From the time I was a little girl, I’ve had a fascination with Superman. Smallville is one of my favorite shows of all time. I grew up with George Newbern’s Superman on Justice League. However, when I think of Superman, neither of those iterations comes to mind first. Rather, I see Christopher Reeve’s smiling face. I first discovered Superman through a VHS tape of Superman II that a neighbor gifted my parents, and though I was only a toddler, I was hooked. Needless to say, Super/man: The Christopher Reeve Story was at the top of my must-watch list for 2024.
Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, the documentary chronicles Reeve’s rise to fame, his personal life, and the tragic accident that left him paralyzed in 1995. Super/man features interviews with Reeve’s children, fellow actors, and friends interspersed with old footage of Reeve and recordings from his autobiography, Still Me. The central thesis of the film comes from one of Reeve’s most iconic quotes: “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Even as a lifelong fan, the documentary revealed a lot about Reeve that I didn’t know.
10 Christopher Reeve Really Could Fly
It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s… Christopher Reeve?
In 1978’s Superman, Christopher Reeve convinced the world he could actually fly. Super/man made it clear that the reason he looked like he flew for real was simple: he did. Now, as far as I know, he was not a super-powered alien with the ability of flight, but he was a licensed pilot. Reeve apparently used his love of flying as inspiration for his performance as Superman. The actor would base his movements and facial expressions on the way he felt when he took to the skies. During his lifetime, he owned several planes, and he enjoyed gliding in Switzerland.
Per Super/man, Reeve was big on adventure, even flying solo across the Atlantic Ocean twice. The Superman star was quite the sportsman. In addition to flying planes, he enjoyed skiing, horseback riding, sailing, soccer, baseball, tennis, and hockey.
9 Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams Were Best Friends
Superman And Mork From Ork Were Lifelong Buds
I already knew some details of Reeve’s life before watching Super/man, such as his time at Juilliard forging a strong bond with a certain classmate. Reeve and the late Robin Williams were in the advanced program at the college and though they seemed like polar opposites, the two were inseparable. Glenn Close, a mutual friend of Reeve and Williams, stated that they were so close because “they could match each other,” and that she believes Williams would still be around if Reeve were.
Williams walked into Reeve’s hospital room in scrubs and pretended to be a Russian proctologist, giving the latter his first real laugh since the tragedy.
The actors shared many milestones; both rose to fame in the 1970s and were young fathers by the 1980s. Reeve even presented Williams with his first People’s Choice Award in 1979. Their friendship persisted throughout the years, to the extent that Williams was one of Reeve’s first visitors after he became paralyzed. Super/man recounted that Williams walked into Reeve’s hospital room in scrubs and pretended to be a Russian proctologist, giving the latter his first real laugh since the tragedy.
His children then revealed that Williams and his then-wife, Marsha Garces Williams, threw a huge party every year on the anniversary of Reeve’s accident. Will Reeve, the youngest of the Reeves, referred to the Williamses as “fairy godparents,” recounting that they were always there for his father and their family.
8 Christopher Reeve’s Father Was Embarrassed That He Played Superman
Franklin Reeve Thought Son’s Superman Role Wasn’t Prestigious Enough
Super/man taught me more about Reeve’s family life. In particular, the documentary revealed that his parents divorced when he was only 4 years old, and both his mother and his father remarried twice. Franklin Reeve, a scholar, was hard on his son, and the actor never felt he measured up to his father’s expectations. Upon getting the role of Superman, Reeve told Franklin, and the latter ordered a bottle of champagne.
However, Franklin thought his son was cast in George Bernard Shaw’s play, Man and Superman. Once he realized his mistake, he told Reeve that he was embarrassed. Unfortunately, Franklin’s attitude reflected a broader sentiment of the time: superhero movies were fluffy movies without substance. Thankfully, I think it is safe to say that Reeve proved his father wrong. His performance in Superman remains critically acclaimed to this day, and the film is responsible for the genre being treated more seriously thereafter.
