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[dramatic music playing]
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[screams]
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[music intensifies]
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[presenter]
We are about to meet someone
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who made the whole world
believe that he could fly.
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[Christopher Reeve] There is
something about America,
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which is very short on heroes.
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We need something.
We need all the heroes
we can get.
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Good afternoon, Mr. President.
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Mr. President,
and ladies and gentlemen,
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Superman may be make-believe.
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But, the qualities of courage,
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and of character, that make
him unique are very real.
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[reporter] He starred
in four Superman movies,
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making him one of the most
famous faces in Hollywood.
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How you doing?
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[Chris] Superman
has changed everything.
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Any more at home like you?
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Uh, not really, no.
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Today, Superman.
Tomorrow, what?
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[Chris] I've got another 20,
30 years ahead,
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and a wider range of roles
to come,
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and more interesting parts
to play.
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Do you prefer to be called
Chris or Christopher
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or Mr. Reeve?
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- Or sir? Or Your Excellence?
- [laughs]
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No. Chris is fine.
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[nostalgic music playing]
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[Chris] For the first time,
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my professional
and personal life
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seemed perfectly balanced.
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[woman] Don't they always?
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[Chris] Our plans for the year
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were falling into place
beautifully.
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Just take a second to really
make a wish for the new year.
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Think about a nice wish
for the new year,
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and then we'll all blow out
the candles together.
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One, two, three...
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[music stops]
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[Chris] And then,
in an instant...
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[ventilator hisses]
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[Chris] ...everything changed.
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[slow inspirational music
fading in]
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- [playing gentle music]
- [Chris singing]
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♪ Yes, my dear
Yes, my dear...♪
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[Will Reeve] Most of what
I remember about my dad
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comes from stories
and photos and videos.
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It's coalesced in my brain
as a memory
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and it's kind of
a perfect day.
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Love you, too, Daddy.
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[Chris] Why don't you climb
up on the bed with Mommy?
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[Will] My childhood bedroom
shared a wall
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with my parents' bathroom,
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and when I was
a little two-year-old...
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when I woke up, I would knock
on the... on the bathroom wall
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and my dad,
he would knock back.
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Yeah.
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And then he or my mom would
come around and carry me in.
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My mom was out of this world.
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No.
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[Will] A hug from my mom
was like being wrapped up
by the sun.
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Forever and ever,
we will know
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that this is how I look
in the morning.
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- I love you.
- I love you more.
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- [Chris] Hey, Matthew.
- Yeah?
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[Chris] Hi. Merry Christmas.
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[laughter]
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- [Chris] Al... Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
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[young Will] Merry Christmas.
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[Will] Matthew and Al
are my half siblings,
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but, as we say,
"There's no half."
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They're my brother and sister.
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[Al] Dad and my mum separated
when I was three,
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and so, pretty early on,
we had two households.
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During the school year,
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my brother and I
would be in England
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and then every vacation,
we would come over
to the States.
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- Oh! Thank you.
- [laughter]
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- [Chris] Aw!
- Did you get that? The kiss?
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- [Chris] Great.
- Yep.
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- Oh, my God.
- Oh, we got that.
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[Matthew Reeve]
Usually, you know, we'd get
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like, ten days
or a couple weeks.
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[Dana] You ready
for your close-up, Mr. Reeve?
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[Matthew]
Doing things with my dad,
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it was all about
activity and action.
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Riding bikes, playing soccer,
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skiing, swimming,
horse riding with my sister.
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Hi.
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[Dana] A few words
from Al's trainer.
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- How's she doing, Coach?
- Doing good.
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She's getting ready.
I think we're going to go
for Saratoga,
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and jump the big ones
this year.
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I mean, she really...
could be in the money.
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- [Dana] Good to hear.
- Thanks.
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[Dana] Thanks very much.
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Learning how to ride horses
was strange for me
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because I've always
been allergic to horses.
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[Al] He was cast
in Anna Karenina
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and there were riding scenes,
and he realized,
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"If I'm going to do this
and be on a horse,
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I have to do it for real."
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He injected himself
with antihistamine every day
for months.
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[Chris] I sort of took
a crash course
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enough to get me
through the movie.
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If you look,
that's actually me
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in the middle of the Hungarian
national equestrian team,
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doing a steeplechase.
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Come on!
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I was in the middle
for a good reason,
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because if I was about to go,
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they could catch me
and keep me on.
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- [audience laughs]
- But anyway,
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my wife and I
have riding in common.
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It's become a very
central part of our life.
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[Al] He just
absolutely adored it.
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[Will] He was an intense guy.
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He didn't do anything
half-assed.
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[Matthew] You could
not fail and quit.
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It was like, you try,
you fail, you try harder.
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[Chris] Back in
the Superman years,
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I always used to joke about
needing to be very careful,
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because I didn't want
to read a headline
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in the New York Post like,
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"Superman hit
by a school bus."
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I was getting to be
a pretty good rider.
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[woman] In first place,
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Denver, ridden
by Christopher Reeve.
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[crowd cheers]
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Our latest entry,
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this is Will Reeve. Say, "Hi."
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- Hi.
- Hi.
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[laughter]
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[Will] It was Memorial Day
weekend, 1995.
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My dad was competing
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in a cross-country
horseback riding competition.
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[Al] And was just so excited
to get down there.
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[man] What?
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[Matthew] And my dad had been
in London for some reason
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a few weeks before.
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We said, "Goodbye,"
and I ran upstairs to, like...
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I guess, watch him...
you know, walk away.
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And I remember him turning,
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I guess, instinctively,
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knowing I would do that
and, um... [voice breaks]
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[smacks lips]
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Yeah. He gave this wave and...
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[inhales sharply]
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Um, that was the last time
I saw him on his feet.
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[newscaster 1]
Rumors have been flying
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since 42-year-old
Christopher Reeve
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fell off a horse
this past weekend.
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Well, tonight, many of the
worst reports are true.
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00:08:05,941 --> 00:08:07,290
Wendy Rieger joins us now,
with the latest
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00:08:07,464 --> 00:08:08,726
from the hospital
in Charlottesville.
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Today, we're hoping
to get an update
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on Christopher Reeve's
condition.
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[newscaster 2] Doctors aren't
saying too much
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about his chances
of pulling through.
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Millions of people
around the world
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are praying
and remembering tonight.
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[reporter] The Reeve family
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has refused to talk
about the injury.
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Their silence prompted
much speculation
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that he was near death.
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[Susan Sarandon]
I just remember thinking,
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"That's impossible."
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We just kept trying to call
and find out
what was going on.
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And was it true and
how could that have happened?
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I mean, there was
so much disbelief.
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[Al] Matthew and I flew
over with my mom.
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It was circus mode
at that point.
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And we still
didn't know a thing
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because nobody knew
what was happening.
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It was this big cloud
of confusion.
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We saw Dana
and she just burst into tears.
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First time I'd seen her cry,
I think, ever.
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What a horror show.
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It wasn't clear
what was gonna happen.
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[reporter]
His doctor met the press.
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The news is not encouraging.
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00:09:04,913 --> 00:09:06,828
Mr. Reeve currently
has no movement
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or spontaneous respiration.
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He may require surgery
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00:09:12,094 --> 00:09:14,052
to stabilize the upper spine
in the near future.
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You know, he almost died.
His heart stopped.
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He flatlined certainly twice.
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00:09:19,492 --> 00:09:23,584
He was given
basically a 50/50 chance
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00:09:23,758 --> 00:09:25,934
of surviving
to the end of the day.
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[sniffles] Um...
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You think of your parents
as completely invulnerable.
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And he was always so careful
and so capable and...
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I mean,
he was just Dad, right?
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Like, this constant that you
never even have
to think about.
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00:09:45,562 --> 00:09:47,477
[Will] The surgery
that they did on my dad
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00:09:47,651 --> 00:09:49,044
had never been done before.
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00:09:49,218 --> 00:09:51,307
They reattached his head
to his body.
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00:09:52,482 --> 00:09:53,788
Tragic news for the actor
199
00:09:53,962 --> 00:09:55,616
known for his role
as the Man of Steel.
200
00:09:55,790 --> 00:09:57,443
Virginia doctors
now confirm that
201
00:09:57,618 --> 00:09:59,968
Christopher Reeve
is indeed paralyzed
202
00:10:00,142 --> 00:10:02,448
and unable
to breathe on his own.
203
00:10:04,799 --> 00:10:07,323
Superman? Crazy.
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00:10:07,497 --> 00:10:09,630
Just that simple little thing
over the horse.
205
00:10:09,804 --> 00:10:10,761
It's just crazy.
206
00:10:16,071 --> 00:10:16,985
[gas hisses]
207
00:10:17,159 --> 00:10:19,117
[machine alarm beeping]
208
00:10:19,291 --> 00:10:21,250
[ventilator hissing]
209
00:10:33,262 --> 00:10:35,656
[Chris] I lay on my back,
frozen,
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00:10:35,830 --> 00:10:39,137
unable to avoid thinking
the darkest thoughts,
211
00:10:39,311 --> 00:10:43,098
because it had dawned on me
that I had ruined my life
212
00:10:43,272 --> 00:10:45,753
- and everybody else's.
- [tense music playing]
213
00:10:45,927 --> 00:10:49,800
I won't be able to ski.
Won't be able to sail...
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00:10:49,974 --> 00:10:52,760
Won't be able
to make love to Dana.
215
00:10:52,934 --> 00:10:54,892
I won't be able
to throw a ball to Will.
216
00:10:55,066 --> 00:10:56,633
I won't be able to do a thing.
217
00:10:56,807 --> 00:10:59,592
- [plays chord]
- Again.
218
00:10:59,767 --> 00:11:01,072
[Chris echoing]
This can't be me. Why me?
219
00:11:01,246 --> 00:11:02,857
There's gotta be a mistake.
220
00:11:03,031 --> 00:11:04,597
Oh, I'm an idiot.
Oh, God. I'm trapped! No life.
221
00:11:04,772 --> 00:11:06,295
What am I gonna do?
I've spoiled everything.
222
00:11:06,469 --> 00:11:07,992
I'm going to be
a charity case.
223
00:11:08,166 --> 00:11:10,168
[music fades out]
224
00:11:10,342 --> 00:11:13,171
He was in and out
of consciousness.
225
00:11:13,345 --> 00:11:17,698
He was having clearly what
were horrible hallucinations.
226
00:11:17,872 --> 00:11:19,221
[Chris echoing]
I'm in prison. I've got
227
00:11:19,395 --> 00:11:20,962
a life sentence.
Please let me out.
228
00:11:21,136 --> 00:11:22,920
For some reason I didn't
get my hands down
229
00:11:23,094 --> 00:11:24,530
- and break my fall.
- [horse neighs]
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00:11:24,705 --> 00:11:26,619
[echoing stops]
231
00:11:26,794 --> 00:11:29,535
Witnesses said that Buck was
absolutely willing and ready.
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00:11:29,710 --> 00:11:33,017
That I was going
not excessively fast.
233
00:11:33,191 --> 00:11:34,758
[horse neighs]
234
00:11:34,932 --> 00:11:36,760
Apparently, Buck started
to jump the fence,
235
00:11:36,934 --> 00:11:39,197
but all of a sudden,
he just put on the brakes.
236
00:11:43,549 --> 00:11:45,900
It was what riders call
a dirty stop.
237
00:11:47,379 --> 00:11:49,251
And I landed right on my head,
238
00:11:49,425 --> 00:11:52,428
six feet four inches
and 215 pounds of me.
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00:11:55,692 --> 00:11:58,651
This break is what happens
when the trap door opens
240
00:11:58,826 --> 00:12:01,089
and the noose snaps tight.
241
00:12:01,263 --> 00:12:04,135
Half an inch to the left,
dead instantly.
242
00:12:04,309 --> 00:12:08,139
Half an inch to the right,
an embarrassing, scary fall
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00:12:08,313 --> 00:12:10,011
that he got up
and walked away from.
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00:12:11,882 --> 00:12:17,235
♪ [Reeve family singing]
Happy Birthday, dear Will ♪
245
00:12:17,409 --> 00:12:21,718
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
246
00:12:21,892 --> 00:12:23,067
- [applause]
- [Dana] Go on!
247
00:12:26,592 --> 00:12:30,509
[Will] We had my third birthday
party outside the ICU.
248
00:12:30,683 --> 00:12:33,425
[Matthew] Dana threw
like, a birthday party
for Will,
249
00:12:33,599 --> 00:12:35,863
complete with, like,
a really annoying clown.
250
00:12:36,037 --> 00:12:36,907
[in high-pitched voice]
I told you
251
00:12:37,081 --> 00:12:38,735
I brought my suitcase! Here!
252
00:12:38,909 --> 00:12:39,910
[Matthew] And he had,
like, a really good time
253
00:12:40,084 --> 00:12:41,216
and really enjoyed himself.
254
00:12:41,390 --> 00:12:43,435
Hi.
255
00:12:43,609 --> 00:12:46,177
She tried to keep things
normal for Will,
256
00:12:46,351 --> 00:12:48,614
to try and protect him
as much as she could.
257
00:12:50,529 --> 00:12:53,315
[Will] There was some fighting
within the family.
258
00:12:53,489 --> 00:12:56,057
My dad's mom wanted
to take him off life support.
259
00:12:57,362 --> 00:12:59,190
He has low moments.
260
00:12:59,364 --> 00:13:03,978
I think anybody, um, with
an injury as severe as his
261
00:13:04,152 --> 00:13:05,718
is bound to have low moments.
262
00:13:07,416 --> 00:13:09,505
My mom did not
want to do that.
263
00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:11,463
[Dana] He's a fighter.
264
00:13:11,637 --> 00:13:13,161
But this has to be
the toughest challenge
265
00:13:13,335 --> 00:13:14,205
that he's ever faced.
266
00:13:14,379 --> 00:13:16,425
I know it's mine.
267
00:13:16,599 --> 00:13:18,557
[Chris] Dana came
into the room,
268
00:13:18,731 --> 00:13:22,213
she knelt down next to me
and we made eye contact.
269
00:13:22,387 --> 00:13:25,477
And then I mouthed
my first lucid words to her,
270
00:13:25,651 --> 00:13:27,740
"Maybe we should let me go."
271
00:13:27,915 --> 00:13:29,742
[machine beeping]
272
00:13:29,917 --> 00:13:31,353
[Chris] Dana started crying.
273
00:13:34,225 --> 00:13:36,880
She said, "I'm only
gonna say this once.
274
00:13:38,447 --> 00:13:40,579
I'll support whatever
you want to do
275
00:13:40,753 --> 00:13:43,147
because this is your life
and your decision.
276
00:13:43,321 --> 00:13:44,845
But I want you to know
277
00:13:45,019 --> 00:13:46,542
that I'll be with you
for the long haul,
278
00:13:46,716 --> 00:13:48,500
no matter what."
279
00:13:48,674 --> 00:13:51,503
And then she added the words
that saved my life.
280
00:13:51,677 --> 00:13:53,636
[emotional music playing]
281
00:13:56,944 --> 00:14:00,034
[Chris] "You're still you
and I love you."
282
00:14:05,822 --> 00:14:08,129
I think if she had looked away
or paused
283
00:14:08,303 --> 00:14:10,435
or hesitated even slightly
284
00:14:10,609 --> 00:14:15,136
or if I had felt there was
a sense of her being noble,
285
00:14:15,310 --> 00:14:17,268
I don't know if
I could have pulled through.
286
00:14:18,704 --> 00:14:21,707
"You are still you.
And we love you."
287
00:14:23,709 --> 00:14:26,060
So, out of that discussion of,
288
00:14:26,234 --> 00:14:28,758
"Is it going to make sense
for him to stay alive?"
289
00:14:28,932 --> 00:14:31,195
came that capsulation,
in a way,
290
00:14:31,369 --> 00:14:34,198
of the value of... of living.
291
00:14:36,418 --> 00:14:37,854
Everyone is devastated.
292
00:14:38,028 --> 00:14:40,726
But it was not without
moments of grace.
293
00:14:40,901 --> 00:14:43,555
One that was just incredible
was Robin Williams.
