The movie Superman Returns has started a frenzy of talking about how it salutes Christopher Reeve in many ways. From retaining the original music and the first two parts of the original movie to dedicating the movie itself to Reeve, the new Superman is thought to be a cherished gift for the fans of the original movies and the movie studios looking forward to the man of steel bringing in a lot of dough. Along the way, however, no one talks about the original Lois Lane played by Margaret Ruth Kidder, better known as Margot Kidder. Kidder went through big hurdles in her life in the forms of having bipolar disorder. That’s a bit along the same path as Reeve who spent the later part of this life trying to find a treatment for the paralysis that he went experienced. How come the main female character who was in all the original Superman series gets no recognition or mention in the press or the new movie, whereas the main male character keeps getting mentioned repeatedly in almost every newspaper in the world? Shouldn’t both characters be mentioned together?

The new movie itself gives a tribute to Christopher Reeve in the form of two lines that mention his and his wife’s name in the ending credits. No one, however, talks about Margot Kidder, who also went through trauma in her life, and is still alive, actively trying to find a treatment for bipolar disorder. Many people don’t even know who she is, let alone realize that she is the original love of the original Superman. How come all efforts were put into finding someone who resembled Reeve in the new movie, yet the person who plays Lois Lane does not remind us of either the face nor the character of the original Lois Lane? How about we have a dedicated mention for Kidder in the movie also? Why not have her be in the movie somehow, like in a cameo role, instead of trying to say that Reeves was being sought to appear in a cameo role in the movie just to show others that one respected Reeve? Is it because men are the real heroes and not women? Or is it because mental illnesses are looked upon as situations in which the end result is an inferior being, while for physical disabilities one is looked upon as a hero?

What good will it do to everyone mentioning Margot Kidder also? May be it will bring in more female audience for the movies, or may be it will show that the movie crew cares about another person and thus gain out a sympathy vote from the audience also. Either way, it sounds weird listening to every movie producer talking about Reeves being great, but not even acknowledging that other people from the original Superman movies are still alive, people who also made a big difference alongside Reeves. These people were Reeves’ friends; if we love Reeves, why not love his friends too who also did the very things that we love Reeves for?