7 Christopher Reeve Went From Off-Broadway To Future A-Lister In One Weekend
Costar Jeff Daniels Recalled The Story Of How Christoper Reeve Was Cast As Superman
When Reeve got an audition for Superman, he was primarily acting in Off-Broadway shows. Just before he flew to London to read for the role of Clark Kent, he was starring opposite Jeff Daniels and William Hurt in My Life. Daniels recalled in Super/man that Reeve told his friends where he was going the day before his screen test. Hurt was appalled by Reeve potentially starring in Superman, calling him a sellout. Though Reeve thought his chances of scoring Superman were low, he arrived back at the theater with huge news: he was the next Man of Steel.
Looking back on the decision to accept the role, Super/man showed Reeve recalling advice from his mentor, John Houseman: “It is terribly important that you become a serious, classical actor. Unless, of course, they offer you a sh*tload of money to do something else.” While I’m sure Reeve’s paycheck was enough to ease his professional woes, the way that Superman catapulted his career made the decision worth it.
After Superman, Reeve became a household name, synonymous with his onscreen heroic persona. He did the late-night interview circuit, hosted Saturday Night Live, and in one of my favorite television moments, sang a love song with Miss Piggy. There is no clearer indicator that you’ve made it than starring with The Muppets.
6 Christopher Reeve’s Personal Trainer Was Darth Vader Actor David Prowse
Former Mr. Universe David Prowse Helped Christopher Reeve Get Into Superhero Shape
Though Reeve was certainly tall enough to play Superman at 6’5, he was not built like a superhero when he was cast in the role. Director Richard Donner made Reeve promise he could bulk up in time for filming or lose out on being the Man of Steel. In order to get fit enough for the role, the actor was trained by former Mr. Universe contestant and bodybuilder, David Prowse. The latter was fresh off physically portraying Darth Vader in 1977’s Star Wars. Reeve ultimately trained for 6 weeks with Prowse while ingesting large amounts of protein.
After gaining about 40 pounds of muscle, Reeve was in Superman shape. The actor stated that attaining a hero’s physique helped put him into a hero’s mindset. Keeping in mind that Reeve did not wear any padding in his suit, I find his Superman transformation all the more impressive.
5 Christopher Reeve’s Accident Changed His Perspective On Fatherhood
The Superman Star Prioritized Being Available To Talk To His Children About Anything
According to Super/man, Reeve’s relationship with his children became stronger after he became quadriplegic. He was a father to Matthew, Alexandra, and Will Reeve. His older two children are shared with ex-girlfriend Gae Exton, while Will is the son of Reeve and his later wife, Dana. Per Matthew, his father was often away filming or on adventures during his and Alexandra’s early childhood. After he married Dana in 1987, he was a more constant presence in their lives, but because he was such an active person, their family time was usually spent outside playing sports or horseback riding.
In 1995, Reeve suffered a severe spinal injury that left him paralyzed. Initially, he wasn’t sure how he would carry on, but he explained that his wife gave him a renewed purpose:
“When Dana whispered those life-saving words to me, ‘You’re still you. And I love you,’ it meant more to me than just a personal declaration of faith and commitment. In a sense, it was an affirmation that marriage and family stood at the center of everything, and if both were intact, so was your universe.”
Thereafter, Reeve prioritized forming deeper bonds with his family. His children revealed in Super/man that they enjoyed meaningful conversations with the actor, rooted more in their interests than his.
4 The Accident That Paralyzed Christopher Reeve Was Almost Fatal
Christopher Reeve Had Risky Surgery As A Result Of A Horseback Riding Incident
On May 27, 1995, Reeve suffered a “hangman’s injury,” during an equestrian competition. The actor, who first learned to ride a horse for Anna Karenina in 1985, fell headfirst after his horse made a refusal. His first and second vertebrae were shattered, and he was unable to breathe. Per an MRI scan, his injury was less than an inch away from instant death to the left and a mild concussion to the right. His condition required a risky surgery to reattach his skull to his spine, and he was dependent on a ventilator.