294
00:14:43,729 --> 00:14:45,514
Hello, I'm Robin Williams,
295
00:14:45,688 --> 00:14:47,690
and if you don't know that...
Hahaha!
296
00:14:47,864 --> 00:14:50,301
[Al] Robin Williams
had been Dad's roommate
297
00:14:50,475 --> 00:14:52,042
and had this
deep relationship with him
298
00:14:52,216 --> 00:14:54,740
going back so many years.
299
00:14:54,915 --> 00:14:56,612
[Chris] I think Robin is one
of the great human beings
that was ever put here.
300
00:14:56,786 --> 00:14:58,919
I'm the godfather of his son,
and everything.
301
00:14:59,093 --> 00:15:01,617
What you got with Robin
is just waves of humanity
302
00:15:01,791 --> 00:15:03,488
and respect come from him.
303
00:15:03,662 --> 00:15:06,448
[Will] His wife, Marsha,
became my mom's best friend
304
00:15:06,622 --> 00:15:08,667
and is like a sort
of fairy godmother to me.
305
00:15:08,841 --> 00:15:11,888
And Robin's approach
was a little bit different
306
00:15:12,062 --> 00:15:13,977
than other family members.
[laughs]
307
00:15:14,151 --> 00:15:16,806
They had just taken him off,
you know, the heavy sedation
308
00:15:16,980 --> 00:15:18,286
and I think
he was just coming back,
309
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:20,941
and I came in
as a Russian proctologist.
310
00:15:21,115 --> 00:15:22,681
[audience laughs]
311
00:15:22,855 --> 00:15:24,205
[Oprah Winfrey] He didn't know
you were coming in?
312
00:15:24,379 --> 00:15:25,510
No, I put... Well, they put me
in scrubs,
313
00:15:25,684 --> 00:15:27,469
- so I just had the face.
- [Oprah] Uh-huh.
314
00:15:27,643 --> 00:15:28,905
And I said,
[in Russian accent]
"If you don't mind,
315
00:15:29,079 --> 00:15:30,254
I'm going to have
to put on a rubber glove
316
00:15:30,428 --> 00:15:31,864
and examine
your internal organs."
317
00:15:32,039 --> 00:15:33,779
[in normal voice]
And I, and I kind of said,
318
00:15:33,954 --> 00:15:34,476
[in Russian accent]
"Oh, look at the size
of this baby."
319
00:15:34,650 --> 00:15:36,217
[all laugh]
320
00:15:36,391 --> 00:15:37,783
[in normal voice]
And I saw he started to laugh
321
00:15:37,958 --> 00:15:38,654
'cause his eyes lit up
and he knew it was me.
322
00:15:38,828 --> 00:15:40,395
[audience applauds]
323
00:15:40,569 --> 00:15:41,831
[Chris] My old friend
had helped me know
324
00:15:42,005 --> 00:15:43,659
that somehow,
I was gonna be okay.
325
00:15:43,833 --> 00:15:45,617
I mean, life's gonna be
very different,
326
00:15:45,791 --> 00:15:48,229
but I can still laugh.
327
00:15:48,403 --> 00:15:51,232
And Robin
is a really good friend.
328
00:15:51,406 --> 00:15:53,930
Anything, if you needed
anything, he would be there.
329
00:15:54,104 --> 00:15:56,150
I think he and Robin
were such good friends
330
00:15:56,324 --> 00:15:58,630
because they could
match each other.
331
00:15:58,804 --> 00:16:00,502
I mean,
Chris didn't have Robin's...
332
00:16:00,676 --> 00:16:03,070
you know, but he could...
he could keep up with him.
333
00:16:03,244 --> 00:16:04,854
[applause]
334
00:16:05,028 --> 00:16:06,203
All right, somebody's fantasy.
335
00:16:06,377 --> 00:16:07,726
[laughter]
336
00:16:09,598 --> 00:16:11,643
And not many people
could do that.
337
00:16:11,817 --> 00:16:13,776
[gentle music playing]
338
00:16:13,950 --> 00:16:17,519
[Chris] As I started to face
reality in intensive care,
339
00:16:17,693 --> 00:16:21,131
moments from my former life
kept popping into my head.
340
00:16:21,305 --> 00:16:22,872
It was like a slide show,
341
00:16:23,046 --> 00:16:25,179
but the pictures
were all out of sequence.
342
00:16:25,353 --> 00:16:27,007
- [audience cheers]
- [Chris] My most
cherished memories
343
00:16:27,181 --> 00:16:29,879
when I was whole,
healthy, free.
344
00:16:32,099 --> 00:16:33,709
[upbeat disco music playing]
345
00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,235
[car horn blaring]
346
00:16:38,409 --> 00:16:40,411
[Chris] After graduating
from Cornell,
347
00:16:40,585 --> 00:16:42,109
I had planned
to go to New York
348
00:16:42,283 --> 00:16:44,111
and join the ranks
of young hopefuls
349
00:16:44,285 --> 00:16:46,896
trying for a career
in the theater.
350
00:16:47,070 --> 00:16:48,680
Juilliard is one of the best
schools in the country,
351
00:16:48,854 --> 00:16:50,204
and you learn how to move,
352
00:16:50,378 --> 00:16:52,032
mime, tumbling,
acrobatics, acting.
353
00:16:52,206 --> 00:16:54,599
You and Robin Williams
were classmates?
354
00:16:54,773 --> 00:16:57,124
[Chris] That's right. We were
in the advanced program.
355
00:16:57,298 --> 00:17:02,346
And we were training
to be Shakespearean actors
356
00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:03,695
in the English tradition,
357
00:17:03,869 --> 00:17:06,002
able to enunciate
for no reason.
358
00:17:06,176 --> 00:17:08,570
[Chris] There was certainly
nothing they could teach him.
359
00:17:08,744 --> 00:17:10,137
Yes, I've already
cleared the theater
360
00:17:10,311 --> 00:17:11,703
with the rehearsal schedule.
361
00:17:11,877 --> 00:17:12,835
In the lights, you will
think it was a proper...
362
00:17:13,009 --> 00:17:14,706
[Chris] John Houseman
363
00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:16,839
had just won the Academy Award
for best supporting actor.
364
00:17:17,013 --> 00:17:18,884
He said, "Mr. Reeve,
it is very important
365
00:17:19,059 --> 00:17:20,886
you become a serious
classical actor.
366
00:17:21,061 --> 00:17:22,888
Unless of course,
they offer you
367
00:17:23,063 --> 00:17:24,542
a load of money
to do something else."
368
00:17:24,716 --> 00:17:25,587
[all laugh]
369
00:17:25,761 --> 00:17:28,285
It's all yours.
370
00:17:28,459 --> 00:17:31,636
[Chris] I probably gravitated
towards the theater
371
00:17:31,810 --> 00:17:35,988
as a way out of uncertainties
growing up,
372
00:17:36,163 --> 00:17:39,818
that the theater became
a neutral kind of territory,
373
00:17:39,992 --> 00:17:41,777
but that felt like home.
374
00:17:43,474 --> 00:17:46,216
I had grown up
between two families,
375
00:17:46,390 --> 00:17:49,132
and neither one
ever seemed truly secure.
376
00:17:50,481 --> 00:17:52,440
The family backstory is...
377
00:17:53,528 --> 00:17:54,485
is complicated.
378
00:17:54,659 --> 00:17:56,139
Uh, I'm not sure how much
379
00:17:56,313 --> 00:17:58,533
I want to get into the whole
Reeve side because
380
00:17:58,707 --> 00:18:01,362
they were
just so fucked up.
381
00:18:01,536 --> 00:18:04,452
[Chris] My father, the poet
and scholar, Franklin Reeve,
382
00:18:04,626 --> 00:18:08,325
courted my mother,
Barbara Pitney Lamb, ardently.
383
00:18:08,499 --> 00:18:11,198
But there was a widening gulf
between my parents
384
00:18:11,372 --> 00:18:13,765
when I was born.
385
00:18:13,939 --> 00:18:15,593
When I was three years old,
my parents got divorced
386
00:18:15,767 --> 00:18:17,682
and there was a kind
of acrimony between them,
387
00:18:17,856 --> 00:18:19,510
- that was really painful.
- Okay.
388
00:18:19,684 --> 00:18:20,946
It was sort of, you had to
call out the National Guard
389
00:18:21,121 --> 00:18:22,644
to keep peace between them,
you know?
390
00:18:22,818 --> 00:18:24,689
[Matthew] Both his parents
remarried twice
391
00:18:24,863 --> 00:18:27,344
and had other children.
392
00:18:27,518 --> 00:18:31,261
So, it was a big family,
quite fractured.
393
00:18:31,435 --> 00:18:33,307
[Al] I think it felt like
he lived on shifting sands,
394
00:18:33,481 --> 00:18:35,178
because he had gone
back and forth
395
00:18:35,352 --> 00:18:38,181
between his mother's household
and his dad.
396
00:18:38,355 --> 00:18:41,489
He never really felt
that sense of home.
397
00:18:41,663 --> 00:18:44,274
Franklin, even if
he wasn't around,
398
00:18:44,448 --> 00:18:47,147
he played a big part
in my dad's life.
399
00:18:47,321 --> 00:18:49,105
[Kevin] I'm sure there was
an element of,
400
00:18:49,279 --> 00:18:50,628
you know, how do you satisfy
401
00:18:50,802 --> 00:18:53,588
the father that,
in a sense, left you?
402
00:18:53,762 --> 00:18:55,546
[Chris] So, there's
this really charismatic man
403
00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,679
who could do anything
from translating Dostoevsky
404
00:18:57,853 --> 00:19:00,812
to sailing a boat and chopping
trees and playing tennis.
405
00:19:00,986 --> 00:19:02,466
And it was really scary.
406
00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,598
I thought, I'm never
gonna do anything
407
00:19:03,772 --> 00:19:05,382
to impress him, you know?
408
00:19:05,556 --> 00:19:07,471
I'd say, "I was in this play,"
he'd say, "Eh."
409
00:19:07,645 --> 00:19:09,125
"I got good grades here."
"Eh."
410
00:19:09,299 --> 00:19:10,822
Nothing, nothing seemed
to make any difference.
411
00:19:12,737 --> 00:19:14,739
[Chris] But I found relief
from all this uncertainty
412
00:19:14,913 --> 00:19:16,045
in playing characters.
413
00:19:16,219 --> 00:19:18,569
[nostalgic music playing]
414
00:19:24,619 --> 00:19:27,012
I like knowing
the entire storyline.
415
00:19:28,318 --> 00:19:30,625
Beginning, middle, and end.
416
00:19:33,367 --> 00:19:38,372
[Jeff Daniels] We were cast
in the same play in 1977.
417
00:19:38,546 --> 00:19:40,678
He was just another, you know,
418
00:19:40,852 --> 00:19:44,378
good-looking young actor
when I met him.
419
00:19:44,552 --> 00:19:47,119
He had the whole
movie star thing.
420
00:19:47,294 --> 00:19:50,645
You're going, "Oh, well."
"Yeah, great." You know?
421
00:19:50,819 --> 00:19:53,256
What really impressed me
was how smart he was.
422
00:19:53,430 --> 00:19:55,302
Now, I ain't stupid.
423
00:19:55,476 --> 00:19:57,391
I may have been
in Dumb and Dumber,
but I ain't stupid.
424
00:19:57,565 --> 00:20:02,657
In the play was another
new guy named William Hurt.
425
00:20:02,831 --> 00:20:05,268
Second to last weekend,
Chris says,
426
00:20:05,442 --> 00:20:06,878
"I'm going to London tonight.
427
00:20:07,052 --> 00:20:08,706
I have to screen test
for a movie."
428
00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,055
For someone to say that
429
00:20:10,230 --> 00:20:11,970
in an off-Broadway
dressing room,
430
00:20:12,144 --> 00:20:14,016
[imitates explosion] it just,
"What are you...
431
00:20:14,190 --> 00:20:15,583
What, when, where, huh?"
432
00:20:15,757 --> 00:20:17,628
And Bill said, "What movie?"
433
00:20:17,802 --> 00:20:19,151
And Chris said...
434
00:20:20,327 --> 00:20:21,763
"Superman."
435
00:20:21,937 --> 00:20:23,939
And Bill went right into,
"Don't go.
436
00:20:24,113 --> 00:20:26,028
You're going to sell out.
You're an artist."
437
00:20:26,202 --> 00:20:27,986
And Chris said, "No, I just...
438
00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:29,684
Brando is gonna play
the father."
439
00:20:29,858 --> 00:20:31,512
"I don't care. I don't care.
You're selling..."
440
00:20:31,686 --> 00:20:34,254
I mean, he just
was really on him.
441
00:20:34,428 --> 00:20:36,473
[upbeat disco music playing]
442
00:20:38,867 --> 00:20:40,521
[Pierre Spengler]
We were frantically looking
443
00:20:40,695 --> 00:20:41,957
for a Superman...
444
00:20:42,131 --> 00:20:43,611
and the casting director
445
00:20:43,785 --> 00:20:47,354
had lined up many, many
people, dozens of them.
446
00:20:47,528 --> 00:20:49,443
The most strange, like,
447
00:20:49,617 --> 00:20:52,446
Neil Diamond wanted
to be Superman, you know.
448
00:20:52,620 --> 00:20:53,882
[chuckles]
449
00:20:54,056 --> 00:20:55,362
Robert Redford.
450
00:20:55,536 --> 00:20:56,972
We made an offer,
immediately got a "no."
451
00:20:58,452 --> 00:20:59,496
[commentator] He goes on now.
452
00:20:59,670 --> 00:21:00,889
Bruce Jenner.
453
00:21:01,063 --> 00:21:02,325
Yeah, that's right.
454
00:21:02,499 --> 00:21:03,979
- [commentator] There he goes.
- Ahhh!
455
00:21:04,153 --> 00:21:05,241
[Spengler] Physically,
he was very good,
456
00:21:05,415 --> 00:21:07,896
but the acting, not so much.
457
00:21:08,070 --> 00:21:10,551
Schwarzenegger
was running after us.
458
00:21:10,725 --> 00:21:12,466
- The main man is back.
- Yes.
459
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,381
He had, theoretically,
460
00:21:14,555 --> 00:21:17,122
the physique
of the comic book.
461
00:21:17,297 --> 00:21:18,776
[chuckles] We cannot
have Superman say...
462
00:21:18,950 --> 00:21:19,908
[in Austrian accent]
"Truth, Justice,
463
00:21:20,082 --> 00:21:21,039
and the American way."
464
00:21:21,213 --> 00:21:22,867
[bleep] you, asshole.
465
00:21:23,041 --> 00:21:24,521
[Spengler] The idea came,
466
00:21:24,695 --> 00:21:27,350
rather than casting
a well-known Superman,
467
00:21:27,524 --> 00:21:31,702
we should go for an unknown
and have stars around him.
468
00:21:34,618 --> 00:21:36,011
[Richard Donner]
We had made a costume
469
00:21:36,185 --> 00:21:37,621
out of a blue leotard
470
00:21:37,795 --> 00:21:39,841
and Chris was sweating
like a stuck pig.
471
00:21:40,015 --> 00:21:43,235
I took black shoe polish,
and we blacked his whole head,
472
00:21:43,410 --> 00:21:48,284
and this skinny little kid did
a scene with various ladies
473
00:21:48,458 --> 00:21:50,417
who were up
for the part of Lois Lane.
474
00:21:50,591 --> 00:21:52,941
I mean, why are you here?
475
00:21:53,115 --> 00:21:55,247
'Cause I'm here to fight
for truth...
476
00:21:55,422 --> 00:21:57,554
for justice,
and the American way.
477
00:21:57,728 --> 00:21:58,773
[whistles]
478
00:21:58,947 --> 00:22:00,296
[Daniels] He flew Sunday night,
479
00:22:00,470 --> 00:22:02,254
screen tested in London
on Monday,
480
00:22:02,429 --> 00:22:03,865
and then flew back
Monday night.
481
00:22:04,039 --> 00:22:06,868
Bill said, "How'd it go?"
Chris said, "I got it."
