Superman and the Mole Men (1951)

Filmed as a precursor to (and full-length advertisement for) the original Superman TV series, Superman and the Mole Men will be enjoyed most by fans of the TV series -- although many of them will already have seen a condensed version of this as part of that series. Modern viewers, used to the more sophisticated special effects in more recent Superman screen outings, will undoubtedly find Mole Men rather primitive fare -- the Mole Men themselves being essentially nothing more than midgets wearing bald skull caps and furry rugs (sometimes with the seams quite visible). But others will find its very primitive nature to be part of its charm. Certainly the screenplay is not an award winner. The characters are not particularly well developed, the basic set-up is functional but little else, and the dialogue gets things accomplished but without a great deal of style or wit. But to fans, it doesn't really matter: George Reeves and Phyllis Coates are on had to play Superman and Lois, and they deliver exactly what is expected. Even in this first outing, Reeves has his character down pat, playing it mostly straight but with the occasional wink, and Coates is a much tougher and believable Lois than was the character in the comics of the 1950s. Throw in a stubborn Jeff Corey and a nice turn from Walter Reed and the result will be more than enough to keep fans of the TV series happy. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide