Fun flaws in the scene where Superman rescues a boy at Niagara Falls
Published May 4, 2023 at 3:52 pm
This one is just for fun because Hollywood is involved. Back in 1980, the movie Superman II was released and as most area residents know, there is a scene where Superman saves a little boy who has fallen into the Niagara Falls.
When The Man Of Steel saves him from Niagara Falls, the photo below shows the kid is most definitely the Canadian side.
Just before the scene shown below, Clark Kent has already pulled the kid off the railing once because frankly, that’s just dangerous. So he ends up saving him twice that day.
Kid falls into the Niagara Gorge. Lois Lane watches nonchalantly.
Where are the kid’s parents? About 20 feet away, ignoring him completely. Mom’s stuffing her face with cotton-candy while Dad looks befuddled staring at a map. Oldtimers might remember having to use a fold-out map back in the day but might always wonder what Dad’s looking at exactly? He’s already at Niagara Falls?
Clark Kent has, of course, grabbed the kid to distract Lois Lane from fact that she earlier pulled off his mist-covered glasses to clean them and pauses while seeing his true face without the unbeatable disguise of… eye-wear.
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Back to the parents of the kid who, frankly, should be arrested for child neglect. Clark sends the kid back to his folk where Mom instantly whacks him for embarrassing her, “Here in front of everybody.” (Frankly, Superman should have pitched them into the falls.)
The scene continues with Lois saying she’s hungry. So there’s this exchange. Clark: “Here you are standing in front of one of nature’s most awesome spectacles… and you’re thinking about food?” To which Lois replies, “Clark, once a girl’s seen Superman in action, Niagara Falls kind of leaves you cold, you know what I mean?” Uh, no, we don’t but carry on, intrepid reporter.
Superman hauls Kryptonian butt to save kid.
She then sends Clark off for a hot dog and “freshly-squeezed orange juice,” the beverage indicating that tourists were somewhat spoiled in 1980.
At this point, the kid’s back on the railing, except he’s on the Falls’ side of it. Lois is literally snapping pictures in his direction… and says nothing about the dangerous horse-play. Yes, it’s to set up the Superman scene but she is an adult and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner (or so the comics would have us believe.)
So the kid falls backwards towards the gorge at the one minute mark of the video below. Hearing Lois’ screams, Clark rushes to change into Superman at the minute and 14 second mark. Eventually, Superman grabs him at the one minute and 30 second mark.
Okay, top to bottom, that falls takes maybe three to four seconds maximum but it’s Hollywood so physics doesn’t apply. After 30 seconds, Superman should technically be scooping up a lifeless body.
However, he saves him and here’s some fun staff. As he ascends, boy cradled in his arms, people call out, “It’s Superman!” and “What a nice man!” Then you hear an older lady say, “Of course he’s Jewish.”
So the nice Jewish superhero puts the boy on safe ground where Horrible Mom not only doesn’t thank Superman, she yanks the kid’s arm and says, “You’re going to get it!” No “Thank goodness you’re alive!!” Nope, more threats for the son who nearly died.
Superman safely return kid to parents whereupon Mom chews the kid out.
As the scene is ending, Lois starts to piece together the fact that Superman and Clark are never in the same place at the same time, making her go, “Hmmmmm.”
Meanwhile Clark Kent basically steal two hot dogs, leaving some loose change on the counter that strangely has no vendor. Meanwhile, when he returns, absolutely no one is talking about the fact Superman was just there seconds before.
As for Lois figuring out Clark Kent is Superman? Wait for it. That happens at the end of the movie and when she blurts it out, he gives her a big kiss. Apparently, there’s something in Kryptonite saliva that causes amnesia because she instantly forgets.
She knows who she is, who Clark is, who Perry White and Jimmy Olsen are but she forgets instantly that he’s Superman. So really, it’s Super Selective Amnesia.
Regardless, we hope we haven’t ruined the scene for you because here it is.
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