Just 11 days after his surgery, Will turned three. In what I found the most heart-wrenching revelation of the documentary, Super/man showed just how resilient the Reeve family was. Even though Reeve’s fate was still very much up in the air, Dana prioritized her son by throwing Will a makeshift birthday in the hospital waiting room. It’s that kind of love that permeates the tragedy of the Reeve family, showing how a horrible accident doesn’t have to remove all joy from your life. Super/man is full of examples of how the Reeves found light in the darkness.
3 Christopher And Dana Reeve Used Their Tragedy To Make Change
The Christopher And Dana Reeve Foundation Provides Access To Disability Treatment And Resources
Super/man showed that after Reeve’s tragic accident, he grew determined to regain his ability to use his extremities. From his determination, the Christopher Reeve Foundation was born. His efforts primarily centered on research, with a particular emphasis on the capabilities of stem cells. As of 2024, the Reeve Foundation has raised over $140 million for spinal cord injury research. However, Dana was the one who spotted another major need in the disabled community.
Many paralyzed individuals require better access to quality care, and their families have a significant financial burden. As such, Dana established the National Paralysis Resource Center in 2002, which offers programs for veterans, peer and family support, advocacy, and Quality of Life Grants. As a result of her contributions, the foundation was renamed the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Together, the couple’s efforts formed the Foundation’s two-pronged approach: “today’s care” and “tomorrow’s cure.”
2 Christopher Reeve Overcame His Disability To Return To Show Business
A Minute-Long Standing Ovation At The Oscars Gave The Superman Star Confidence
When Reeve received an invitation to appear at the 1996 Academy Awards, he was hesitant to return to the limelight. He’d been going through months of treatment to develop more autonomy and adjust to his condition. However, Reeve decided to take the chance, and it paid off; he got about a minute-long standing ovation. This warm welcome gave him the confidence he needed to foray into film again. Reeve’s directorial debut, In the Gloaming, was released the following year. The actor also returned to the screen with an eerie remake of Rear Window and a pivotal cameo in Smallville.
In the Superman-centric series, Reeve is given the awesome responsibility of telling Clark Kent that he is from Krypton and that his birth name is Kal-El. The scene never fails to move me, and I am surprised Super/man didn’t reference this iconic moment given its focus on Reeve’s career as Superman. Even so, his courage was astounding. Being quadriplegic and directing films is a super feat, showing just how resilient Reeve was.
1 Christopher and Dana Reeve’s Children Are Carrying On Their Legacy
All Three Of Reeve’s Children Are Involved In The Foundation
Christopher Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004, at the age of 52 from infection-related complications stemming from his injury. Super/man revealed that Dana was out of town performing a show when he fell into a coma for the final time. Will, then only 12 years old, recalled spending a good day with his father attending his sporting event, and then watching television together before tragedy struck the family again that night. Even sadder, Dana herself passed away due to lung cancer less than two years later, leaving Will orphaned at 13.
The Reeve family rallied once more, with all three children becoming involved with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Alexandra serves as the President and CEO, while she, Matthew, and Will all sit on the board of directors. Of continuing his parents’ work with the Foundation and showcasing its history in Super/man, Will said:
“The Reeve Foundation is a central element of my parents’ legacy. My siblings and I were intent on showing the good work that the Foundation did during my parents’ lifetimes, has done since their deaths, and will continue to do as far into the future as it needs to exist.”
Super/man also highlights another key legacy of the Reeves. The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in 2009, promoted the same initiatives as the Foundation in order to better the lives of millions of Americans living with spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Though the Reeves were gone too soon, their work continues to benefit the lives of those with disabilities and their families. While Reeve starred as Superman, Dana was also a hero, an important distinction I think Super/man honors.