482
00:22:10,088 --> 00:22:13,440
[Chris] I realized that
if I could pull off this part,
483
00:22:13,614 --> 00:22:14,876
it would change my life.
484
00:22:17,052 --> 00:22:20,272
It's urban myth in our family
485
00:22:20,447 --> 00:22:22,492
that Dad got
the part of Superman
486
00:22:22,666 --> 00:22:27,149
and told his father,
and Franklin ordered champagne.
487
00:22:27,323 --> 00:22:29,847
This is a very
un-Franklin thing to do.
488
00:22:30,021 --> 00:22:32,372
"Cheers. Congratulations.
So proud of you," da-da-da.
489
00:22:32,546 --> 00:22:34,678
There was a miscommunication.
490
00:22:34,852 --> 00:22:36,332
[Al] His dad thought
that he was talking
491
00:22:36,506 --> 00:22:37,899
about the famous play
492
00:22:38,073 --> 00:22:39,727
Man and Superman,
by George Bernard Shaw.
493
00:22:39,901 --> 00:22:42,643
[Matthew] Not the legendary
comic book character.
494
00:22:42,817 --> 00:22:44,993
Franklin didn't approve.
495
00:22:45,167 --> 00:22:47,082
[interviewer]
How did he tell you, uh,
496
00:22:47,256 --> 00:22:49,867
that he got this part
of Superman?
497
00:22:51,260 --> 00:22:54,394
It was after
the contract was signed.
498
00:22:54,568 --> 00:22:57,571
It was not serious enough.
499
00:22:57,745 --> 00:22:59,660
It wasn't academic enough.
It wasn't intellectual enough.
500
00:22:59,834 --> 00:23:00,791
It was...
501
00:23:02,010 --> 00:23:04,055
embarrassing.
502
00:23:04,229 --> 00:23:07,494
[Chris] I was extremely anxious
to please my father.
503
00:23:07,668 --> 00:23:09,626
It was difficult to be myself
504
00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,064
or literally breathe easy
when he was around.
505
00:23:13,238 --> 00:23:15,197
[moody music playing]
506
00:23:21,377 --> 00:23:24,249
Since the accident,
I've had time to look back.
507
00:23:24,424 --> 00:23:27,818
Much more time
than I would've liked.
508
00:23:27,992 --> 00:23:29,429
[reporter] Reeve took
to the skies this afternoon.
509
00:23:31,648 --> 00:23:33,563
He was transferred from
Charlottesville, Virginia,
510
00:23:33,737 --> 00:23:35,130
to the Kessler Institute.
511
00:23:47,708 --> 00:23:50,275
[reporter 2]
In a terrible twist of fate,
the actor's last role
512
00:23:50,450 --> 00:23:53,365
was as a crippled policeman
in the movie Above Suspicion.
513
00:23:53,540 --> 00:23:56,760
[applause]
514
00:23:56,934 --> 00:23:58,893
[Chris]
The physical therapy nurses
would work with me and say,
515
00:23:59,067 --> 00:24:00,764
"This is how you get
in and out of the bathtub.
516
00:24:00,938 --> 00:24:02,897
This is how you get in and
out of a car." You know.
517
00:24:03,071 --> 00:24:05,726
Then every time I left that
rehab center, I said,
518
00:24:05,900 --> 00:24:07,684
"Thank God that's not me."
519
00:24:07,858 --> 00:24:11,514
I was very smug about it.
And I regret that so much,
520
00:24:11,688 --> 00:24:13,473
because I was setting
myself apart
521
00:24:13,647 --> 00:24:15,518
from those people
who were suffering.
522
00:24:15,692 --> 00:24:18,521
Without realizing that
in a second that could be me.
523
00:24:19,827 --> 00:24:21,785
Yeah, left is hard.
524
00:24:21,959 --> 00:24:23,134
[Dana] Christopher now faces
525
00:24:23,308 --> 00:24:24,919
what hundreds of thousands
526
00:24:25,093 --> 00:24:26,790
of disabled men
and women face daily
527
00:24:26,964 --> 00:24:28,792
in this country
and around the world.
528
00:24:28,966 --> 00:24:32,622
Limitations, frustration,
sorrow, anger,
529
00:24:32,796 --> 00:24:34,319
humiliation, injustice.
530
00:24:34,494 --> 00:24:35,843
[Chris] When Doctor Kirshblum
took over
531
00:24:36,017 --> 00:24:38,149
the responsibility
for my care,
532
00:24:38,323 --> 00:24:41,326
it was a tremendous
psychological boost.
533
00:24:41,501 --> 00:24:42,850
[Kirshblum]
I know it's tedious.
534
00:24:43,807 --> 00:24:45,505
Feel that here?
535
00:24:45,679 --> 00:24:47,202
- No. Nothing, okay.
- No.
536
00:24:47,376 --> 00:24:48,769
[Kirshblum] After this idea
537
00:24:48,943 --> 00:24:51,249
of "Will I live or die?
Now what?"
538
00:24:52,424 --> 00:24:53,991
"What is life gonna be like?"
539
00:24:54,165 --> 00:24:56,124
[moody music playing]
540
00:24:59,736 --> 00:25:01,303
[Matthew]
You think it's just about,
541
00:25:01,477 --> 00:25:02,565
"Oh, you can't move,
or you can't breathe..."
542
00:25:02,739 --> 00:25:05,176
but there's so much shit
543
00:25:05,350 --> 00:25:09,964
that comes with
such a high level
spinal cord injury.
544
00:25:10,138 --> 00:25:12,357
[Kirshblum] The bowel,
the bladder, the skin,
545
00:25:12,532 --> 00:25:14,142
speech therapy,
546
00:25:14,316 --> 00:25:15,404
how to maintain
a relationship,
547
00:25:15,578 --> 00:25:17,711
husband and wife relationship.
548
00:25:17,885 --> 00:25:19,364
[Dana] You can't feel?
[Chris] No, I can't feel it.
549
00:25:19,539 --> 00:25:20,801
Nope.
550
00:25:20,975 --> 00:25:22,803
That is tough.
Because I can feel him,
551
00:25:22,977 --> 00:25:24,021
but he can't feel me.
552
00:25:27,634 --> 00:25:29,113
[Kirshblum]
To re-learn the skills
553
00:25:29,287 --> 00:25:30,637
that people probably
don't even think about.
554
00:25:33,422 --> 00:25:36,338
[Chris] I was still
in a state of disbelief
555
00:25:36,512 --> 00:25:38,122
and very afraid.
556
00:25:38,296 --> 00:25:41,082
I couldn't take a single
breath on my own.
557
00:25:41,256 --> 00:25:43,258
And the connections
of the hoses
558
00:25:43,432 --> 00:25:46,348
on these ventilators
are tenuous at best.
559
00:25:48,045 --> 00:25:50,526
And you lie there
at 3:00 in the morning,
560
00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:52,484
in fear of a pop-off.
561
00:25:52,659 --> 00:25:56,750
When the hose just comes
off the ventilator.
562
00:25:56,924 --> 00:25:58,273
- [machine alarm beeping]
- [gas hissing]
563
00:25:58,447 --> 00:26:00,014
After you've missed
two breaths,
564
00:26:00,188 --> 00:26:02,146
an alarm sounds.
565
00:26:04,453 --> 00:26:06,411
[clicking convulsively]
566
00:26:08,500 --> 00:26:11,329
And now they're saying,
"Okay, where is everybody?"
567
00:26:11,503 --> 00:26:12,592
Because they have
no air going in,
568
00:26:12,766 --> 00:26:14,115
they can't even
scream for help.
569
00:26:14,289 --> 00:26:16,291
[nurse]
I need assistance, please.
570
00:26:16,465 --> 00:26:17,988
You just hang on, okay?
You hang on.
571
00:26:18,162 --> 00:26:19,686
[Chris] You can last
a couple of minutes,
572
00:26:19,860 --> 00:26:23,080
but those are very,
very anxious minutes.
573
00:26:23,254 --> 00:26:24,212
[doctor] There it is.
574
00:26:26,344 --> 00:26:28,172
Okay.
575
00:26:28,346 --> 00:26:30,871
- Oh, God.
- [machine beeping steadily]
576
00:26:31,045 --> 00:26:33,264
[Close] I saw him
when he was in rehab.
577
00:26:33,438 --> 00:26:37,791
He was so terrified
that he could die
at any moment.
578
00:26:40,532 --> 00:26:42,056
[Al] At first,
he really resisted
579
00:26:42,230 --> 00:26:43,971
spending time
with anybody else there,
580
00:26:44,145 --> 00:26:46,713
because in his mind
he was still thinking,
581
00:26:46,887 --> 00:26:48,889
"I'm just
a temporary visitor here
582
00:26:49,063 --> 00:26:51,065
in this land of disability."
583
00:26:51,239 --> 00:26:55,983
And over time, what changed
is the magic of rehab.
584
00:26:56,157 --> 00:26:59,160
[Chris] Little by little,
I began to emerge
from my isolation.
585
00:26:59,334 --> 00:27:01,510
I found myself
talking in depth
586
00:27:01,684 --> 00:27:04,252
with people I wouldn't
ordinarily have met.
587
00:27:04,426 --> 00:27:06,341
And connecting
with many of them.
588
00:27:08,212 --> 00:27:09,953
[Kirshblum] Chris had
just started to wean himself
589
00:27:10,127 --> 00:27:11,912
off the ventilator
590
00:27:12,086 --> 00:27:14,697
and he started to recognize
a little bit of success.
591
00:27:14,871 --> 00:27:16,830
And there was
this one young boy
592
00:27:17,004 --> 00:27:21,835
who had tried to wean
but failed...
593
00:27:22,009 --> 00:27:24,185
and I would try
to speak to him
and speak to his mom.
594
00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,753
But he was just adamant.
He was so clear.
595
00:27:26,927 --> 00:27:28,885
"I don't want to fail again."
596
00:27:29,059 --> 00:27:31,409
And Chris went
and spoke to him.
597
00:27:31,583 --> 00:27:32,715
And the boy simply said,
598
00:27:32,889 --> 00:27:34,195
"Christopher Reeve
spoke to me.
599
00:27:34,369 --> 00:27:35,892
I'm going to wean."
600
00:27:36,066 --> 00:27:37,851
It just showed you
the quality of the individual,
601
00:27:38,025 --> 00:27:39,635
that it wasn't all about him.
602
00:27:39,809 --> 00:27:43,247
And I wonder if a case
like that made him think,
603
00:27:43,421 --> 00:27:45,119
"I can probably do more
604
00:27:45,293 --> 00:27:47,512
in helping other people
with spinal cord injury,
605
00:27:47,687 --> 00:27:49,558
not just myself alone."
606
00:27:53,127 --> 00:27:55,303
[Dana] Much of his day
is spent listening
607
00:27:55,477 --> 00:27:57,479
to messages sent
from well-wishers.
608
00:27:57,653 --> 00:27:59,046
I can't begin to express
609
00:27:59,220 --> 00:28:01,962
how important these...
these things are to him.
610
00:28:04,486 --> 00:28:06,140
[Matthew] One letter
from England, it just said,
611
00:28:06,314 --> 00:28:07,532
"Superman, USA."
612
00:28:10,187 --> 00:28:12,755
[Al] And they'd come every day
in these delivery boxes.
613
00:28:12,929 --> 00:28:14,670
And they went the whole way
down the hallway.
614
00:28:14,844 --> 00:28:16,846
And then that's when
I got the call from Dana
615
00:28:17,020 --> 00:28:18,848
and she said,
"Michael, we need help.
616
00:28:19,022 --> 00:28:21,721
I can't manage."
617
00:28:21,895 --> 00:28:25,681
- When we first met in 1985
or whatever...
- A ton.
618
00:28:25,855 --> 00:28:28,640
I said, "You look so much
like that actor,
Christopher Reeve."
619
00:28:28,815 --> 00:28:30,381
Isn't that funny?
I just, I get it all...
620
00:28:30,555 --> 00:28:31,861
and more particularly
when I'm with him
621
00:28:32,035 --> 00:28:33,820
and my hair's longer,
they're like,
622
00:28:33,994 --> 00:28:35,996
- "Are you his brother?"
- "Are you his brother?"
623
00:28:36,170 --> 00:28:37,606
[Manganiello]
She was just funny
624
00:28:37,780 --> 00:28:39,869
and could tell
a really good dirty joke.
625
00:28:40,043 --> 00:28:43,220
We had crushes on the same
boys. It was... [laughs]
626
00:28:43,394 --> 00:28:44,961
She was just a riot.
627
00:28:45,135 --> 00:28:47,268
I started getting things
organized and cut.
628
00:28:47,442 --> 00:28:49,400
So it was like
other celebrity letters,
629
00:28:49,574 --> 00:28:50,662
famous scientists...
630
00:28:50,837 --> 00:28:54,579
politicians, nuts... the nuts.
631
00:28:54,754 --> 00:28:56,886
Other people who are living
with spinal cord injury.
632
00:28:57,060 --> 00:28:58,758
200,000 people
in the United States alone
633
00:28:58,932 --> 00:29:00,281
have the same problem as me.
634
00:29:02,152 --> 00:29:03,763
If the public will demand
635
00:29:03,937 --> 00:29:05,721
that the politicians spend
that little bit of money,
636
00:29:07,592 --> 00:29:08,855
make that investment,
637
00:29:09,029 --> 00:29:11,292
I'll be up
and walking around again.
638
00:29:11,466 --> 00:29:13,903
[Manganiello] Chris wanted
out of that chair.
that was it.
639
00:29:15,296 --> 00:29:17,820
[inspirational music playing]
640
00:29:17,994 --> 00:29:19,256
[Chris] I couldn't give up
641
00:29:19,430 --> 00:29:23,043
because nerves
can find new pathways.
642
00:29:23,217 --> 00:29:24,740
[Kirshblum] He had
tremendous work ethic
643
00:29:24,914 --> 00:29:27,395
and would push himself.
644
00:29:27,569 --> 00:29:30,137
[Robin] Brother Chris
is fighting like crazy.
645
00:29:30,311 --> 00:29:32,008
When you find
people who fight like that
646
00:29:32,182 --> 00:29:35,055
but still keep their humanity,
that gives you great hope.
647
00:29:35,229 --> 00:29:36,708
[Chris] My mind wandered back
648
00:29:36,883 --> 00:29:38,536
to my weight training
for Superman
649
00:29:38,710 --> 00:29:40,495
when I could bench-press
more than my own weight.
650
00:29:42,584 --> 00:29:45,805
[Matthew] He trained
his ass off bulking up.
651
00:29:45,979 --> 00:29:47,502
Two weight sessions a day.
652
00:29:50,548 --> 00:29:52,594
[Chris] The guy, actually,
who played Darth Vader
653
00:29:52,768 --> 00:29:54,291
in Star Wars,
654
00:29:54,465 --> 00:29:57,686
Dave Prowse,
developed a program for me.
655
00:29:57,860 --> 00:29:58,818
He's a former Mr. Universe.
656
00:30:01,037 --> 00:30:02,038
The point is,
is that when I started,
657
00:30:02,212 --> 00:30:03,605
I was a string bean.
658
00:30:03,779 --> 00:30:05,650
And Superman's
not a string bean, so...
659
00:30:08,131 --> 00:30:10,003
Everybody else said,
660
00:30:10,177 --> 00:30:11,613
"You just flushed your career
down the toilet. Goodbye."
661
00:30:11,787 --> 00:30:14,746
Nobody thought
I was in my right mind.
662
00:30:14,921 --> 00:30:16,357
How are they ever going
to pull this picture off
663
00:30:16,531 --> 00:30:17,532
and make the man fly?
664
00:30:17,706 --> 00:30:19,273
And "It's a cartoon."
665
00:30:19,447 --> 00:30:20,970
And very, very skeptical
about the whole thing.
666
00:30:22,667 --> 00:30:25,366
[Spengler] When we signed
the deal for Superman,
667
00:30:25,540 --> 00:30:27,107
the head of production
at Warner Bros.,
668
00:30:27,281 --> 00:30:28,543
who shall remain nameless,
669
00:30:28,717 --> 00:30:30,893
said, "It will never
make a movie."
