From superhero in movies to hero in real life

Height 1.93, nice looking, good actor, friendly, sports lover, Christopher Reeve He had two lives. First, that of the boy who overcomes his father’s contempt, triumphs in the cinema and wins the love of the whole world. Suddenly, an accident makes him paraplegic.

There begins the other life, that of the disabled who first wants to die and then decides to fight and continue smiling for himself, for his people, and for the people who have the same misfortune but not his resources, his arrival at important people and places, and, above all, the love and support of the family and the entire world that continues to love him. This is what he talks about “Super/Man”the documentary that premieres this week, almost exactly on the twentieth anniversary of his death.

Reeve had only appeared in three series and one of Charlton Heston, “SOS nuclear submarine”when they chose him to star “Superman”and with that single film he became a superstar. Then he showed off in the romantic “Ask time to return”placed himself at the command of the exquisite James Ivory in “You Will Love a Stranger” (The Bostonians) and “The rest of the day”played a villain in “Mgr” and “Anna Karenina”with Jacqueline Bissetand, of course, he also made three sequels to “Superman”. He was in full activity when he fell badly in a show jumping competition.

“Super/Man” succinctly reviews those years of great movement, and focuses on those that made him a true hero. This is how we see the treatments in search of partial improvements and the work as a director (“In the gloaming”with Glenn Close and Whoopi Goldbergand other films) and actor, such as the new version of “Rear Window” with Daryl Hannahfor which he won awards.

But above all we see, and this is very interesting, the creation of the Christopher Reeve Foundation for the treatment of spinal cord injuries and the rights of disabled people. When he died, due to an infection, his wife continued to take care of her. When she died, her children followed. The film closes with the approval of a law that they promoted to benefit thousands of paralyzed people.

Children, brother, first wife (Gae Exton) and many friends evoke it in the film: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Whoopi Goldberg. Susan Sarandonthe quadriplegic writer Brooke Ellison Foundation co-creator Michael Manganiello, Steven Kirchblummedical eminence, and, providing some fun, the veteran Pierre Spenglerproducer of the first three “Superman”.

From the archives the memories of Richard Donnerdirector of the first; Robin Williamshis soul friend, and Danahis second wife, who with enormous love gave him the strength to continue living, and became deathly ill a few months after losing him.

Directors, Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedguithe same as “The extraordinary history of the Paralympic Games” which can be seen on Netflix, games that began in 1948 for war veterans, were expanded in 1960 for disabled people in general and, by the way, since that year they have given Argentina 178 medals (33 gold) without the country largely took notice.

In this journey through the humanitarian work of Christopher Reeve A series of television specials could be added dedicated to dignifying the disabled (highlights “Without Pity: A Film About Abilities”without mercy, a film about skills) and his work on the board of directors of TEAM, The Exceptional Athlete Mattersan association that, among other things, in 1998 organized a bike ride for Vietnam War veterans, touring the country where they had fought for 16 days. A kind of encounter, and exorcism, with the enemies of other times. All crippled. This was made into a touching and at the same time joyful documentary, “Vietnam Long Time Coming”shown here only once, at the Mar del Plata Festival ’99. It should be recovered.

“Super/Man” (Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, USA-GB, 2024); Dir.: Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui. Documentary.