That something else, in Reeves telling, becameSuperman: The Movie.
Quickly, though, they realized they needed an actual actor.
Daniels said Hurt berated Reeve.
You cant do that.
You would be selling out!
Meanwhile Chris own severely expectant father, Franklin, revealed similar disapproval.
Both anecdotes offer a fascinating insight into the world of acting and performance circa 1977.
Hurt apparently told him.
It was still selling out.
But therein is the fault line in the culture that Reeve unintentionally stepped on.
Reeve achieved that with flying colors.
He cultivated a tangible dignity in this cartoon character which so many contemporaries feared was inescapable.
Michael Caine was another Reeve co-star, whose multiple projects opposite the Superman actor included Sidney LumetsDeathtrap.
Caine, too, ended up doing several superhero movies via Christopher NolansThe Dark Knighttrilogy.
That in itself shows how the assumptions and opinions of the industry changed, especially on the commercial side.
He not only proved a man could fly, but an actor could make you care about him too.