670
00:30:37,813 --> 00:30:40,120
[Chris] The idea
was new in 1977.
671
00:30:40,294 --> 00:30:42,296
Superman I was the first film
672
00:30:42,470 --> 00:30:44,994
to try to make
this comic book sort of real.
673
00:30:52,219 --> 00:30:54,134
[Spengler]
Christopher is unknown.
674
00:30:54,308 --> 00:30:56,266
He was going to be playing
with Brando,
675
00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:57,659
playing with Hackman.
676
00:30:59,052 --> 00:31:00,836
Brando was considered
677
00:31:01,010 --> 00:31:02,838
the greatest actor
of his time.
678
00:31:03,012 --> 00:31:06,059
Gene Hackman wanted to be
in the film with Brando.
679
00:31:06,233 --> 00:31:08,539
[Chris] Hackman,
his dressing room
was across the hall from mine.
680
00:31:08,713 --> 00:31:11,716
I was very gung-ho,
24 years old and all excited
681
00:31:11,891 --> 00:31:13,109
and I remember
knocking on his door,
682
00:31:13,283 --> 00:31:15,938
asking him
if he wanted to rehearse.
683
00:31:16,112 --> 00:31:18,898
And he was shocked.
He was like... you know.
684
00:31:19,072 --> 00:31:21,639
[man] 626, take one.
685
00:31:21,813 --> 00:31:23,380
This is California.
It's the richest,
686
00:31:23,554 --> 00:31:24,904
most populous state
in the Union.
687
00:31:25,078 --> 00:31:27,515
I don't need a geography
lesson from you, Luthor.
688
00:31:27,689 --> 00:31:29,125
[interviewer] Marlon Brando.
689
00:31:29,299 --> 00:31:30,953
Was it exciting to work
with him though?
690
00:31:31,127 --> 00:31:33,129
- [Chris] Not really, no.
- [audience and Chris laugh]
691
00:31:33,303 --> 00:31:34,261
The man didn't care.
692
00:31:34,435 --> 00:31:35,740
I'm sorry. He just, you know,
693
00:31:35,915 --> 00:31:37,177
took the two million
and ran, you know?
694
00:31:37,351 --> 00:31:38,743
Yeah, well,
he's here tonight, Chris.
695
00:31:38,918 --> 00:31:40,397
- Is he here?
- [audience laughs]
696
00:31:40,571 --> 00:31:41,921
[applause]
697
00:31:43,226 --> 00:31:44,793
[Chris] I just care so much
698
00:31:44,967 --> 00:31:46,577
that it hurts when
someone's phoning it in.
699
00:31:46,751 --> 00:31:48,492
[Al] He was taking it
so seriously.
700
00:31:48,666 --> 00:31:50,320
[grunts]
701
00:31:50,494 --> 00:31:52,061
For Dad,
Superman needed to be art.
702
00:31:52,235 --> 00:31:53,628
Everyone, stand back.
Please stand back.
703
00:31:53,802 --> 00:31:55,282
It's all right.
Nothing to get worried about.
704
00:31:58,938 --> 00:32:00,548
[Chris] Think about it
in emotional terms.
705
00:32:02,550 --> 00:32:04,291
What is it to be an orphan?
What is it to be different?
706
00:32:04,465 --> 00:32:05,727
What is it to be an alien?
707
00:32:05,901 --> 00:32:08,382
What is it
to have lost one home?
708
00:32:08,556 --> 00:32:10,384
Now you're acting
something you can understand
709
00:32:10,558 --> 00:32:11,733
rather than just posing.
710
00:32:11,907 --> 00:32:13,561
[screams]
711
00:32:13,735 --> 00:32:15,780
I must give credit to Donner
712
00:32:15,955 --> 00:32:19,306
who really supported him,
helped him.
713
00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,439
Hands down,
he was Superman from day one.
714
00:32:24,615 --> 00:32:26,182
- Say "Hello" to Clark Kent.
- Told you, one "p."
715
00:32:26,356 --> 00:32:28,141
- Hiya.
- Hello, Miss Lane. How are...
716
00:32:28,315 --> 00:32:29,881
[Chris] What I liked
was trying to play
717
00:32:30,056 --> 00:32:32,319
two people at the same time,
Superman and Clark Kent.
718
00:32:32,493 --> 00:32:33,842
There's a kind of
719
00:32:34,016 --> 00:32:36,932
calculated schizophrenia
between the two of them.
720
00:32:37,106 --> 00:32:39,674
There's this amazing scene.
It's my favorite scene
721
00:32:39,848 --> 00:32:41,458
of my dad's film work,
722
00:32:41,632 --> 00:32:44,113
and he was playing Superman
playing Clark Kent.
723
00:32:46,637 --> 00:32:47,899
Uh, hi, can I come in?
724
00:32:48,074 --> 00:32:49,466
Kind of like,
takes his glasses off
725
00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,861
and he transforms.
726
00:32:53,035 --> 00:32:55,255
[Lois] Put some blush on and...
727
00:32:55,429 --> 00:32:57,605
[slow heroic music playing]
728
00:33:09,660 --> 00:33:11,053
[breathes deeply]
729
00:33:11,227 --> 00:33:14,622
Lois, there's something
I have to tell you.
730
00:33:14,796 --> 00:33:16,015
I'm really...
731
00:33:17,712 --> 00:33:19,453
Um...
732
00:33:19,627 --> 00:33:22,760
Uh, I mean, I was at first
really nervous about tonight.
733
00:33:22,934 --> 00:33:24,240
[Matthew]
Puts his glasses back on
734
00:33:24,414 --> 00:33:25,372
and he's Clark again
instantly.
735
00:33:25,546 --> 00:33:26,938
I mean,
he absolutely nailed it.
736
00:33:28,418 --> 00:33:29,767
Hi.
737
00:33:29,941 --> 00:33:32,509
The magic was that
you absolutely believed
738
00:33:32,683 --> 00:33:34,337
in their love story.
739
00:33:34,511 --> 00:33:35,947
[Chris] I really think
that out there,
740
00:33:36,122 --> 00:33:37,558
hopefully around the world,
741
00:33:37,732 --> 00:33:39,299
that romance is what
they want to see.
742
00:33:40,474 --> 00:33:41,431
[interviewer] Do you have that?
743
00:33:41,605 --> 00:33:42,693
Oh, God, yes. But I found it.
744
00:33:42,867 --> 00:33:44,304
I'm very lucky.
I met this girl
745
00:33:44,478 --> 00:33:46,349
while I was making
Superman in London.
746
00:33:46,523 --> 00:33:47,829
- Hi.
- Welcome.
747
00:33:48,003 --> 00:33:49,004
- Thank you.
- Introduce me
748
00:33:49,178 --> 00:33:50,527
to your lovely lady here.
749
00:33:50,701 --> 00:33:52,834
- Yes, this is Gae Exton.
- Hello. How are you?
750
00:33:53,008 --> 00:33:55,141
It looks like
somebody gave you a kiss
before you arrived here.
751
00:33:55,315 --> 00:33:56,794
- Did they?
- [all laugh]
752
00:33:56,968 --> 00:34:01,321
My mum and dad met
in the lunch line
753
00:34:01,495 --> 00:34:03,714
at Pinewood Studios.
754
00:34:03,888 --> 00:34:05,803
[Exton] I knew
there were big films
755
00:34:05,977 --> 00:34:07,675
being shot there,
like James Bond and Superman.
756
00:34:07,849 --> 00:34:09,894
They had this amazing
dining room there
757
00:34:10,069 --> 00:34:12,071
and it was sort of
like a big buffet.
758
00:34:12,245 --> 00:34:13,594
The people,
obviously in costume
759
00:34:13,768 --> 00:34:14,899
with robes on and stuff.
760
00:34:15,074 --> 00:34:17,206
And the chap in front of me
761
00:34:17,380 --> 00:34:19,252
was wearing a robe
and had black hair.
762
00:34:19,426 --> 00:34:21,254
And I thought
it was Richard Kiel.
763
00:34:21,428 --> 00:34:22,907
From James Bond,
764
00:34:23,082 --> 00:34:26,694
the one with the teeth.
Because he was so big.
765
00:34:26,868 --> 00:34:28,391
And this guy turns around
766
00:34:28,565 --> 00:34:31,177
and it's
this amazing-looking guy
767
00:34:31,351 --> 00:34:33,222
with an American accent.
768
00:34:33,396 --> 00:34:35,006
He needed something
from the bit
769
00:34:35,181 --> 00:34:37,183
that I was at
and he turned around
770
00:34:37,357 --> 00:34:41,317
and he knocked me.
And he said, "Oh, hello."
771
00:34:41,491 --> 00:34:44,494
I said, "Like, what?
Excuse me? Hello?
772
00:34:44,668 --> 00:34:46,279
You're supposed to say,
I'm sorry."
773
00:34:46,453 --> 00:34:49,108
And I had to go
and clean myself off.
774
00:34:51,545 --> 00:34:52,807
And a few days later,
775
00:34:52,981 --> 00:34:55,462
I saw Dick Donner,
and Dick said,
776
00:34:55,636 --> 00:34:57,507
"Oh, here she is.
Hi, Gae, how're you doing?"
777
00:34:57,681 --> 00:34:59,814
And he said,
"This is Christopher."
778
00:34:59,988 --> 00:35:01,424
And Chris just stopped
and said...
779
00:35:01,598 --> 00:35:03,557
That I was sorry,
and the rest is history.
780
00:35:05,211 --> 00:35:06,908
[Matthew] My mom worked
as a model agent
781
00:35:07,082 --> 00:35:08,736
and was super plugged in
782
00:35:08,910 --> 00:35:10,694
to the London scene
in the late '70s.
783
00:35:10,868 --> 00:35:12,696
They started
a whirlwind romance.
784
00:35:12,870 --> 00:35:15,612
[romantic music playing]
785
00:35:15,786 --> 00:35:17,136
[Chris] It was good fun.
786
00:35:17,310 --> 00:35:19,225
I dragged myself to the set
many a morning
787
00:35:19,399 --> 00:35:23,054
and then it's up, up,
and away.
788
00:35:23,229 --> 00:35:24,230
That's funny.
789
00:35:24,404 --> 00:35:25,840
Maybe, I don't know.
790
00:35:26,014 --> 00:35:27,233
[interviewer]
You believe he could fly? Yes.
791
00:35:27,407 --> 00:35:28,843
"I'm not feeling
very well today."
792
00:35:29,017 --> 00:35:31,280
[Exton] Just fell
desperately in love.
793
00:35:31,454 --> 00:35:34,153
At the weekends, we were doing
all sorts of things
794
00:35:34,327 --> 00:35:36,981
that he should not have
been doing. Like gliding.
795
00:35:53,346 --> 00:35:54,782
[Chris] Thousands
and thousands of feet
796
00:35:54,956 --> 00:35:56,871
up above the world.
797
00:35:57,045 --> 00:35:59,090
There's a kind of clarity
that comes with that
798
00:35:59,265 --> 00:36:00,744
and you cannot concentrate
799
00:36:00,918 --> 00:36:02,572
on anything
that's wrong in your life.
800
00:36:05,053 --> 00:36:09,057
And all you can hear
is "shh, shh."
801
00:36:11,668 --> 00:36:13,235
He said, "Trust me,
I'll get you back.
802
00:36:13,409 --> 00:36:14,323
I'll get you back."
803
00:36:19,589 --> 00:36:21,069
[Chris] I have
always loved flying.
804
00:36:21,243 --> 00:36:24,638
It's my number one
passion in life.
805
00:36:24,812 --> 00:36:27,467
[Matthew] He'd flown across
the Atlantic twice, solo.
806
00:36:31,819 --> 00:36:34,343
Christopher was determined
that, come hell or high water,
807
00:36:34,517 --> 00:36:38,478
he was gonna make it look
like this character could fly.
808
00:36:41,045 --> 00:36:42,221
We're doing something
with this picture
809
00:36:42,395 --> 00:36:43,918
that no one's
ever done before.
810
00:36:44,092 --> 00:36:44,919
There is a team,
there's a hundred of them
811
00:36:45,093 --> 00:36:46,790
called the Flying Unit.
812
00:36:46,964 --> 00:36:48,488
They didn't have it
all figured out in advance.
813
00:36:48,662 --> 00:36:49,924
It was a kind of
"learn as you go" process.
814
00:36:54,711 --> 00:36:56,670
[Donner] The first time
I ever saw Chris really fly,
815
00:36:57,714 --> 00:36:59,412
he came at camera,
816
00:36:59,586 --> 00:37:02,153
and for some reason
he actually banked his body
817
00:37:02,328 --> 00:37:04,373
and he flew past us.
818
00:37:04,547 --> 00:37:06,506
[dreamy music playing]
819
00:37:12,860 --> 00:37:15,732
The camera stopped rolling
and there was dead silence.
820
00:37:15,906 --> 00:37:17,778
And then, like, 50 people
821
00:37:17,952 --> 00:37:19,910
all of a sudden
started to just cheer.
822
00:37:22,739 --> 00:37:23,871
[Chris] The flying happens
in the eyes.
823
00:37:24,045 --> 00:37:25,264
It must happen
as a state of mind.
824
00:37:29,746 --> 00:37:33,097
You've never seen a man
fly like that before.
825
00:37:33,272 --> 00:37:34,969
The one which
I really had to work
826
00:37:35,143 --> 00:37:36,579
to sort of achieve
the grace that it needed.
827
00:37:36,753 --> 00:37:38,451
It called for me
to do a flip in the air
828
00:37:38,625 --> 00:37:40,061
as I'm going up on a crane,
829
00:37:40,235 --> 00:37:41,976
arch backwards and wave
all at the same time.
830
00:37:43,412 --> 00:37:45,893
Bye.
831
00:37:46,067 --> 00:37:49,070
He convinced me when I first
met him that he would fly.
832
00:37:50,767 --> 00:37:52,552
He's also convinced me
he'll walk again.
833
00:38:07,175 --> 00:38:09,786
[Chris] I began
to face my new life.
834
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:13,224
I had tried to cover up
my feelings as best I could.
835
00:38:13,399 --> 00:38:16,140
But when I saw our home again,
I wept.
836
00:38:16,315 --> 00:38:19,318
[nostalgic music playing]
837
00:38:19,492 --> 00:38:20,797
[Matthew] I do wonder
what it was like
838
00:38:20,971 --> 00:38:22,364
for him to look out
and be like,
839
00:38:22,538 --> 00:38:24,497
"That's the pond
that I skated on."
840
00:38:24,671 --> 00:38:26,934
[exclaims]
841
00:38:27,108 --> 00:38:30,241
"Now I'm just staring out
at the past."
842
00:38:30,416 --> 00:38:31,765
Beautiful day
in the Berkshires.
843
00:38:34,463 --> 00:38:36,030
[laughter and chatter]
844
00:38:36,204 --> 00:38:37,074
[man] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
845
00:38:38,075 --> 00:38:40,164
- All the way!
- No.
846
00:38:40,339 --> 00:38:42,689
- Get it!
- Carpe diem, Al!
847
00:38:44,343 --> 00:38:46,257
People often ask me
what it's like
848
00:38:46,432 --> 00:38:48,216
to be confined
to a wheelchair.
849
00:38:48,390 --> 00:38:49,870
I would say
the worst part of it
850
00:38:50,044 --> 00:38:52,394
is having
to make the transition
851
00:38:52,568 --> 00:38:55,136
from participant to observer
852
00:38:55,310 --> 00:38:58,095
long before
I would have expected.
853
00:38:58,269 --> 00:39:00,141
[Matthew] Dad was 42
when he had the accident
854
00:39:00,315 --> 00:39:02,012
and Will was almost three.
855
00:39:02,186 --> 00:39:05,929
I'm 42 right now
and my son's three.
856
00:39:06,103 --> 00:39:08,671
Yeah, it was really only
after becoming a parent myself
857
00:39:08,845 --> 00:39:11,239
that it really hit home...
858
00:39:13,197 --> 00:39:15,765
how hard it must
have been for him.
