Supergirl is a 1984 superhero film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and written by David Odell, based on the DC Comics character. It is a spin-off from the Superman film series and is set after the events of Superman III (1983). The film stars Helen Slater as Supergirl, along with Faye Dunaway, Hart Bochner, Peter Cook, Mia Farrow, Brenda Vaccaro, and Peter O'Toole, with Marc McClure reprising his role as Jimmy Olsen from the Superman films. It is the fourth film in the Superman film series, set after the events of Superman III (1983) and serving as a spin-off of the series.

The film was released by Thorn-EMI Screen Entertainment (through Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors Limited) in the United Kingdom on 19 July 1984 and by Tri-Star Pictures in the United States on 21 November 1984, to generally negative reviews from critics. It underperformed at the box office, grossing $14 million against a $35 million budget. Dunaway and O'Toole earned Golden Raspberry Award nominations for Worst Actress and Worst Actor, respectively. Slater was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actress. The film's failure ultimately led producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind to sell the Superman film rights to The Cannon Group, Inc. in 1986. Another Supergirl film would not be produced until 2026, when DC Studios released the DC Universe film Supergirl, with Milly Alcock in the title role.

Plot Kara Zor-El, cousin of Kal-El, and Jor-El's niece, lives in Argo City, an isolated community that survived the planet Krypton's destruction by being transported into a pocket of trans-dimensional space, called the "Innerspace". Zaltar, a wizard, has allowed Kara to observe a powerful item known as the "Omegahedron," which powers Argo and which he has borrowed without the knowledge of the city's government. However, a mishap leads to the Omegahedron being rocketed into space. Taking a ship, Kara follows the Omegahedron to Earth, transforming to "Supergirl" in the process, to recover it and save Argo City.

On Earth, the Omegahedron is recovered by Selena, a power-hungry would-be witch assisted by the feckless Bianca, seeking to free herself from a relationship with the warlock (and school teacher) Nigel. Whilst not knowing exactly what it is, Selena quickly realizes the Omegahedron is powerful and can give her true magic. Kara arrives on Earth and is granted new powers by its environment and the radiation of its sun like Superman. While seeking the Omegahedron, she creates the cover identity "Linda Lee" and enrolls at an all-girls school where she befriends Lois Lane's sister Lucy Lane. Kara also meets and becomes enamored with Ethan, a school groundskeeper.

Ethan also catches the eye of Selena, who drugs him with a love potion, which will make him fall in love with the first person he sees for a day. Ethan regains consciousness in Selena's absence and wanders out into the streets. An angry Selena uses her newfound powers to animate a construction vehicle to retrieve Ethan, causing chaos as it does so. Supergirl, in the guise of Linda, rescues Ethan, and he falls in love with her instead. Declaring that nobody gets in her way, Selena desires to seek out the student.

While trying to deal with the love-obsessed Ethan at an amusement park ride, Linda is ambushed by Selena before she turns into Supergirl and traps Selena temporarily in wires. Later on, back home, Selena enlists Nigel to teleport Ethan away in order to get Supergirl to come to them. Selena captures Ethan, then traps Supergirl and sends her to the Phantom Zone, a prison dimension. Now powerless, Supergirl wanders the bleak landscape and nearly drowns in an oily bog. Eventually, she encounters Zaltar, who has exiled himself to the Phantom Zone as punishment for losing the Omegahedron and sacrifices himself to help her escape. Back on Earth, Selena uses the Omegahedron to make herself a princess, with Ethan as her lover and consort, to go along with a mountain fortress and bikers to guard against dissent.

Emerging from the Phantom Zone through a mirror, Supergirl regains her powers and confronts Selena, who uses the Omegahedron to summon a shadow demon known as The Power of Shadow. The demon is on the verge of defeating Supergirl when she hears Zaltar's voice urging her to fight on. Supergirl breaks free, and Nigel tells her the only way to defeat Selena is to turn the demon against her. Supergirl complies and creates a focused whirlwind that traps Selena, who is then attacked and incapacitated by the demon as the whirlwind pulls in Bianca as well. The three are sucked through the mirror portal and trapped inside. Free from Selena's spell, Ethan admits his love for Linda, knowing she and Supergirl are the same. He also understands she must save Argo City and that he may not see her again. Kara returns the Omegahedron to Argo City, which then lights up again.

Cast Helen Slater as Kara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl Faye Dunaway as Selena Peter O'Toole as Zaltar Hart Bochner as Ethan Mia Farrow as Alura In-Ze Brenda Vaccaro as Bianca Peter Cook as Nigel Simon Ward as Zor-El Marc McClure as Jimmy Olsen Maureen Teefy as Lucy Lane David Healy as Mr. Danvers Sandra Dickinson as Pretty Young Lady Matt Frewer as Eddie, The Truck Driver Kelly Hunter as Argonian Citizen Glory Annen as Midvale Protester Bradley Lavelle as Lucy's Friend

Cast notes Christopher Reeve was slated to have a cameo as Superman, but bowed out early on.You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman (Redemption), Warner Home Video, 2006. His non-appearance in the film is explained via a news broadcast (overheard by Selena) stating that Superman has left Earth on a "peace-seeking mission" to a distant galaxy. In the Superman documentary You Will Believe..., director Jeannot Szwarc said Reeve's involvement in this film would have given the feature higher credibility, and admitted he wished Reeve had made a contribution to the film's production. A publicity photo of him as Superman does appear as a poster in Lucy and Linda's shared dorm room.

