Funny / Superman: The Movie

• Superman is being interviewed by Lois Lane on her apartment balcony. Regarding his x-ray vision, she jokingly asks what color underwear she's wearing, only for him to reply that he can't tell because the planters she happens to be standing behind apparently have a high lead content. This was forgotten for a few moments, but after she walks away for a moment, he suddenly informs her that her underwear is pink. She immediately steps back behind the planters... but also shyly asks if he likes pink.
  • During the same scene, she intends to ask him how tall he is. Poor girl slips and asks, "How big are you?"—immediately correcting herself with a bit of a panic.
  • Even better in that the line was a flub by Margot Kidder, that the director decided to retain.
  • After flying with her across Metropolis on their interview/date, Superman returns her to her balcony and flies away... immediately switching to Clark and knocking at the apartment door as though Clark was going to take Lois out on a regular date (he had written her a note earlier that day asking to, which Lois believed came from Superman). Lois, utterly dazed by her night with Superman, can only nod and agree to go to dinner with him by saying "I'm Clark, fine."
• Superman has just broken into Luthor's underground lair.
  Lex Luthor: Otis, take the gentleman's cape.
  [Otis approaches Superman, who glares at him]
  Otis: I don't think he wants me to, Mr. Luthor.
  • Also Hackman's cavalier, ad-libbed "Come in, it's open" just before.
• "Otisburg? ...Otisburg?"
  • "M-Ms. Teschmacher has a place of her own. It's a little bitty place." (Perhaps Otisburg is like Smallville.)
    • Said place is called Teschmacher Peaks!
  • "OTISBURG?!"
  • What sells the scene is the fact that the "S" in "Otisburg" is written backwards. Probably a little nod to Bizarro?
• "It's amazing that brain can generate enough power to keep those legs moving."
• "You will bow down to me. Both you, and then one day, YOUR ASS!"
• When Superman shows up during his opening night to save Air Force One when an engine blows out. The pilot's expression as he looks out the window, sees a guy in a cape holding up the wing, and tells the rest of the crew "Just fly. We got... something... I ain't saying what, just... trust me."
  • While holding the plane, Superman waves hello at the pilot, who waves back before he reacts like "What am I doing?".
  • In fact, a lot of the reactions people have when Clark suits up for the first time:
    Pimp: Say Jim, that is a BAD outfit! (Supes flies off) Whoa!

    Desk Sergeant (finding a boat loaded with tied-up robbers on his doorstep with a caped hero flying into the night): Mooney, first bottle's on me. Lemme get my hat...
• When Superman interrupts the crooks on the boat, one of them comes up behind and hits him in the back with a crowbar, only to end up standing there as it vibrates in his hands.
  Superman: Bad vibrations?
  • Then there's his snark at the cat burglar suction-cupping up the side of a building :
    Superman: Something wrong with the elevator?
• The scene where Luthor explains to Superman that he'll never stop both missiles, because one's aimed at Hackensack and the other at the San Andreas Fault:
  Miss Tessmacher: But Lex, my mother lives in Hackensack!
  Lex Luthor: *checks his wristwatch, looks back up at her and shakes his head 'no'*
  • The implication that he targeted Hackensack BECAUSE Ms. Tessmacher's mother lived there is darkly funny.
• An earlier exchange between them:
  Luthor: Miss Tessmacher, when I was six years old, my father said to me—
  Miss Tessmacher: "Get Out!!"
  Luthor: [cheerful chuckle] Before that.
• Superman attempting his classic costume change in a phone booth, only to find it's just a phone on a post. It can be pretty weird to realize the concept was being mocked as early as 1978.
  • The kicker is that beforehand we only see the phone beforehand and it looks like its a phone booth.... only for the camera to pull out and show otherwise.
  • When Superman emerges from the revolving door wearing his costume for the first time, the nearest bystanders are two black guys dressed in what can only be described as Pimp Duds, and a young black woman. They stare at him in amazement and one of the guys exclaims "Say, jim! Whoo!" Superman turns, raises one finger rather like a politician at a press conference indicating to a reporter that he'll get to their question in a moment, says politely "Excuse me," and flies into the sky.
    Black guy: That's a bad outfit! Whoo!
• From the helicopter rescue, this absolutely classic exchange:
  Superman: Easy, miss - I've got you.
  Lois: You - you've got me ... [looks down] WHO'S GOT YOU?!?!?
  • "I hope this little incident hasn't put you off flying, miss. You know, statistically speaking it's still the safest way to travel."
    • Followed by Superman wearing the stupidest grin like he just told the greatest joke of the century.
    • And then Lois faints when she sees Superman just up and fly away afterwards.
• A rather...surprisingly dark one where after Superman saves her cat, a little girl heads inside with it, eager to tell her mother about the rescue. Then...
  Mother: Haven't I told you to stop telling lies? [slap]
  • She's gotta believe her after seeing Superman on the news and in the papers.
• After Superman says he fights for truth, justice and the American Way, Lois Lane says that must mean he's against every elected official.
• Clark tries to get an elevator after his first day at work.
  Clark: Going down?
  Man: (sticks his hand out, pointing up) Going up. Up!
• After the mugger incident, Clark slips up a little regarding his power, specifically his vision:
  Clark: Really, Lois, supposing that man had shot you? Is it worth risking your life over ten dollars, two credit cards, a hairbrush, and a lipstick?
  • During said incident, the mugger actually does shoot - only Clark catches the bullet, then slumps against the wall, acting as if he fainted. After Lois walks off in a huffy, Clark opens his hand to reveal the bullet...and looks toward the audience with a little grin on his face.
• Tripling as a CMoA and CMoH, the Kents stare as baby Kal-El lifted the truck, looks back at the small ship he came in, and back at a smiling Kal-El again. With Jonathan throwing the rag on the ground as if thinking "Well, I'll be a son of a gun!".
• It's a quick moment, but while Lex and Superman are in Luthor's hideout, talking about his plan with the missiles, Lex suddenly calls for "MISS TESCHMACHEERRR!!!!"; Superman, whose arms were folded across his chest, drops his arms to his side in a "What the..." reaction.
  • Looks like Hackman's sudden scream startled Reeve, judging by his face.
• On the meta side, this rather profane outtake trailer, which claims Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and William Shakespeare "are shit" compared to the Superman crew, and compares the movie to Jesus Christ returning to Earth.

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