Superman III (1983)

Synthetic kryptonite laced with tar splits Superman in two: good Clark Kent and bad Man of Steel.

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Jerry Siegel (character created by: Superman), Joe Shuster (character created by: Superman)

Stars:

Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Margot Kidder

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Reeve	...	Superman / Clark Kent
Richard Pryor	...	Gus Gorman
Jackie Cooper	...	Perry White
Marc McClure	...	Jimmy Olsen
Annette O'Toole	...	Lana Lang
Annie Ross	...	Vera
Pamela Stephenson	...	Lorelei
Robert Vaughn	...	Ross Webster
Margot Kidder	...	Lois Lane
Gavan O'Herlihy	...	Brad
Nancy Roberts	...	Unemployment Clerk
Graham Stark	...	Blind Man
Henry Woolf	...	Penguin Man
Gordon Rollings	...	Man In Cap
Peter Wear	...	Bank Robber

Storyline

Wealthy businessman Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn)discovers the hidden talents of Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor), a mischievous computer genius. Ross decides to abuse his talents, in a way to help Webster with his plans for economic control. When the man of steel interferes, something must be done about Supes. When Gus' synthetic Kryptonite fails to kill Superman, it turns him in an evil incarnation of his former self. The tar-laced Kryptonite pits man against himself, setting up the Clark vs. Superman battle.

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Plot Keywords:

superman character | lana lang character | perry white character | clark kent character | lois lane character | 

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Taglines:

The world's super hero in his toughest adventure yet!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

WB Home Entertainment - DVD site

Country:

Netherlands UK USA

Language:

English Italian Spanish

Release Date:

17 June 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Superman vs. Superman

Filming Locations:

Glen Canyon, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$39,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,352,357, 19 June 1983

Gross USA:

$59,950,623

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dovemead Films, Cantharus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the final scene, a photograph of the U.S. President, who was played by E.G. Marshall in Superman II (1980), can be seen in Perry White's office.

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Goofs

When Gus has skis on the roof, he wears leather shoes. When he smashes through the railing, he wears ski boots. He wears ski boots again on the angled glass ceiling, then regular leather shoes when he lands on the street.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Unemployment Clerk: Next. Name?
Gus Gorman: Gus Gorman.

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Connections

Referenced in Smallville: Prey (2008)

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Soundtracks

Earth Angel (will you be mine)
(uncredited)
Written by Dootsie Williams, Jesse Belvin and Gaynel Hodge

User Reviews

The first of two extremely weak sequels

I'll be frank: SUPERMAN III is NOT a good film. Having heard both from people who loved the movie and hated the movie, I watched it with an open mind, but in the end it was clear to me that this movie is weak. Very weak.

Half of the movie revolves around Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor!), a dim-witted computer programmer who becomes involved in crime when he begins working for millionaire Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn). The other half of the film revolves around Superman (Christopher Reeve), as he is reunited with high school sweetheart Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole) and becomes evil when exposed to synthetic kryptonite.

One can't help but wonder what David and Leslie Newman, who co-wrote the previous two SUPERMAN films, were thinking when they wrote this film. It opens with a cringe-worthy slapstick sequence, and gets worse from there. Any and all scenes involving Richard Pryor are completely out of place in this film, making it seem more like an unfunny comedy than a superhero film. Director Richard Lester tries his best to make the movie work, but ultimately, it doesn't, thanks in part to the absence of Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and the near-absence of Margot Kidder as Lois Lane (Kidder has a total of about three minutes on-screen). Christopher Reeve, however, is excellent as always, and Annette O'Toole is a good fit for the part of Lana Lang; interestingly, she portrayed Clark's mother, Martha Kent, on the hit Superman TV series SMALLVILLE.

SUPERMAN III is mediocre at best, a failed attempt to continue an excellent series. While it couldn't hold my attention for the 125 minute runtime, I can think of worse movies to watch late at night with a bowl of popcorn and a Coke. Superman fans may want to check it out; all others, steer clear.