Marc McClure makes his fourth of five appearances in the Superman-related films; he is the only actor to appear in all four films featuring Superman and this spin-off film. Demi Moore auditioned for and was cast as Lucy Lane, but left to make the film Blame It on Rio.

Production After gaining the film rights for Superman: The Movie in the 1970s, Alexander Salkind and his son Ilya also purchased the rights to the character of Supergirl, should any sequel or spin-off occur. Supergirl was originally slated to debut in Superman III in a plot line intended to set up a standalone film, but her character was ultimately removed. The Salkinds announced the Supergirl film in April 1982, before production began on Superman III. After the critical disappointment of that film, the Salkinds opted to use the Supergirl movie to freshen the franchise. Ilya later recounted, "[It was] something different, to an extent. I thought it was a very different area to explore."Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood (pp. 145–157). Chicago Review Press. Originally, the plot was to center on Supergirl rescuing Superman, who would be portrayed as her cousin and mentor, but the film was heavily rewritten after Reeve chose not to be involved.

The producers attempted, and failed, to get the services of Richard Lester, who had directed Superman III and had completed the second film after their dismissal of original director Richard Donner. Robert Wise also turned down the director's chair. But French filmmaker Jeannot Szwarc, who was best known at that time for his work in television and for directing Jaws 2, was chosen after a meeting with Christopher Reeve, who had complimented him. Szwarc sought advice from Donner over some technical aspects of the production.

Hundreds of actresses tested for the role of Supergirl/Linda, among them Demi Moore and Brooke Shields. Shields and Moore were rejected by both Ilya and Szwarc, who wanted an unknown actress, and they instead signed Helen Slater, who was paid $75,000 in a three-picture deal. Slater had four months of physical training to prepare for the role. Additionally, Dolly Parton reportedly turned down the role of Selena before it was offered to Dunaway.

Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios near London on 18 April 1983, and wrapped on 11 August 1983. Although the Salkinds financed the film completely on their own budget, Warner Bros. was still involved in the production since the studio owned the distribution rights to the film, and its parent company, Warner Communications, was also the parent company of DC Comics, owners of all "Superman and Superman family" copyrights. The entire film was shot, edited, and overseen under the supervision of Warner Bros. and originally scheduled to be released in July 1984. However, the relationship between the studio and the partnership was strained after the critical and commercial underperformance of Superman III in June 1983, during the production of the film. The Salkinds insisted on moving the opening date from the summer to the holiday season to avoid competition with other major films and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The studio claimed it could not provide a holiday slot and relinquished its distribution rights of Supergirl to the Salkinds, who gave the distribution rights to Tri-Star Pictures. The film proceeded to be released overseas, however, and received a Royal Film Premiere in the United Kingdom in 1 July.

Music

The film score for Supergirl was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith, who had been the initial interest of director Richard Donner to compose for the first Superman film.Ilya Salkind, Pierre Spengler, Superman DVD audio commentary, 2006, Warner Home Video Goldsmith used several techniques to identify the music to the film, such as synthesizers simulating the sounds of take-off during the main theme.Supergirl soundtrack review. Filmtracks.com. Retrieved 4 December 2011. The soundtrack has been released twice, through Varèse Sarabande in 1985 and an extended version through Silva Screen in 1993. It has also been referred to by critics as one of the only redeeming qualities of the movie.Supergirl soundtrack review. Film Music Site. Retrieved 4 December 2011.Supergirl soundtrack review. AllMusic. Retrieved 4 December 2011.

"The Superman Poster", included on the 1993 release, incorporates John Williams's Superman theme.

1985 Varèse Sarabande Album "Main Title" (3:12) "'Where Is She?'" (1:05) "Black Magic" (4:06) "First Flight" (4:14) "The Butterfly" (1:34) "'Where Is Linda?'" (1:14) "The Monster Tractor" (7:26) "The Bracelet" (1:24) "Monster Storm" (2:55) "A New School" (2:08) "The Flying Car" (1:25) "The Map" (1:10) "9M-3" (1:41) "End Title" (6:05)

1993 Silva Screen Album "Overture" (6:07) "Main Title & Argo City" (3:15) "Argo City Mall" (0:56) "The Butterfly" (1:36) "The Journey Begins" (1:12) "Arrival on Earth/Flying Ballet" (5:36) "Chicago Lights/Street Attack" (2:23) "The Superman Poster" (0:52) "A New School" (2:13) "The Map" (1:10) "Ethan Spellbound" (2:13) "The Monster Tractor" (7:34) "Flying Ballet - Alternate Version" (2:13) "The Map - Alternate Version" (1:13) "The Bracelet" (1:44) "First Kiss/The Monster Storm" (4:35) "'Where Is She'/The Monster Bumper Cars" (2:57) "The Flying Bumper Car" (1:28) "'Where's Linda?'" (1:21) "Black Magic" (4:08) "The Phantom Zone" (3:42) "The Vortex/The End of Zaltar" (5:49) "The Final Showdown & Victory/End Title - Short Version" (12:10)

Release

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