859
00:39:15,939 --> 00:39:17,288
[Dana] It was a typical scene.
860
00:39:18,507 --> 00:39:19,421
[Dana laughs]
861
00:39:19,595 --> 00:39:20,944
It's the haircut movie.
862
00:39:21,118 --> 00:39:23,773
Oh. And there's Dad
waiting in line for his.
863
00:39:23,947 --> 00:39:26,341
[Will] He was
still the same, bright,
864
00:39:26,515 --> 00:39:28,387
quirky, thoughtful man.
865
00:39:28,561 --> 00:39:30,650
But my mom,
she was doing everything.
866
00:39:30,824 --> 00:39:31,955
[Dana] Still got it, honey.
867
00:39:35,568 --> 00:39:38,266
[Will] She was playing
the role of mother,
868
00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:39,876
physical father...
869
00:39:40,050 --> 00:39:41,443
[Dana] Whoa, whoa.
870
00:39:41,617 --> 00:39:43,010
[Will] ...and caregiver
to a husband.
871
00:39:43,184 --> 00:39:46,709
[Dana] Papa is doing
his breathing exercises.
872
00:39:46,883 --> 00:39:49,843
We do adjust because
what are the alternatives?
873
00:39:50,017 --> 00:39:52,323
I mean, it would
be miserable not to,
874
00:39:52,498 --> 00:39:54,761
but do we long
for our other life?
875
00:39:54,935 --> 00:39:56,197
Yes, every day.
876
00:39:56,371 --> 00:39:57,981
I mean, it's...
it's a drastic change.
877
00:39:58,155 --> 00:40:00,244
Two, three...
878
00:40:00,419 --> 00:40:01,811
[Chris] Even in my own house,
879
00:40:01,985 --> 00:40:03,683
I'd never be able
to be alone again.
880
00:40:03,857 --> 00:40:07,077
[Will] He needed
24-hour nursing care.
881
00:40:07,251 --> 00:40:11,038
His care was running around
$400,000 a year.
882
00:40:11,212 --> 00:40:12,735
While they were
better off than most,
883
00:40:12,909 --> 00:40:15,825
they weren't better off
as most people thought.
884
00:40:15,999 --> 00:40:17,348
Our insurance cap,
as a matter of fact,
885
00:40:17,523 --> 00:40:18,785
will run out in two years.
886
00:40:18,959 --> 00:40:20,613
[interviewer]
What will happen then?
887
00:40:20,787 --> 00:40:21,570
[Chris] Then we have to do
some heavy thinking.
888
00:40:22,919 --> 00:40:24,138
[Dana] But it is daunting.
889
00:40:24,312 --> 00:40:25,661
A lot of people
in Chris's condition
890
00:40:25,835 --> 00:40:27,228
go right to nursing homes
891
00:40:27,402 --> 00:40:29,317
with...
on a respirator, it's...
892
00:40:29,491 --> 00:40:31,667
You just can't...
People can't afford it.
893
00:40:31,841 --> 00:40:33,147
[Matthew] There was this fear.
894
00:40:33,321 --> 00:40:34,801
"I'm an actor,
it's a physical job.
895
00:40:34,975 --> 00:40:37,412
How am I going
to make a living?"
896
00:40:40,763 --> 00:40:42,809
[Chris] In February of '96,
897
00:40:42,983 --> 00:40:45,376
I was asked
to make a special appearance
898
00:40:45,551 --> 00:40:47,291
on the Academy Awards.
899
00:40:47,466 --> 00:40:49,250
[Al] It was almost a full year
since his accident,
900
00:40:49,424 --> 00:40:52,340
and I think that's a hard
invitation to turn down.
901
00:40:52,514 --> 00:40:55,517
[Chris] No sooner had I agreed,
than it dawned on me
902
00:40:55,691 --> 00:40:58,302
how challenging this trip
was going to be.
903
00:41:00,479 --> 00:41:03,699
[Al] Dad described how torn
he felt about doing it
904
00:41:03,873 --> 00:41:06,702
because it really was
such a public moment.
905
00:41:06,876 --> 00:41:08,225
This thing is being telecast
906
00:41:08,399 --> 00:41:10,663
to two billion people
around the world.
907
00:41:14,493 --> 00:41:15,537
But I gotta get to my seat.
908
00:41:15,711 --> 00:41:16,973
It was a production
909
00:41:17,147 --> 00:41:18,932
just to get my dad
out of the house.
910
00:41:19,106 --> 00:41:21,282
But Robin and Marsha bought us
911
00:41:21,456 --> 00:41:23,589
the specialized
retrofitted van.
912
00:41:23,763 --> 00:41:26,635
He needed to be physically
tied down to the floor.
913
00:41:26,809 --> 00:41:30,683
[tense music playing]
914
00:41:30,857 --> 00:41:34,034
[Al] It was this huge kind
of cloak-and-dagger thing
to get him there,
915
00:41:34,208 --> 00:41:35,644
keeping it completely
under wraps
916
00:41:35,818 --> 00:41:37,385
because they needed
the freedom.
917
00:41:37,559 --> 00:41:39,343
That if Dad had some type
of medical emergency,
918
00:41:39,518 --> 00:41:40,910
he could pull out.
919
00:41:44,087 --> 00:41:46,046
[Chris] Maybe I have
the opportunity now
920
00:41:46,220 --> 00:41:48,352
to make sense
of this accident.
921
00:41:51,747 --> 00:41:53,880
I felt I needed
to do something
922
00:41:54,054 --> 00:41:55,534
not just for myself,
923
00:41:55,708 --> 00:41:57,536
but for everyone else
in the same condition.
924
00:41:58,580 --> 00:42:00,669
[tense music intensifies]
925
00:42:12,812 --> 00:42:16,250
[presenter] Academy Awards,
Whoopi Goldberg.
926
00:42:16,424 --> 00:42:18,339
[applause]
927
00:42:18,513 --> 00:42:20,080
[Goldberg] You know,
it's hard when you hear
928
00:42:20,254 --> 00:42:22,517
that somebody's had
that kind of accident
929
00:42:22,691 --> 00:42:23,997
and then you read
all these stories
930
00:42:24,171 --> 00:42:26,390
and you're just...
You don't know.
931
00:42:26,565 --> 00:42:28,349
Uh, people were very nervous.
932
00:42:28,523 --> 00:42:31,047
[applause]
933
00:42:31,221 --> 00:42:34,268
[Chris] Well,
it was time for me
to prepare to go on stage.
934
00:42:34,442 --> 00:42:37,445
I wondered, would I spasm,
935
00:42:37,619 --> 00:42:40,535
my body jerking
into an awkward position?
936
00:42:40,709 --> 00:42:42,363
Would I have a pop-off?
937
00:42:42,537 --> 00:42:44,539
[tense music building]
938
00:42:46,454 --> 00:42:48,064
[announcer]
Ladies and gentlemen,
939
00:42:48,238 --> 00:42:49,500
Christopher Reeve.
940
00:42:49,675 --> 00:42:51,285
[applause]
941
00:42:54,723 --> 00:42:55,637
Thank you.
942
00:42:58,292 --> 00:42:59,336
Thank you.
943
00:43:03,471 --> 00:43:04,864
Thank you very much.
944
00:43:09,825 --> 00:43:10,783
Thank you.
945
00:43:16,397 --> 00:43:17,920
Thank you very much.
946
00:43:22,446 --> 00:43:23,447
Thank you.
947
00:43:33,762 --> 00:43:35,590
[applause dies down]
948
00:43:35,764 --> 00:43:37,853
What you probably don't know
949
00:43:40,464 --> 00:43:43,293
is that I left New York
last September...
950
00:43:45,992 --> 00:43:48,037
and I just arrived here
this morning.
951
00:43:48,211 --> 00:43:50,213
[audience laughs]
952
00:43:51,562 --> 00:43:52,738
[applause]
953
00:43:52,912 --> 00:43:54,000
And...
954
00:43:57,307 --> 00:43:58,874
And I'm glad I did.
955
00:44:02,530 --> 00:44:03,749
Because I wouldn't have missed
956
00:44:03,923 --> 00:44:05,185
this kind of welcome
for the world.
957
00:44:05,359 --> 00:44:06,708
Thank you.
958
00:44:06,882 --> 00:44:09,145
- [applause]
- [emotional music playing]
959
00:44:14,368 --> 00:44:16,892
You know, the... [chuckles]
960
00:44:17,066 --> 00:44:22,115
the strength to have to deal
with lots and lots of people
961
00:44:22,289 --> 00:44:24,726
trying not to look at you
with pity.
962
00:44:24,900 --> 00:44:26,075
[Close] And I think
the fact that
963
00:44:26,249 --> 00:44:28,556
Superman was in a wheelchair
964
00:44:28,730 --> 00:44:33,387
and was willing to go
public with it was huge.
965
00:44:33,561 --> 00:44:35,389
[Brooke Ellison]
For people with disabilities
966
00:44:35,563 --> 00:44:36,999
to be so visible
967
00:44:37,173 --> 00:44:41,351
was almost unheard of
at the time.
968
00:44:41,525 --> 00:44:43,919
Disability was really
not understood
969
00:44:44,093 --> 00:44:47,749
as a part of humanity
worth including.
970
00:44:47,923 --> 00:44:51,448
And for Chris to be helping
to change that narrative
971
00:44:51,622 --> 00:44:52,841
was life-changing.
972
00:44:53,015 --> 00:44:54,625
Well, I know it was for me.
973
00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:56,497
[reporter] Robin,
this is his first appearance.
974
00:44:56,671 --> 00:44:57,846
This must make you
feel good to know
975
00:44:58,020 --> 00:44:58,934
that he's getting out
like this.
976
00:44:59,108 --> 00:45:01,067
Yeah, it does.
977
00:45:01,241 --> 00:45:02,808
[Al] That was
just a hugely important,
978
00:45:02,982 --> 00:45:04,635
pivotal moment for Dad,
979
00:45:04,810 --> 00:45:06,028
to then move on and say,
980
00:45:06,202 --> 00:45:07,987
"Okay, I'm back out
in the world."
981
00:45:10,250 --> 00:45:12,948
[Chris] Another completely
unexpected benefit
982
00:45:13,122 --> 00:45:15,429
came during my stay
in Hollywood.
983
00:45:15,603 --> 00:45:19,389
I entered hotels and buildings
through garages, kitchens,
984
00:45:19,563 --> 00:45:21,565
and I met cooks, waiters,
985
00:45:21,740 --> 00:45:23,742
and maintenance crews
along the way.
986
00:45:23,916 --> 00:45:26,657
Many of them said
they were praying for me.
987
00:45:26,832 --> 00:45:29,486
Christopher, we all love you.
988
00:45:29,660 --> 00:45:32,359
- Chris, I love you.
- We love you, Christopher.
989
00:45:32,533 --> 00:45:35,014
[Chris] Others looked at me
right in the eye and said,
990
00:45:35,188 --> 00:45:37,712
"We love you, Superman.
You're our hero."
991
00:45:39,670 --> 00:45:41,498
The fact that
I was in a wheelchair,
992
00:45:41,672 --> 00:45:43,892
unable to move
below my shoulders
993
00:45:44,066 --> 00:45:46,286
and dependent
on the support of others,
994
00:45:46,460 --> 00:45:48,070
had not diminished the fact
995
00:45:48,244 --> 00:45:51,987
that I was and always
would be their Superman.
996
00:45:58,124 --> 00:46:00,082
[heroic music playing]
997
00:46:04,043 --> 00:46:06,262
- Say, "Jim"! Whoo!
- Excuse me.
998
00:46:06,436 --> 00:46:08,917
That's a bad outfit.
999
00:46:09,091 --> 00:46:10,484
- Whoo!
- [man] Okay, Bresslaw,
move these people out.
1000
00:46:10,658 --> 00:46:12,442
[women screaming]
1001
00:46:12,616 --> 00:46:13,574
[gasping]
1002
00:46:17,491 --> 00:46:18,797
[screaming]
1003
00:46:21,060 --> 00:46:22,278
[man] God. Look up there.
1004
00:46:24,498 --> 00:46:25,586
What the hell's that?
1005
00:46:27,501 --> 00:46:29,242
Easy, miss. I've got you.
1006
00:46:29,416 --> 00:46:31,157
You've got me?
1007
00:46:31,331 --> 00:46:34,769
- Who's got you?
- [chuckles]
1008
00:46:34,943 --> 00:46:37,641
[Chris] You've never seen
a comic book brought to life
1009
00:46:37,816 --> 00:46:40,862
and they all thought
it was gonna be a joke.
1010
00:46:41,036 --> 00:46:43,430
We, the filmmakers, felt
we could win our way
1011
00:46:43,604 --> 00:46:44,823
into people's hearts,
and we did.
1012
00:46:46,259 --> 00:46:47,913
[Spengler]
When the film opened,
1013
00:46:48,087 --> 00:46:50,741
huge success immediately.
1014
00:46:50,916 --> 00:46:53,005
Superman did $425 million.
1015
00:46:53,179 --> 00:46:57,139
[chuckles] It was 1977.
That was a lot of money.
1016
00:46:57,313 --> 00:46:59,054
[Johnny Carson]
The film critics said
1017
00:46:59,228 --> 00:47:00,447
the young actor chosen
to play the lead in Superman
1018
00:47:00,621 --> 00:47:01,840
is the best reason
to see the movie.
1019
00:47:02,014 --> 00:47:03,624
And he is with us
this morning.
1020
00:47:03,798 --> 00:47:05,800
[Susan Sarandon] I saw it.
I wish I had been Lois.
1021
00:47:05,974 --> 00:47:07,671
Clearly, that would have
been fun.
1022
00:47:07,846 --> 00:47:09,978
Somebody that is
that masculine
1023
00:47:10,152 --> 00:47:11,980
and asked to do that
1024
00:47:12,154 --> 00:47:14,635
could easily slip into some
kind of toxic masculinity.
1025
00:47:14,809 --> 00:47:17,029
But he always struck me
as being gentle.
1026
00:47:17,203 --> 00:47:19,988
[Goldberg] I don't think
I was lustful like that
1027
00:47:20,162 --> 00:47:22,686
until I saw him
in that, you know...
1028
00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:24,950
little outfit.
1029
00:47:25,124 --> 00:47:27,387
He really will always
be the Superman.
1030
00:47:27,561 --> 00:47:29,258
Yeah, and I like
that little curl thing
1031
00:47:29,432 --> 00:47:30,825
that was going on.
1032
00:47:30,999 --> 00:47:32,609
For the Superman opening,
1033
00:47:32,783 --> 00:47:35,699
even the President
of the United States is here.
1034
00:47:35,874 --> 00:47:37,484
[Spengler] And so
Chris was introduced.
1035
00:47:37,658 --> 00:47:41,444
I mean, for someone
who, just a few months before
1036
00:47:41,618 --> 00:47:45,057
was actually off off-Broadway,
he was now a star.
1037
00:47:45,231 --> 00:47:46,232
I'll talk. They went that way.
1038
00:47:46,406 --> 00:47:48,147
Hey, yeah, go for it.
1039
00:47:48,321 --> 00:47:49,800
[Exton] He and Robin
were walking down the street,
1040
00:47:49,975 --> 00:47:51,977
and Robin was like,
"God, I love this city.
1041
00:47:52,151 --> 00:47:54,675
Nobody bothers you.
They don't know who we are."
1042
00:47:54,849 --> 00:47:57,808
And I'm trailing behind,
and everybody's going like,
1043
00:47:57,983 --> 00:47:59,810
"Did you see who that was?"
1044
00:47:59,985 --> 00:48:02,248
- "Superman and Popeye."
- [laughter]
1045
00:48:02,422 --> 00:48:04,511
"Forget Popeye.
I want to know Superman.
1046
00:48:05,773 --> 00:48:07,427
Yeah. He ain't got tights on,
1047
00:48:07,601 --> 00:48:10,256
but I know he can fly.
Come on."
1048
00:48:10,430 --> 00:48:12,562
[interviewer]
Are you feeling like a star?
