mole-men to come to the surface. Clark Kent (George Reeves) and Lois Lane (Phyllis Coates) happen to be there when panic breaks out. Are the mole-men a threat, or is the real threat humanity? To get this film, you have to be able to read that last line without laughing.

This inexpensive theatrical pilot for the Superman TV show benefits from a sincere and enduring portrayal of the Man of Steel as well as an outlook on humanity that is relevant today. The humans of the nowhere town are ignorant, violent, and angry for no reason. I see Doomsphere residents, Sad Puppies, and Trump supporters all over this film. Where’s Zack’s murderverse Superman when you need him?

The movie suffers from the tiny budget that bought less than it should have, makeup on the level of a kid’s Halloween costume, a script more suited to a ‘40s serial, poor pacing, and a Lois so unpleasant that I wanted the mole-men to be evil so they could sacrifice her to their mole god. But it has George Reeves, who ranks only after Christopher Reeve in his warm, strong and humanizing performance as Superman. Plus, points for it not being an origin story.

Superman and the Mole-Men isn’t for everyone. It is hokey and dated. If you are looking for an action spectacular, you won’t be happy. I enjoy a touch of nostalgia and the film has its heart in the right place. This is a different Superman for a different time.

The character was rebooted for Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1983), and the semi-sequel, Superman Returns (2006). The character was rebooted again by Zack Snyder for Man of Steel (2013) and Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).

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