This movie looks at the unsolved murder/suicide of actor
George Reeves in 1959. I grew up
watching reruns of the George Reeves’ Superman TV show. I loved that show and thought George embodied Superman
(second only to Christopher Reeves – no relation). Ironically it wasn’t until years later that I
realized he was the same actor you portrayed Stuart Tarleton in the opening
sequence of “Gone With The Wind” in 1939.
That was George’s first film part.
Sadly, twenty years after that he was paid peanuts to be the Man of
Steel on an on-again-off-again television serial.
A fictionalized tale, it looks at the known facts and
events through the eyes of Louis Simo, a seedy private detective. Although the LAPD immediately called it a
suicide, there were doubts from the start.
The first time I read about the story, it claimed George was despondent
over typecasting and financial problems.
I later read accounts that cast a big shadow on the “official”
story. This movie considers 3 options:
suicide, accidental shooting by his fiancée, or a hot ordered by the studio executive
husband of his long-time lover. They
leave it to the audience to decide.
The acting is good with a strong cast. Adrien Brody is believable as Simo. Ben Affleck does a plausible job as
Reeves. Diane Lane is fabulous as Reeves’
married flame Toni Mannix with Bob Hoskins as her husband. The writing is ok but not as good as other
movies I’ve seen written by Paul Bernbaum.
The direction is also ok by a superb director Allen Coulter – I know
what he was trying to do and he almost got there. I liked the movie in general but found it
unsatisfying as too much was fictionalized, taking away from the real
subject. I think if you watch it as just
a film (without the weight of history) it will be more interesting and
enjoyable.
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