Film #128 - Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
Atom Man vs. Superman is the second Superman movie serial, the last appearance of Kirk Alyn in the role and a vast improvement over the original Superman.
The main reason this one is an improvement is the appearance of a much better villain (and Superman’s main nemesis at that): Lex Luthor. Played here by the underappreciated Lyle Talbot, Luthor comes off very strong as a viable challenge for Superman in an era when he didn’t have the huge number of enemies he has today.
Alyn continues his rather stoic portrayal of the Man of Steel, still lacking the warmth that George Reeves would later bring to the role on television. But he gives the material full weight, not allowing some of the sillier aspects to bog things down. He’s helped in this effort by the fact that the plot devices of Luthor are much less silly than those perpetrated by the Spider Lady in Superman. Atom Man may not be the most original or impressive looking creation, but he’s a viable threat.
Both Noel Neill as Lois Lane and Tommy Bond as Jimmy Olsen are basically the same as they were in the last serial (both good and bad), but at least Lois gets some interesting things to do here, like going to work for Luthor in an undercover operation. Jimmy just keeps getting knocked out again.
But ultimately the real highlight is Talbot’s Luthor, the first in the great line of Luthors. (There’s only really been one truly bad one: Scott Wells, the first Luthor on The Adventures of Superboy). Talbot establishes this early with Luthor’s crazed sceme that is stopped at the beginning of the serial, but also gets to play the double-dealer as he pretends to have gone straight, all the while hatching more of his devious schemes.
Atom Man vs. Superman is the serial that Superman could and should have been. It features much more exciting action, a better overall plot and a cracking good villain. Sure, it still has that cartoon Superman flying around, but with everything else as good as it is, it’s easier to be forgiving. Definitely one to see.