Superman [lands holding a cat burglar]
Officer! Uh, good evening, Officer Mooney. Well, they say confession's good for the soul. [takes a handful of stolen jewelry out of the burglar's bag] I'd listen to this man. Take him away.
Played by Christopher Reeve 
Superman (1978) · 52 quotes
Superman (1978) · 52 quotes
Tied for 2nd most-quoted character in Superman (1978): in 12 of its 52 quotes
Most scenes with: Lois Lane (4), Lex Luthor (3), Otis (3)
Hi there. Something wrong with the elevator?
More lines from Superman
2 quotes Superman Superman [After getting "clubbed" on the head by a crowbar by a thief; the crowbar shivers uncontrollably in the thief's hands]
Bad vibrations?
Scenes with Superman
9 scenes
Pimp
[Clark changes into Superman in a revolving door]
Say, Jim! Whoo!
Superman Excuse me.
Pimp
That's a bad outfit! [Superman flies off] Whoo!
Superman [Superman flies up, grabbing the falling Lois Lane]
Easy, miss. I've got you.
You...you've got me? Who's got you?!
Superman [Having rescued Lois Lane from a crashing helicopter and lowers the helicopter on the roof] [to the techicians about the pilot]
Gentlemen, this man needs help! [to Lois] Well, I certainly hope this little incident hasn't put you off flying, miss. Statistically speaking, of course, it's still the safest way to travel. [prepare to flies away]
Wait! Who are you?
Superman A friend. [flies away] Bye.
[Lois waves at Superman and, quite understandably, faints]
You...enjoyed it.
Superman I don't know what to say. I guess I just got carried away.
I anticipated this, my son. I...
Superman You couldn't have! You couldn’t have imagined...
Superman How good it felt...
[couldn't resist a small smile]
You are revealed to the world. Very well. So be it. But still you must keep your secret identity.
Superman Why?
The reasons are two: First, you cannot serve humanity 28 hours a day.
Superman 24.
Or 24, as it is in Earth time. Your help would be called for endlessly, even for those tasks which human beings could solve themselves, because they're happy to abuse their resources in such a way.
Superman And secondly?
Second: Your enemies will discover their only way to hurt you by hurting the people you care for.
Superman Thank you, Father...
Lastly, do not punish yourself for your feelings of vanity. Simply learn to control them. It is an affliction common to all, even on Krypton... [expression changes] Our destruction could have been avoided but for the vanity of some who considered us indestructible. Were it not for vanity, why, at this very moment...I could embrace you in my arms [barely audible] ...my son...
[Lois Lane is waiting for Superman at her apartment]
Eight o'clock, he says eight o'clock. Hm. Some friend. [pours herself some wine] Story of my life. [sits down] Cinderella bites the dust.
Superman [lands at the edge of her terrace]
Good evening, Miss Lane.
U-Uh...hi!
Superman Oh, I'm sorry. Did you have plans this evening?
Oh. Oh, this old thing?...No.
Superman Well listen, it's no trouble at all for me to come back later-
No! [rushes forward] Don't move! Um, er, uh...sure, you can move. Um, just don't fly away, all right?
Superman [smiles, hops down onto the terrace, and walks forward]
Sorry to, uh, just drop in on you like this, Miss Lane, but I've been thinking. You know, there must be a lot of questions about me that people in the world would like to know the answers to...
Of course. Yes. Uh... [begins to light a cigarette]
Superman Uh, you really shouldn't smoke, you know, Miss Lane.
Don't tell me. Lung cancer, right?
Superman [using his x-ray vision, Superman looks at her lungs]
Well. Not yet, thank goodness.
Um, um, would you like a glass of wine?
Superman Uh, no, no thanks. I never drink when I fly. Nice place.
Oh, thank you. Thank you. Um...should we get started with that interview? [goes to sit down and Superman goes to get her chair] Oh! Huh. Thank you. [Superman sits down, too] Well, ah, let's start with your vital statistics. Are you married?
Superman Uh, no. No, I'm not.
Do you have a girlfriend?
Superman Uh, no, I don't, but, uh, if I did, Miss Lane, you'd be the first to know about it.
Um, how old are you?
Superman Over 21.
Oh, I get it, you don't want anyone to know how old. And how big are you? How tall are you?
Superman Uh, 'bout six-four.
Six-foot-four and, uh, how much do you weigh?
Superman Hm, around two, two-twenty five.
Two-Two-twenty five? Hm. Uh, well, um, um, I assume then that-that the rest of your bodily functions are...normal?
Superman Sorry, beg your pardon?
Well, putting it delicately. [leans forward] Do you...eat?
Superman Uh, yes. Yes, I do. When I'm hungry.
You do? Of course you do. [gets up from the table and stands besides a large lead planter] Well, then. Uh, is it true that uh, you can...see through anything?
Superman Yes, I can. Well, pretty much.
Mm-hm, and that you're, uh, totally impervious to pain?
Superman Well, so far.
What color underwear am I wearing?
Superman [looking]
Hmmm...
Oh, I'm sorry. I embarrassed you, didn't I?
Superman Oh, No, no, not at all, Miss Lane, it's just that this planter must be made of lead.
Uh, yes it is. So?
Superman Well, you see, I, uh, I sort of have a problem seeing through lead.
Oh! That's interesting. [writing] 'Problem seeing through lead'. Hmmm. Uh, d-do you have a first name?
Superman What, do you mean like Ralph or something?
