Over the years, Superman has had many screen adaptations. Between his movie and TV appearances, the last son of Krypton has been portrayed by a long lineup of actors. One of the earliest actors to wear the red cape was George Reeves. Not to be confused with Superman: The Movie star Christopher Reeve, George Reeves played Superman in the 1950s live action TV series Adventures of Superman.
Looking back on this early portrayal and comparing it to the much more recent performance of Henry Cavill in the DCEU, it is clear that the depiction of Superman on screen has evolved over the years. Each has its pros and cons, so to help determine which is the better adaptation, here are five things that make Cavill’s Superman better and five that make Reeves’s better.
Cavill Looks Like Superman
Starting off with a rather simple point, Henry Cavill was perfect casting to play Superman as far as appearance is concerned. He looks like an actual comic panel of Superman come to life. Everything from his imposing physique to his chiseled jawline contributes to giving Cavill a perfect Superman look. Throw in the fact that Cavill’s costume is probably the best Superman costume ever worn by an actor on screen, and Cavill certainly has the edge over Reeves as far as looks go.
Reeves Is More Comic Accurate
While Cavill has the advantage of looking more like Superman, George Reeves has the advantage in that his version of the character is written to more resemble the character from the comics. The journey of Reeves’s character to becoming Superman is more in line with the origin story presented in the comics, with his adopted father dying of illness and his career as Superman being encouraged by his parents.
How he develops the Clark Kent persona is also more comic accurate, with Clark Kent being passive and avoiding conflict to the point where he is criticized for being a coward.
Cavill Has Better Powers
There are two aspects to this point. First of all Cavill’s Superman has powers that Reeves’s version does not, most notably heat vision. In addition, powers they both have, such as super hearing, are much stronger in Cavill’s Superman.
The second aspect is that the actual depiction of Superman’s powers is better in Cavill’s version. Granted, this is because of better filmmaking technology, but the point still stands that Cavill just looks better when his Superman uses his powers.
Reeves Is More Charming
Reeves’s Superman has a much more charming personality. His Superman is friendly and greets the people he encounters with a cheerful smile. As for his interactions with villainous characters, he comes off a lot less hostile than Cavill’s Superman does. The overall result is a character who is quite pleasant and who makes viewers feel as though they could be friends with him.
Cavill Is More Relatable
While fans may have an easier time seeing themselves as friends with Reeves’s Superman, it is much easier to empathize with Cavill’s Superman. The fact that Zack Snyder gives viewers a look into the mind of Cavill’s Superman and the internal conflicts that he faces contributes to this. It is easier to relate to someone who is struggling with his identity and what that means for his duty to others. In this way, Cavill’s Superman reveals his human side better than most other depictions of the character, including Reeves’s. It also throws in the added bonus of giving Cavill’s Superman an actual character arc as he learns to accept the superhero side of his identity and comes into his own as a hero.
Reeves Is More Confident
In contrast to the internal conflict present in Cavill’s Superman, Reeves’s Superman is confident in who he is and what he must do. He essentially starts where Cavill ends. While it does strip Reeves’s Superman of a character arc, it does serve to elevate his hero status.
Because of his confidence, Reeves’s Superman becomes a larger than life figure that is the ultimate superhero. Viewers want to see him succeed not because they relate to him, but because he personifies the best of what a hero can be.
Cavill Is More Dynamic
One of the elements that elevates the relatability of Cavill’s Superman is Cavill’s performance. Whereas Reeves’s performance as Superman is rather flat, Cavill brings a much more layered performance to the table. He has a range of genuine emotional reactions to events that Reeves lacks. As a result, Cavill’s version feels like an actual person while Reeves comes off more like a caricature.
Reeves Is A Better Hero For Kids
The fact that Reeves’s Superman is the epitome of a good superhero translates to him having all of the moral qualities that make him a noble character. This means that Reeves plays a Superman who is a much better role model for children than Cavill’s Superman is. While Cavill’s Superman learns how to give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards, Reeves simply is that ideal. As a result, Reeves does a better job of teaching young fans how to fight for truth, justice, and the American way.
Cavill’s Superman Has A Better Relationship With Lois
First of all, the version of Lois Lane that appears in Cavill’s films is a significantly better character than the one that appears in Reeves’s show. Movie Lois is intelligent and strong-willed while the TV series Lois is strong-willed but also stupid. This means the Lois from Cavill’s films is better suited to be the love interest of a powerful superhero than TV series Lois.
Second of all, the decision to have movie Lois know almost right away that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person is brilliant because it avoids all of the ridiculous drama that her ignorance in the show creates. This results in a much more healthy relationship between Superman and Lois in which they are able to help each other rather than Superman constantly being the only one in the relationship doing anything useful.
Reeves Is More Hopeful
A good result of Reeves’s Superman being a larger than life hero and a good role model is that he is more successful at being a beacon of hope for audiences than Cavill is. It is difficult to walk out of an episode of Reeves’s show without feeling inspired. None of Cavill’s films leave the audience on the same kind of positive note that Reeves’s show consistently did. This is because Reeves leaves his audience feeling, like his character, a little more hopeful.