1049
00:48:12,736 --> 00:48:15,174
[Chris] Don't know much about
it, I'll tell you in a year.
1050
00:48:15,348 --> 00:48:16,915
[interviewer] And you're
enjoying it though? It's fun.
1051
00:48:17,089 --> 00:48:18,481
Are you kidding?
It's fantastic.
1052
00:48:19,526 --> 00:48:20,570
Hi, how you doing?
1053
00:48:21,789 --> 00:48:24,618
Hi y'all. Hi, how you doing?
1054
00:48:24,792 --> 00:48:27,273
[Daniels] I was
very happy for my friend
1055
00:48:27,447 --> 00:48:29,928
in a way that maybe
you aren't with others.
1056
00:48:30,102 --> 00:48:32,060
Usually, it's, you know...
[imitates puffing cigarette]
1057
00:48:32,234 --> 00:48:33,888
"I fucking hate him!"
1058
00:48:34,062 --> 00:48:37,065
And it was a great example
on how to handle it.
1059
00:48:37,239 --> 00:48:39,459
Because it is a freight train,
fame.
1060
00:48:39,633 --> 00:48:41,156
♪ [both singing]
Of the moon ♪
1061
00:48:41,330 --> 00:48:43,245
And it hits you head-on.
1062
00:48:43,419 --> 00:48:45,073
[Kevin] As he became
more and more famous,
1063
00:48:45,247 --> 00:48:48,598
Gae gave him
a security and an anchor
1064
00:48:48,772 --> 00:48:50,557
and a support through that.
1065
00:48:50,731 --> 00:48:52,602
[Chris] Everybody wants to be
around with somebody
1066
00:48:52,776 --> 00:48:54,474
who they think has the juice
at the moment, has the power.
1067
00:48:54,648 --> 00:48:56,650
It's an aphrodisiac, you know,
for men and women,
1068
00:48:56,824 --> 00:48:59,044
and for some people,
it's too hard to resist.
1069
00:48:59,218 --> 00:49:00,697
Listen, if Gae
hadn't been around,
1070
00:49:00,871 --> 00:49:03,526
really, the temptations
were enormous. My God,
1071
00:49:03,700 --> 00:49:05,354
not only do they think
I'm an actor in a lead movie,
1072
00:49:05,528 --> 00:49:07,487
but they think I'm Superman,
for God's sake.
1073
00:49:07,661 --> 00:49:09,402
You know,
you just can't do wrong.
1074
00:49:14,015 --> 00:49:15,538
Matthew Reeve.
1075
00:49:15,712 --> 00:49:17,105
Matthew Exton Reeve.
1076
00:49:17,279 --> 00:49:19,020
Mr. Potato,[chuckles]
we call him.
1077
00:49:19,194 --> 00:49:21,588
He's the light of my life.
1078
00:49:21,762 --> 00:49:23,677
[Exton] I had Matthew in London
1079
00:49:23,851 --> 00:49:27,115
when Christopher
was shooting Superman II.
1080
00:49:27,289 --> 00:49:28,769
[Chris] Becoming a father,
I really thought,
1081
00:49:28,943 --> 00:49:30,466
"Boy, I don't know
whether or not
1082
00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:32,555
I'm gonna be up to it."
1083
00:49:32,729 --> 00:49:34,253
[interviewer] Are there things
that you'd like to make sure
1084
00:49:34,427 --> 00:49:35,819
that Matthew has that
maybe you never had?
1085
00:49:35,994 --> 00:49:37,082
[Chris] Basically,
not a broken home.
1086
00:49:37,256 --> 00:49:38,474
Having been in a home
1087
00:49:38,648 --> 00:49:40,215
that got ripped apart
very early,
1088
00:49:40,389 --> 00:49:43,262
I'm quite determined
that this won't happen to him.
1089
00:49:43,436 --> 00:49:45,046
[interviewer 2]
Is he old enough
1090
00:49:45,220 --> 00:49:47,309
to have any awareness
that Dad plays Superman?
1091
00:49:47,483 --> 00:49:48,832
[Chris] Oh, sure.
1092
00:49:49,007 --> 00:49:50,617
[Matthew] There's evidence
[chuckles]
1093
00:49:50,791 --> 00:49:52,923
that I impersonated him.
1094
00:49:53,098 --> 00:49:56,318
I called myself "Soup Man."
[laughs]
1095
00:49:56,492 --> 00:49:59,495
You know, his little lunchbox
with soup in it.
1096
00:49:59,669 --> 00:50:04,283
And he'd go like this
everywhere. Soup Man.
1097
00:50:04,457 --> 00:50:06,415
It was just hilarious.
[laughing]
1098
00:50:06,589 --> 00:50:08,591
- [heroic music plays]
- [wind whooshes]
1099
00:50:09,505 --> 00:50:10,463
General...
1100
00:50:11,986 --> 00:50:13,335
would you care to step outside?
1101
00:50:13,509 --> 00:50:14,597
Superman. Thank God.
1102
00:50:15,511 --> 00:50:17,731
I mean, get him.
1103
00:50:17,905 --> 00:50:21,213
[Spengler]
Superman II did very well.
1104
00:50:21,387 --> 00:50:23,128
A lot of critics said
it was a better movie
1105
00:50:23,302 --> 00:50:24,999
than number one.
1106
00:50:25,173 --> 00:50:27,001
I don't agree, actually.
1107
00:50:27,175 --> 00:50:30,570
I think number one was
a masterpiece of its genre.
1108
00:50:30,744 --> 00:50:32,224
[reporter] Christopher,
were you thrilled
1109
00:50:32,398 --> 00:50:33,660
about the reaction
this evening to the picture?
1110
00:50:33,834 --> 00:50:35,096
It was terrific.
1111
00:50:35,270 --> 00:50:36,489
Played very nicely.
1112
00:50:36,663 --> 00:50:37,925
And, uh, I think
people really like it.
1113
00:50:38,099 --> 00:50:39,448
So, I'm happy. Very happy.
1114
00:50:40,797 --> 00:50:42,190
[Al] My earliest memories
1115
00:50:42,364 --> 00:50:44,410
are from when
I went to set with Dad
1116
00:50:44,584 --> 00:50:47,108
and was actually
in Superman myself.
1117
00:50:49,545 --> 00:50:50,938
[Exton] Alexandra arrived
on the scene,
1118
00:50:51,112 --> 00:50:53,201
and then we just grew.
1119
00:50:53,375 --> 00:50:55,508
It just became this family.
1120
00:50:55,682 --> 00:50:58,511
[Chris] I was elated
over the birth of Alexandra,
1121
00:50:58,685 --> 00:51:00,252
but confused and anxious
1122
00:51:00,426 --> 00:51:03,342
about the direction
my life was taking.
1123
00:51:03,516 --> 00:51:05,083
[interviewer] Christopher,
are you married?
1124
00:51:05,257 --> 00:51:06,910
- [Chris] No, I'm not.
- [crowd] Yeah!
1125
00:51:10,175 --> 00:51:11,524
[interviewer 2] Now,
a lot of people might think
1126
00:51:11,698 --> 00:51:12,873
that you are not
an old-fashioned romantic
1127
00:51:13,047 --> 00:51:14,918
because you two
are not married.
1128
00:51:15,093 --> 00:51:16,355
[Exton] We talked
about marriage
1129
00:51:16,529 --> 00:51:18,835
when I was expecting Matthew,
1130
00:51:19,009 --> 00:51:22,665
but then later, it just...
it just was ignored.
1131
00:51:22,839 --> 00:51:25,929
We happen to feel that...
or I happen to feel,
1132
00:51:26,104 --> 00:51:28,410
that marriage
is a sort of a license
1133
00:51:28,584 --> 00:51:29,977
to take the other person
for granted.
1134
00:51:30,151 --> 00:51:31,370
You don't do
any more work on it.
1135
00:51:31,544 --> 00:51:32,632
You let things
sort of disintegrate.
1136
00:51:32,806 --> 00:51:34,286
Well, do you think everybody?
1137
00:51:34,460 --> 00:51:36,331
- 'Cause I don't feel
that way at all.
- Okay.
1138
00:51:36,505 --> 00:51:38,725
Uh, we were criticized, um,
1139
00:51:39,856 --> 00:51:41,380
but quite frankly,
1140
00:51:41,554 --> 00:51:44,034
you live your life,
and we'll live ours.
1141
00:51:44,209 --> 00:51:47,473
[Matthew] She wanted us to have
as normal a life as possible,
1142
00:51:47,647 --> 00:51:48,909
but he was at the height
of his career.
1143
00:51:49,083 --> 00:51:50,345
Oh, it's terrific, really.
1144
00:51:50,519 --> 00:51:52,042
[interviewer]
Twenty years from now,
1145
00:51:52,217 --> 00:51:53,914
what do you hope
will have happened to you?
1146
00:51:54,088 --> 00:51:55,045
[Chris]
That I would have tackled
1147
00:51:55,220 --> 00:51:57,047
an increasing variety of roles
1148
00:51:57,222 --> 00:51:59,006
with greater and greater depth
all the time.
1149
00:51:59,180 --> 00:52:01,617
And that I would've moved
into directing.
1150
00:52:07,145 --> 00:52:09,364
And action.
1151
00:52:09,538 --> 00:52:11,061
The appearance on the Oscars
1152
00:52:11,236 --> 00:52:14,064
gave me the courage
to go back to work.
1153
00:52:14,239 --> 00:52:16,545
[interviewer] Were you scared?
I mean, this was
the first thing
1154
00:52:16,719 --> 00:52:18,373
you had directed. Am I right?
1155
00:52:18,547 --> 00:52:19,983
Nothing scares me anymore.
1156
00:52:21,463 --> 00:52:22,725
Yeah, I mean,
not to be melodramatic,
1157
00:52:22,899 --> 00:52:24,945
but I've been
to the edge and back.
1158
00:52:25,119 --> 00:52:26,338
[Goldberg] He said, "Listen,
1159
00:52:26,512 --> 00:52:27,643
I have something
I want to know
1160
00:52:27,817 --> 00:52:28,775
if you'd be interested
in doing."
1161
00:52:28,949 --> 00:52:30,516
And I was like, "Yes."
1162
00:52:30,690 --> 00:52:32,213
And he said, "But you
don't know what it is."
1163
00:52:32,387 --> 00:52:33,954
I said, "Doesn't matter.
Whatever it is, yes."
1164
00:52:34,128 --> 00:52:37,523
So, he told me and I said,
"Oh, quadruple yes."
1165
00:52:37,697 --> 00:52:42,223
I play a very uptight WASP,
[chuckles] basically,
1166
00:52:42,397 --> 00:52:44,138
which I know something about.
1167
00:52:44,312 --> 00:52:48,838
Whose son comes home
and is dying of AIDS.
1168
00:52:49,012 --> 00:52:50,536
So, he's made his choice,
1169
00:52:50,710 --> 00:52:53,321
and the best thing you can do
for him right now
1170
00:52:53,495 --> 00:52:55,758
is love him.
1171
00:52:55,932 --> 00:52:58,108
[Close] Those of us
in the theater community,
1172
00:52:58,283 --> 00:53:00,067
Chris was certainly
part of that,
1173
00:53:00,241 --> 00:53:02,809
lost so many people to AIDS.
1174
00:53:04,463 --> 00:53:05,942
[Chris] What I'd learned
in my own experience
1175
00:53:06,116 --> 00:53:08,206
is you come out
of something like that
1176
00:53:08,380 --> 00:53:10,208
not wanting to blame anybody.
1177
00:53:10,382 --> 00:53:12,166
Now that you realize
life is too short
1178
00:53:12,340 --> 00:53:14,299
to want a complete accounting
of everything.
1179
00:53:14,473 --> 00:53:17,519
By looking death
so squarely in the face,
1180
00:53:17,693 --> 00:53:20,348
I think he had the sensitivity
1181
00:53:20,522 --> 00:53:22,394
to really do
a beautiful job with it.
1182
00:53:22,568 --> 00:53:24,787
I feel that,
while I'm sitting down,
1183
00:53:24,961 --> 00:53:26,224
I've actually landed
on my feet.
1184
00:53:28,008 --> 00:53:31,533
I was stunned by his readiness
to go out
1185
00:53:31,707 --> 00:53:33,666
and be proactive,
to be able to direct,
1186
00:53:33,840 --> 00:53:35,450
to be able to act even.
1187
00:53:37,104 --> 00:53:38,888
[Al] Rear Window
was his first time
1188
00:53:39,062 --> 00:53:41,456
in an acting role
after the accident.
1189
00:53:41,630 --> 00:53:43,415
[machines beeping]
1190
00:53:43,589 --> 00:53:45,155
[Chris] One of my missions,
really,
1191
00:53:45,330 --> 00:53:48,246
is to make people more aware
of the disabled,
1192
00:53:48,420 --> 00:53:51,727
less afraid to look
at the disabled, and, uh...
1193
00:53:51,901 --> 00:53:53,729
this movie,
in a sneaky way,
1194
00:53:53,903 --> 00:53:56,123
I think, accomplishes that.
1195
00:53:56,297 --> 00:53:57,994
[Kirshblum]
He went back to work.
1196
00:53:58,168 --> 00:54:02,347
He succeeded in a industry
that really wasn't
1197
00:54:02,521 --> 00:54:05,785
a disability-friendly
industry.
1198
00:54:05,959 --> 00:54:07,613
[Chris] Just imagine
what it's like
1199
00:54:07,787 --> 00:54:08,918
to be me for one day.
1200
00:54:10,964 --> 00:54:12,531
And I have it better
1201
00:54:12,705 --> 00:54:14,533
than most people
with spinal cord injuries.
1202
00:54:14,707 --> 00:54:16,665
He wanted to change
the entire picture
1203
00:54:16,839 --> 00:54:19,494
for everybody
with disabilities.
1204
00:54:19,668 --> 00:54:21,627
[Manganiello] The vice
president asked Chris
1205
00:54:21,801 --> 00:54:24,325
to come speak
at the Democratic
National Convention.
1206
00:54:24,499 --> 00:54:27,633
And the vice president sent up
his head speechwriter.
1207
00:54:27,807 --> 00:54:29,765
He was a brilliant,
beautiful speechwriter.
1208
00:54:29,939 --> 00:54:31,854
[laughs]
And Chris kinda dismissed him.
1209
00:54:33,769 --> 00:54:35,205
[announcer]
From the United Center
1210
00:54:35,380 --> 00:54:37,164
in Chicago, Illinois,
live coverage
1211
00:54:37,338 --> 00:54:39,775
of the Democratic
National Convention.
1212
00:54:39,949 --> 00:54:41,951
[applause]
1213
00:54:46,652 --> 00:54:49,132
[Chris] Thank you
very, very much.
1214
00:54:49,307 --> 00:54:51,221
You know,
over the last few years,
1215
00:54:54,616 --> 00:54:55,661
we've heard a lot about
1216
00:54:55,835 --> 00:54:57,097
something called
family values.
1217
00:54:58,664 --> 00:55:00,013
And, like many of you,
1218
00:55:00,187 --> 00:55:02,798
I've struggled to figure out
what that means.
1219
00:55:02,972 --> 00:55:05,323
I think it means
that we're all family.
1220
00:55:06,889 --> 00:55:08,413
[applause]
1221
00:55:08,587 --> 00:55:10,719
And that we all have value.
1222
00:55:10,893 --> 00:55:12,852
[cheers and applause]
1223
00:55:18,292 --> 00:55:22,078
One in five of us
has some kind of disability.
1224
00:55:22,252 --> 00:55:25,386
You may have an aunt
with Parkinson's disease.
1225
00:55:25,560 --> 00:55:28,171
A neighbor with
a spinal cord injury.
1226
00:55:28,346 --> 00:55:31,261
And if we're really committed
to this idea of family,
1227
00:55:31,436 --> 00:55:33,742
we've got to do
something about it.
1228
00:55:34,482 --> 00:55:36,789
[applause]
1229
00:55:36,963 --> 00:55:40,532
[Kerry] Somehow, the injustice
of what had happened
1230
00:55:40,706 --> 00:55:44,753
just seemed so unfathomable
to people.