No, no, I mean like, uh... [walks away from the planter]
Superman Pink.
Huh?
Superman Pink. [Lois scurries back to the planter] Um, sorry, Miss Lane, I didn't mean to embarrass you.
Oh, huh, you didn't embarrass me. Um, uh, what's your background? Uh, where do you hail from?
Superman Well, that's kinda hard to explain actually. See, I'm from, um, well, pretty far away. Another galaxy, as a matter of fact. I come from a planet called Krypton.
Huh?
Superman Krypton.
Oh, Krypton!
With a C-R-I?
Superman Uh...
No?
Superman No, a-actually, it's K-R-Y-P-T-O-N.
K-R-Y...do you like pink?
Superman I like pink very much, Lois.
Why are you?
Superman I'm sorry?
I mean, w-why are you here? There must be a reason for you to be here.
Superman Yes.
Mm-hm?
Superman I'm here to fight for truth and justice and the American way.
You're gonna end up fighting every elected official in this country!
Superman I'm sure you don't really mean that, Lois.
Superman Lois, I never lie.
Oh. Um...uh, oh! Just how fast do you fly...by the way?
Superman Oh, I don't know really. Y'know, I've never actually, uh, bothered to time myself.
No?
Superman Say. Why don't we find out?
And how do you propose we do that?
Superman Take a ride with me?
You mean I could fly?
Superman Well, actually, I'd be handling the flying if that's okay.
This is utterly fantastic!
Superman Wait, wait a minute, where are you going?
Are you serious?
Superman Sure. What's the matter, don't you wanna go? Okay. [Lois grabs the pad and pen] Won't need these.
I mean. A sweater. It must be kind of cold?
Superman You'll be warm enough. [takes Lois by the hand] Ready?
[stares at Superman]
Clark...said that you're just a figment of somebody's imagination. Like Peter Pan.
Superman Clark, uh. Who's that? Your boyfriend?
Clark? Oh, Clark, no, he's nothing, he's just, uh...
Superman Peter Pan, huh?
Uh-huh.
Superman Peter Pan flew with children, Lois. In a fairy tale.
[Superman grip Lois's shoulders, they shoot up into the night sky. Lois gasps]
Superman [Superman carries Lois back to her terrace and puts her down]
We forgot to time ourselves. Maybe next time. [starts walking back to the edge of the terrace]: You okay?
Superman Good night.
Good night. [watches Superman flying away, thinking to herself] What a super man! [pauses] Superman!
[Knocking is heard from her door] [from behind the door]
Anybody home? Hello? Lois? [Lois answers the door] Hi. Can I come in?
Lois, for goodness sake, didn't you hear me knocking?
Lois, we did have a date tonight, remember?
Oh!
Oh! No. No.
Well, I certainly hope not. Well, let's push off, shall we?
I'd better get a coat.
[Lois goes into the bedroom to get her coat. Clark then removes his glasses, straightens his posture, and takes a deep breath] [rehearsing in Superman's voice]
Lois, there's something I have to tell you. I'm really... [Lois returns with her coat, before he quickly puts on his glasses and starts slouching again, reverting back to Clark's voice] I mean...I was at first really nervous about tonight. But then I decided, well-Darn it, I was going to show you the time of your life.
[grins to himself, exiting as well, shutting the door behind him]
I was thinking maybe we could go for a hamburger or whatever you want to do...
[Superman breaks down Lex Luthor's door]
It's open, come in. My attorney will be in touch with you about the damage to the door. Otis, take the gentleman's cape.
Superman All right, Luthor. Where's the gas pellet?
Somewhere...hidden in the back of my mind, actually. It's a little idea I was toying with.
Superman Is that how a warped brain like yours gets its kicks? By planning the death of innocent people?
No. By causing the death of innocent people.
[pointing to a map of California and the San Andreas Fault]
Everything west of this line is the richest, most expensive real estate in the world: San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Everything on this side of the line is just hundreds and hundreds of miles of worthless desert land, which just so happens to be owned by... [whaps Otis with his pointer]
Uhhh...Lex Luthor, Incorporated.
Now, call me foolish, call me irresponsible, it occurs to me that a 500 megaton bomb planted at just the proper point would, uh...
Superman Would destroy most of California. Millions of innocent people would be killed. And the West Coast as we know it would-
Fall into the sea. Bye-bye, California. Hello, new West Coast. My West Coast. [Otis overlays map with new map]
Costa Del Lex. Luthorville. Marina del Lex. Otisburg...Otisburg?
Miss Teschmacher, she's got her own place. ["Teschmacher Peaks"]
Otisburg?
It's a little bitty place.
Okay, I'll just wipe it off, that's all. It's just a little town. [erases Otisburg]
Superman [Last lines] [Superman has just arrived at the jailhouse with Luthor and his bumbling sidekick Otis. Both men are bossing him around as he lowers them and himself to the ground]
Good evening, Warden. I think these two men should be safe here with you now till they can get a fair trial.
Warden
Who is it, Superman?
[removes his wig to reveal his bald head]
Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind of our time!
Of our time!
I hereby serve notice-
He's serving notice to you-
...that these walls-
That these walls here-
Superman Alright, take 'em away, boys!
Warden
[Luthor and Otis continue their verbal bickering as the guards escort them into the prison]
This country is safe again, Superman, thanks to you.
Superman No, sir. Don't thank me, Warden. We're all part of the same team. Good night.
