One of the most classic and affecting moments in Grant Morrison's run with the character is of a young suicide jumper who is stopped at the last moment by a reassuring Superman. It's especially incredible because it's during a particularly dark period for Supes as he faces down the end of his own mortality. With all of the weight of the world on his shoulders and time increasingly against him, Superman still stops what he's doing to help someone else because without his intervention a life will end. It's beautiful and it works because it's absolutely true to both the spirit of - and the reason for - the popularity of the character. Okay, now picture that but as a whole movie and also with Jimmy Stewart. Yeah, right? And although it would be another five years before George Reeves donned the big red cape for the '50s television series, he was still kicking around Hollywood at about that time and so that could have happened as well. This is not, by the way, to say that Henry Travers' turn as Clarence isn't great in its own right, but who needs a guardian angel when you've got a Superman? And how much more valuable is the small-town-sized charity when it's coming from a guy who has to juggle that with preventing World War Three, rather than a celestial being whose sole assigned purpose is to help out some down-on-his-luck schlub and who also benefits personally from the act? So much more valuable is the answer, by the way. Of course, if you've got a different take on these suggestions, or if you have some movie selections of your own that you think could be improved with some dashing superheroics, then we'd love to hear about it in the comments below! Let us know in the comments which other movies Superman could easily have made much better!
Eric Day co-hosts the Murderville Podcast at www.welcometomurderville.com
Give it a listen. Five minutes. Maybe you'll dig it. Maybe you'll hate it. But at least you'll have tried something new.