1231
00:55:44,927 --> 00:55:47,974
And it sounds silly, I know,
but there he was, Superman.
1232
00:55:49,715 --> 00:55:54,676
One was so big and powerful
and invincible,
1233
00:55:54,850 --> 00:55:57,940
and the other was
so, now, vulnerable.
1234
00:55:59,377 --> 00:56:00,813
Now, one of
the smartest things
1235
00:56:00,987 --> 00:56:04,512
we can do about disability
is to invest in research
1236
00:56:04,686 --> 00:56:07,733
that will protect us
from diseases
and lead to cures.
1237
00:56:08,951 --> 00:56:13,086
That combination
moved mountains.
1238
00:56:15,741 --> 00:56:17,046
That's how it was.
1239
00:56:19,266 --> 00:56:23,618
America does not
let its needy citizens
1240
00:56:25,054 --> 00:56:27,230
fend for themselves.
1241
00:56:27,405 --> 00:56:29,015
[applause]
1242
00:56:29,189 --> 00:56:31,147
[inspirational music playing]
1243
00:56:41,201 --> 00:56:44,073
[inaudible] Thank you.
Thank you very much.
1244
00:56:50,428 --> 00:56:52,473
[interviewer] First Superman
picture came out.
1245
00:56:52,647 --> 00:56:54,780
People considered you
Superman.
1246
00:56:54,954 --> 00:56:56,521
Oh, everybody's looking
for a hero.
1247
00:56:56,695 --> 00:56:58,218
Everybody,
not just five-year-olds.
1248
00:56:58,392 --> 00:56:59,959
That was a part.
I played the part.
1249
00:57:00,133 --> 00:57:01,700
I'm not that man.
1250
00:57:01,874 --> 00:57:03,223
It's an image that is created
by other people
1251
00:57:03,397 --> 00:57:05,355
but it's pretty far
away from me.
1252
00:57:05,530 --> 00:57:07,053
Outside of Superman,
1253
00:57:07,227 --> 00:57:11,231
he seems to have chosen
very opposite roles.
1254
00:57:11,405 --> 00:57:15,975
Like Somewhere in Time,
which was extremely romantic.
1255
00:57:16,149 --> 00:57:19,805
Then he did Deathtrap
with Michael Caine.
1256
00:57:19,979 --> 00:57:21,937
Deathtrap.
1257
00:57:22,111 --> 00:57:26,246
[Spengler] Then he was
a crooked priest.
1258
00:57:26,420 --> 00:57:30,555
None of the films he did
outside of Superman
1259
00:57:30,729 --> 00:57:32,948
were successful commercially.
1260
00:57:36,561 --> 00:57:37,692
[Chris] Worst review
I ever got
1261
00:57:37,866 --> 00:57:39,520
was from the New York Times .
1262
00:57:39,694 --> 00:57:41,957
[Exton] He was very sensitive
to bad reviews.
1263
00:57:42,131 --> 00:57:44,525
"Mr. Reeve looks like
a helium-filled canary.
1264
00:57:44,699 --> 00:57:45,961
One more movie like this
1265
00:57:46,135 --> 00:57:47,572
and it's back
to the cape forever."
1266
00:57:49,965 --> 00:57:53,012
[Exton] He was contracted
to do Superman III ,
1267
00:57:53,186 --> 00:57:55,754
but his heart wasn't in it.
1268
00:57:55,928 --> 00:57:57,799
Hollywood suffers
from a very bad disease,
1269
00:57:57,973 --> 00:58:00,062
called sequel-itis.
1270
00:58:00,236 --> 00:58:01,934
You take what grossed
100 million domestically
last year
1271
00:58:02,108 --> 00:58:03,588
and get the key ingredients
back again
1272
00:58:03,762 --> 00:58:05,372
and try to pump it up
a few more times.
1273
00:58:05,546 --> 00:58:07,679
Of course, the quality
is a sliding scale
1274
00:58:07,853 --> 00:58:08,984
of diminishing returns.
1275
00:58:09,158 --> 00:58:10,682
[dramatic music playing]
1276
00:58:13,989 --> 00:58:15,469
[Exton] In the back of
his mind, he thought,
1277
00:58:15,643 --> 00:58:17,602
"This might not be as good."
1278
00:58:17,776 --> 00:58:18,864
He was struggling.
1279
00:58:21,388 --> 00:58:22,911
[choking]
1280
00:58:23,085 --> 00:58:24,434
[Chris] Everyone
should be allowed in life
1281
00:58:24,609 --> 00:58:26,088
to close the door
on certain times
1282
00:58:26,262 --> 00:58:27,437
and open other doors.
1283
00:58:31,790 --> 00:58:35,315
[Daniels] If you hit big,
that big,
1284
00:58:35,489 --> 00:58:37,186
that's who you are.
1285
00:58:37,360 --> 00:58:40,538
That's what you are
and that's what you can do.
1286
00:58:41,582 --> 00:58:43,236
And Chris came back
1287
00:58:43,410 --> 00:58:45,673
and did Fifth of July
on Broadway,
1288
00:58:45,847 --> 00:58:47,675
and I was his lover.
1289
00:58:47,849 --> 00:58:49,634
[Kevin] Some in the audience
were so surprised
1290
00:58:49,808 --> 00:58:51,940
to see Chris kiss a man.
1291
00:58:52,114 --> 00:58:55,683
Someone yells out,
"Say it ain't so, Superman."
1292
00:58:55,857 --> 00:58:59,034
I mean it was just...
it was hard for the audience.
1293
00:58:59,208 --> 00:59:03,212
He wanted to prove to everyone
that he was a good actor.
1294
00:59:03,386 --> 00:59:06,781
And I don't think
he had the chance to find out.
1295
00:59:07,695 --> 00:59:08,653
"You're Superman."
1296
00:59:15,877 --> 00:59:17,400
[man] Cut it. Lovely.
1297
00:59:19,141 --> 00:59:20,882
[Exton] And Superman IV
came along.
1298
00:59:21,056 --> 00:59:22,797
- I think he thought...
- Yeah.
1299
00:59:22,971 --> 00:59:24,625
[Exton] ... "I don't think
I should be doing this."
1300
00:59:24,799 --> 00:59:26,932
[Chris] Superman IV
was simply a catastrophe
1301
00:59:27,106 --> 00:59:28,281
from start to finish.
1302
00:59:30,196 --> 00:59:33,547
When I was young, the only
cooler movie star father
1303
00:59:33,721 --> 00:59:35,680
would have been
Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill,
1304
00:59:35,854 --> 00:59:38,073
or maybe Indiana Jones,
Harrison Ford.
1305
00:59:38,247 --> 00:59:41,816
He was one of the biggest
movie stars in the world,
1306
00:59:41,990 --> 00:59:45,341
but by the time I was ten,
1307
00:59:45,515 --> 00:59:46,865
he was kind of doing, like,
1308
00:59:47,039 --> 00:59:49,737
TV movies of the week
to pay the bills.
1309
00:59:49,911 --> 00:59:51,217
[Exton] And that's
when our relationship
1310
00:59:51,391 --> 00:59:52,610
actually started to struggle.
1311
00:59:54,350 --> 00:59:57,484
We were living in London, principally.
1312
00:59:57,658 --> 00:59:59,442
We had the apartment
in New York
1313
00:59:59,617 --> 01:00:01,183
and we talked about
1314
01:00:01,357 --> 01:00:03,359
maybe he should just
go over to America for a while
1315
01:00:03,533 --> 01:00:06,145
and, um, reflect on things.
1316
01:00:06,319 --> 01:00:08,887
[man] All together now.
Right here, right here.
Right here.
1317
01:00:09,061 --> 01:00:10,453
I think he was
testing the water
1318
01:00:10,628 --> 01:00:14,806
to see what it was like
to be single.
1319
01:00:14,980 --> 01:00:16,242
- We're just good friends.
- Okay. I'll take that one.
1320
01:00:16,416 --> 01:00:17,417
Thank you.
1321
01:00:17,591 --> 01:00:18,548
- [laughter]
- [kissing]
1322
01:00:20,463 --> 01:00:21,769
We're just good friends.
1323
01:00:23,249 --> 01:00:26,469
He came back to London
for a while.
1324
01:00:26,644 --> 01:00:28,297
He says, "This isn't
going to work, is it?"
1325
01:00:28,471 --> 01:00:30,517
[somber music playing]
1326
01:00:32,954 --> 01:00:34,782
And so, we decided that
1327
01:00:34,956 --> 01:00:39,004
maybe it was time that
we went our separate ways.
1328
01:00:39,178 --> 01:00:40,222
[sniffles]
1329
01:00:47,490 --> 01:00:48,709
So sorry.
1330
01:00:57,413 --> 01:00:59,764
[Matthew] It was hard
on my mom.
1331
01:00:59,938 --> 01:01:01,504
You know, it wasn't like,
1332
01:01:01,679 --> 01:01:02,505
"Yeah, this isn't working out
for the both of us."
1333
01:01:02,680 --> 01:01:04,290
I think he was like,
1334
01:01:04,464 --> 01:01:06,205
"I don't want
to do this anymore."
1335
01:01:06,379 --> 01:01:08,076
I think that was hard for her.
1336
01:01:18,086 --> 01:01:19,958
You know,
my dad had a big issue.
1337
01:01:20,132 --> 01:01:21,350
He would not commit.
1338
01:01:21,524 --> 01:01:23,265
Every marriage he'd seen
1339
01:01:23,439 --> 01:01:25,441
in his own family life
had failed.
1340
01:01:25,615 --> 01:01:27,182
His parents' marriage.
1341
01:01:27,356 --> 01:01:29,489
His father's marriage
to his stepmother.
1342
01:01:29,663 --> 01:01:33,188
He had no experience
with a successful, healthy,
1343
01:01:33,362 --> 01:01:36,757
long-term marriage.
1344
01:01:36,931 --> 01:01:41,327
[Chris] Lives repeat themselves
in succeeding generations,
1345
01:01:41,501 --> 01:01:43,764
often in the worst ways.
1346
01:01:43,938 --> 01:01:46,724
And patterns of behavior
can be difficult to break.
1347
01:01:51,163 --> 01:01:53,078
[Matthew] He was away
so much anyway.
1348
01:01:53,252 --> 01:01:54,688
It wasn't like
he suddenly stopped
1349
01:01:54,862 --> 01:01:56,037
picking me up
from school every day
1350
01:01:56,211 --> 01:01:57,473
or something like that.
1351
01:01:58,910 --> 01:01:59,824
It was just...
1352
01:02:02,522 --> 01:02:04,567
He kind of stopped
coming home.
1353
01:02:04,742 --> 01:02:06,308
For most of my childhood,
1354
01:02:06,482 --> 01:02:08,223
she was effectively
a single mom.
1355
01:02:11,357 --> 01:02:13,533
So, the day after
I was born, he, um,
1356
01:02:14,273 --> 01:02:16,362
flew to...
1357
01:02:16,536 --> 01:02:18,320
France and went skiing
with friends. [chuckles]
1358
01:02:21,367 --> 01:02:25,850
We weren't, you know...
that close.
1359
01:02:26,024 --> 01:02:27,939
Relationships come down
to small moments,
1360
01:02:28,113 --> 01:02:29,244
not just big events.
1361
01:02:32,944 --> 01:02:34,946
[interviewer] When you've done
a role like Superman,
1362
01:02:35,120 --> 01:02:36,686
people tend to put you up
on a pedestal.
1363
01:02:36,861 --> 01:02:38,819
They tend to think
you are that person.
1364
01:02:38,993 --> 01:02:40,690
And that, morally,
you are that person.
1365
01:02:40,865 --> 01:02:42,780
[Chris] Yeah.
1366
01:02:42,954 --> 01:02:45,347
I get Bibles and letters sent
to me from clergymen saying,
1367
01:02:45,521 --> 01:02:47,654
"You must think about
your religious responsibility.
1368
01:02:47,828 --> 01:02:50,135
Superman is a pop culture
version of Jesus Christ."
1369
01:02:50,309 --> 01:02:52,920
I'm going,
"Wait. Whoa, wait a minute."
1370
01:02:53,094 --> 01:02:54,966
I don't have all the answers.
1371
01:02:55,140 --> 01:02:56,794
I don't know what I'm supposed
to do all the time.
1372
01:02:58,796 --> 01:03:00,058
I'm not a hero.
1373
01:03:00,232 --> 01:03:01,624
Never have been,
never will be.
1374
01:03:04,018 --> 01:03:05,150
[applause]
1375
01:03:09,458 --> 01:03:12,679
To people who are watching
from hospital beds
1376
01:03:12,853 --> 01:03:15,508
or any place
where they feel shut in,
1377
01:03:16,552 --> 01:03:17,858
help is on the way.
1378
01:03:22,080 --> 01:03:24,256
[Ellison]
When Chris was injured,
1379
01:03:24,430 --> 01:03:26,040
it was either a death sentence
1380
01:03:26,214 --> 01:03:29,304
or this was the way
your life was going to be,
1381
01:03:29,478 --> 01:03:31,698
without any treatment or cure.
1382
01:03:32,873 --> 01:03:34,788
Impossible and unsolvable...
1383
01:03:34,962 --> 01:03:36,921
are no longer
in the vocabulary
1384
01:03:37,095 --> 01:03:39,140
of the scientific community.
1385
01:03:39,314 --> 01:03:43,231
And it took a voice
like Chris' to say,
1386
01:03:43,405 --> 01:03:45,799
"That's not good enough."
1387
01:03:45,973 --> 01:03:48,019
[Manganiello] So, Chris started
the foundation.
1388
01:03:48,193 --> 01:03:50,195
It was called the
Christopher Reeve Foundation.
1389
01:03:51,718 --> 01:03:53,763
He's like,
"You're Executive Director."
1390
01:03:53,938 --> 01:03:55,678
I'm like, "Okay."[chuckles]
1391
01:03:55,853 --> 01:04:00,553
The board was Barbara Walters,
Robin Williams. It was just...
1392
01:04:00,727 --> 01:04:03,034
We are here to help my friend
1393
01:04:03,208 --> 01:04:04,513
and 250,000 other people
1394
01:04:04,687 --> 01:04:05,688
to get back
on their feet again.
1395
01:04:09,736 --> 01:04:11,172
[Manganiello]
He just wanted to fund
1396
01:04:11,346 --> 01:04:13,566
the best science
no matter where it was.
1397
01:04:13,740 --> 01:04:16,569
[Kirshblum] He understood
the importance of advocacy.
1398
01:04:16,743 --> 01:04:21,226
He was an advocate
before his injury.
1399
01:04:21,400 --> 01:04:25,317
Chris was serious about
pursuing environmental issues
1400
01:04:25,491 --> 01:04:26,927
and also human rights issues.
1401
01:04:28,624 --> 01:04:30,148
Animal rights terrorists
or will not pardon...
1402
01:04:30,322 --> 01:04:32,411
[Sarandon] We would go to D.C.
1403
01:04:32,585 --> 01:04:34,804
Occasionally, Chris flew us
1404
01:04:34,979 --> 01:04:37,764
in an airplane,
not on his back.
1405
01:04:37,938 --> 01:04:40,506
[Chris] Okay, so what
I used to do politically...
1406
01:04:40,680 --> 01:04:43,248
taking all those contacts
I made in Washington.
1407
01:04:43,422 --> 01:04:45,641
I'm gonna go back there
and beat up on them
about this.
1408
01:04:45,815 --> 01:04:46,860
He made it bipartisan.
1409
01:04:47,034 --> 01:04:47,992
He would take it
to Republicans.
1410
01:04:48,166 --> 01:04:50,037
He would take it to Democrats.
1411
01:04:50,211 --> 01:04:51,647
[reporter] After meeting
with President Clinton,
1412
01:04:51,821 --> 01:04:53,388
he was told...
1413
01:04:53,562 --> 01:04:55,129
[Chris] There will be
a $10 million increase
1414
01:04:55,303 --> 01:04:58,263
in funding specifically
for spinal cord injury.
1415
01:04:58,437 --> 01:05:00,569
[Manganiello] People were
just throwing money at us.
1416
01:05:04,660 --> 01:05:07,272
[Kirshblum] In the early 1990s,
spinal cord injury was known
1417
01:05:07,446 --> 01:05:09,709
as a field of doom and gloom.
1418
01:05:09,883 --> 01:05:14,888
By making it a hot area,
his impact was tangible.
1419
01:05:17,412 --> 01:05:18,674
[presenter]
There is no question
1420
01:05:18,848 --> 01:05:20,589
that Christopher Reeve
has become
1421
01:05:20,763 --> 01:05:24,245
a quite stunning icon
for the paralyzed community
1422
01:05:24,419 --> 01:05:26,508
and for the disabled
community in general.
1423
01:05:29,033 --> 01:05:30,295
Hi, Dr. Peterson.
1424
01:05:30,469 --> 01:05:32,123
How's everything going
in Cambridge?
1425
01:05:32,297 --> 01:05:33,994
[Al] One of the areas
that he really believed in
1426
01:05:34,168 --> 01:05:36,518
was stem cell research.
1427
01:05:36,692 --> 01:05:38,042
[Laurie Hawkins]
Chris would get all excited.
1428
01:05:38,216 --> 01:05:40,000
He's like,
"It's going to change science.
1429
01:05:40,174 --> 01:05:41,959
It's going
to change people's lives."
1430
01:05:47,921 --> 01:05:49,096
[Chris] You can make
a new heart,
1431
01:05:49,270 --> 01:05:51,055
you can make a new liver.
1432
01:05:51,229 --> 01:05:52,534
You can replace the nerves
1433
01:05:52,708 --> 01:05:54,536
that were damaged
in spinal cord injuries.
1434
01:05:54,710 --> 01:05:58,584
[Ellison] Juvenile diabetes,
ALS, Parkinson's disease.
1435
01:05:58,758 --> 01:06:01,326
A cure for almost everything.
1436
01:06:01,500 --> 01:06:04,372
[Will] My dad was obsessed
with tomorrow's cure.
1437
01:06:04,546 --> 01:06:05,852
[Chris] I think it's probably
the greatest breakthrough
1438
01:06:06,026 --> 01:06:07,593
in the history of science.
1439
01:06:07,767 --> 01:06:11,075
He would have been the first
for any human trial.
1440
01:06:14,643 --> 01:06:16,819
[inspirational music building]
1441
01:06:20,910 --> 01:06:22,216
[applause]
1442
01:06:29,832 --> 01:06:32,531
Disabled groups have reacted
angrily to a commercial
1443
01:06:32,705 --> 01:06:35,012
in which the paraplegic actor,
Christopher Reeve,
1444
01:06:35,186 --> 01:06:36,796
is made to get out
of his wheelchair
1445
01:06:36,970 --> 01:06:39,451
and walk using
computer technology.
1446
01:06:39,625 --> 01:06:41,192
[reporter]
Millions saw it go out,
1447
01:06:41,366 --> 01:06:43,020
some of whom rang in
wanting to know
1448
01:06:43,194 --> 01:06:44,586
where Reeve had been treated.
1449
01:06:44,760 --> 01:06:47,285
People with disabilities
seem to be very upset
1450
01:06:47,459 --> 01:06:50,984
by the message
that Christopher Reeve
is handing out.
1451
01:06:51,158 --> 01:06:53,421
[Manganiello] Chris was
incredibly galvanizing
1452
01:06:53,595 --> 01:06:56,207
and he was incredibly
polarizing at the same time.
1453
01:06:56,381 --> 01:06:59,906
The concept of cure
is a very, very dicey one
1454
01:07:00,080 --> 01:07:02,691
in the disability community.
1455
01:07:02,865 --> 01:07:04,737
Cure connotes the fact
1456
01:07:04,911 --> 01:07:06,782
that there's something wrong
with you,
1457
01:07:06,956 --> 01:07:09,785
something that needs
to be fixed.
1458
01:07:09,959 --> 01:07:12,353
Christopher Reeve has not gone
through the process
1459
01:07:12,527 --> 01:07:15,748
of grieving over his loss.
1460
01:07:15,922 --> 01:07:17,837
[Manganiello]
Absolutely thought
it was the right thing to do.
1461
01:07:18,011 --> 01:07:21,797
I think he could do whatever
the flip he wanted to do.
1462
01:07:21,971 --> 01:07:24,626
The guy got up every day
fighting for everybody.
1463
01:07:25,671 --> 01:07:28,935
Time is absolutely critical.
1464
01:07:29,109 --> 01:07:31,590
Someone once said,
"Oh, you give people
false hope."
1465
01:07:31,764 --> 01:07:32,895
Chris said,
"There's no false hope.
1466
01:07:33,070 --> 01:07:34,941
There's only hope."
1467
01:07:35,115 --> 01:07:36,899
[Hawkins] There's a group
of disabled community
1468
01:07:37,074 --> 01:07:39,032
who were against
all the research.
1469
01:07:39,206 --> 01:07:40,686
[Manganiello]
And they said he didn't care
1470
01:07:40,860 --> 01:07:42,253
about people living
with a disability.
1471
01:07:42,427 --> 01:07:44,820
Only he wanted
out of his chair.
1472
01:07:44,994 --> 01:07:46,474
They're so used
to being in a chair,
1473
01:07:46,648 --> 01:07:48,085
they can't imagine
anything else.
1474
01:07:48,259 --> 01:07:50,304
And I sympathize with that...
1475
01:07:52,306 --> 01:07:53,742
But I'm not gonna
buy into it.
1476
01:07:53,916 --> 01:07:56,223
That's when Dana stepped in
and she's like,
1477
01:07:56,397 --> 01:07:58,660
"No, they actually have
a valid point."
1478
01:07:58,834 --> 01:08:00,488
That's how we started
the Quality of Life program
1479
01:08:00,662 --> 01:08:02,621
at the Reeve Foundation.
1480
01:08:02,795 --> 01:08:04,275
- And so...
- [Manganiello] It could
be everything
1481
01:08:04,449 --> 01:08:07,582
from a summer camp
for disabled children
1482
01:08:07,756 --> 01:08:10,019
to making a theater
accessible.
1483
01:08:10,194 --> 01:08:11,630
I mean,
there's a million things
1484
01:08:11,804 --> 01:08:13,545
that you could give money to.
1485
01:08:13,719 --> 01:08:16,113
I'd like to introduce
Dana Reeve.
1486
01:08:16,287 --> 01:08:17,636
She's on
the Board of Directors
1487
01:08:17,810 --> 01:08:19,768
of the Christopher Reeve
Paralysis Foundation,
1488
01:08:19,942 --> 01:08:21,422
and she's the Chair
of the Quality of Life Grants
program...
1489
01:08:21,596 --> 01:08:22,945
and I must say,
1490
01:08:23,120 --> 01:08:24,295
she's the heart and soul
of this resource center.
1491
01:08:24,469 --> 01:08:26,210
Dana Reeve.
1492
01:08:26,384 --> 01:08:28,342
Well, about seven years ago,
my husband had his accident...
1493
01:08:28,516 --> 01:08:31,737
and I will say,
because Chris is who he is,
1494
01:08:31,911 --> 01:08:33,739
information poured in.
1495
01:08:33,913 --> 01:08:35,088
That doesn't happen
1496
01:08:35,262 --> 01:08:36,742
for the vast majority
of people.
1497
01:08:36,916 --> 01:08:38,265
Having never
actually done this,
1498
01:08:38,439 --> 01:08:39,614
having never been
a beauty queen.
1499
01:08:39,788 --> 01:08:41,355
[laughter]
1500
01:08:41,529 --> 01:08:43,531
[Will] Tomorrow's cure,
that is all my dad.
1501
01:08:43,705 --> 01:08:46,491
Where Dana comes in,
is today's care.
1502
01:08:46,665 --> 01:08:52,061
Because her whole life became
dedicated to caring for my dad
1503
01:08:52,236 --> 01:08:55,152
and for me and for our family.
1504
01:08:55,326 --> 01:08:57,415
[Chris] She rescued me
when I was lying in Virginia
1505
01:08:57,589 --> 01:08:59,025
with a broken body,
1506
01:08:59,199 --> 01:09:01,854
but that was really
the second time.
1507
01:09:02,028 --> 01:09:04,335
The first time she rescued me
was the night we met.
1508
01:09:12,081 --> 01:09:13,692
[piano playing]
1509
01:09:13,866 --> 01:09:18,087
♪ Yes,
I'm with you always ♪
1510
01:09:18,262 --> 01:09:24,572
♪ I'm with you rain or shine ♪
1511
01:09:24,746 --> 01:09:28,707
[Dana] It was June, 1987,
1512
01:09:28,881 --> 01:09:31,623
and right at one
of the front tables
1513
01:09:31,797 --> 01:09:33,842
sat a movie star.
1514
01:09:34,016 --> 01:09:35,540
She was warned against me.
1515
01:09:35,714 --> 01:09:39,021
The word was,
"Look out. He's on the prowl."
1516
01:09:39,196 --> 01:09:41,981
Um, because I guess
I had a reputation of...
1517
01:09:42,155 --> 01:09:43,025
Love 'em and leave 'em or...
1518
01:09:43,200 --> 01:09:44,331
[Chris] Little bit. Yeah.
1519
01:09:44,505 --> 01:09:46,551
It was in the old days.
I mean...
1520
01:09:46,725 --> 01:09:48,640
[Manganiello]
She called and she said,
"I'm dating someone."
1521
01:09:48,814 --> 01:09:50,294
And I said, "Great."
1522
01:09:50,468 --> 01:09:53,253
She goes,
"It's Christopher Reeve."
1523
01:09:53,427 --> 01:09:56,343
[laughs] And I'm like,
"Wow, you're dating Superman?"
1524
01:09:56,517 --> 01:09:59,781
I had lots of questions,
which I... Never mind.
1525
01:09:59,955 --> 01:10:01,174
[Chris] But I had to spend
a certain amount of time
1526
01:10:01,348 --> 01:10:03,307
trying to disclaim
my reputation.
1527
01:10:03,481 --> 01:10:06,135
But it's just slow
and I gotta tell you that,
1528
01:10:06,310 --> 01:10:07,659
anybody out there
who has not been involved
1529
01:10:07,833 --> 01:10:11,184
in an old-fashioned romance,
it's thrilling.
1530
01:10:11,358 --> 01:10:13,447
[dreamy music playing]
1531
01:10:13,621 --> 01:10:17,712
They went at night,
and something about a pond
1532
01:10:17,886 --> 01:10:20,062
and them going in and wading
1533
01:10:20,237 --> 01:10:22,456
and their first kiss
under the stars.
1534
01:10:24,458 --> 01:10:28,027
It all seemed very movie-like,
to be perfectly honest.
1535
01:10:29,420 --> 01:10:31,683
That was the way
I saw the evening.
1536
01:10:32,640 --> 01:10:33,859
[crowd laughs]
1537
01:10:35,077 --> 01:10:36,688
But to hear Chris tell it...
1538
01:10:36,862 --> 01:10:37,993
[piano playing]
1539
01:10:38,167 --> 01:10:39,691
♪ I was walking
along ♪
1540
01:10:39,865 --> 01:10:40,866
[crowd laughs]
1541
01:10:41,040 --> 01:10:43,129
♪ Minding my business ♪
1542
01:10:43,303 --> 01:10:46,741
[Chris] I went down hook,
line and sinker.
1543
01:10:46,915 --> 01:10:49,135
All my friends who were there
saw it happen.
1544
01:10:51,006 --> 01:10:53,052
[Close] They had
a wonderful connection.
1545
01:10:53,226 --> 01:10:57,056
They both were extremely happy
to be in each other's lives.
1546
01:10:57,230 --> 01:10:59,232
- You couldn't see 50 yards.
- It was bad.
1547
01:10:59,406 --> 01:11:01,626
Yeah. It was
inside-a-milk-bottle time.
1548
01:11:01,800 --> 01:11:02,670
Anyway.
1549
01:11:02,844 --> 01:11:03,845
How much film do we have?
1550
01:11:04,019 --> 01:11:05,020
- We're only on day one.
- Okay.
1551
01:11:05,194 --> 01:11:06,544
[both laugh]
1552
01:11:06,718 --> 01:11:08,415
I think that the heroic
Kevin Johnson role
1553
01:11:08,589 --> 01:11:10,287
- has not yet been described.
- [Chris and Dana laugh]
1554
01:11:10,461 --> 01:11:11,636
Yeah, that's it.
1555
01:11:11,810 --> 01:11:13,768
With Chris
it was the excitement
1556
01:11:13,942 --> 01:11:15,292
of the pieces of his life
1557
01:11:15,466 --> 01:11:18,033
that she really
matched him with.
1558
01:11:18,207 --> 01:11:21,254
Partly it was the acting
and the artistic element,
1559
01:11:21,428 --> 01:11:23,212
but it was beyond that.
1560
01:11:23,387 --> 01:11:28,000
It was the ability to share
passionately-intense fun
1561
01:11:28,174 --> 01:11:29,393
and activity together.
1562
01:11:30,350 --> 01:11:31,482
[laughing]
1563
01:11:33,048 --> 01:11:34,876
[dreamy music continues]
1564
01:11:35,050 --> 01:11:37,052
[inaudible]
1565
01:11:37,226 --> 01:11:40,578
[Matthew] I think from the time
it was fully over with my mom
1566
01:11:40,752 --> 01:11:43,058
and the night
he first met Dana,
1567
01:11:43,232 --> 01:11:44,669
was like five months.
1568
01:11:44,843 --> 01:11:49,108
Yeah, not long at all.
It was pretty wild.
1569
01:11:49,282 --> 01:11:50,631
- Hold on, I think I'm...
- [Chris] I do remember
1570
01:11:50,805 --> 01:11:52,459
meeting Dana
for the first time.
1571
01:11:52,633 --> 01:11:54,418
I didn't really know, like,
[laughs] who she was
1572
01:11:54,592 --> 01:11:55,854
or why we were meeting her.
1573
01:11:57,812 --> 01:11:59,379
Firstly, her smile, like,
1574
01:11:59,553 --> 01:12:03,688
it's just this really warm,
bright smile.
1575
01:12:03,862 --> 01:12:05,864
Oh. [chuckles] Hello.
That's kind of...
1576
01:12:06,038 --> 01:12:07,735
- [Chris] Hello.
- Christmas never ends.
1577
01:12:07,909 --> 01:12:11,173
[Al] It was just so clear
how Dad felt about her.
1578
01:12:11,348 --> 01:12:13,611
She was his sunshine
from day one.
1579
01:12:13,785 --> 01:12:16,962
- [Chris] Who's that going to?
- It's going to Michael.
1580
01:12:17,136 --> 01:12:18,659
[Al] You know, she was
26 years old.[chuckles]
1581
01:12:18,833 --> 01:12:20,748
Like what a world to come in
1582
01:12:20,922 --> 01:12:22,620
and suddenly have,
you know, a three-year-old
1583
01:12:22,794 --> 01:12:25,623
and a seven-year-old
hanging out with you.
1584
01:12:25,797 --> 01:12:27,451
[Exton] She wrote to me,
and she said,
1585
01:12:27,625 --> 01:12:30,062
"Your children are amazing.
1586
01:12:30,236 --> 01:12:31,759
But I'm not going
to be a stepmother.
1587
01:12:31,933 --> 01:12:33,457
I want to be their friend."
1588
01:12:33,631 --> 01:12:35,067
So, I wrote back and said,
you know,
1589
01:12:35,241 --> 01:12:38,113
"Thank you.
Really appreciate that.
1590
01:12:38,287 --> 01:12:40,464
Look out for Alexandra.
She's the only girl there."
1591
01:12:40,638 --> 01:12:42,117
Do you see they have this...
1592
01:12:42,291 --> 01:12:43,815
[Sarandon] There was
a real attempt by Dana
1593
01:12:43,989 --> 01:12:46,252
to make sure
that the kids were around
1594
01:12:46,426 --> 01:12:48,733
as much as possible.
1595
01:12:48,907 --> 01:12:51,300
You have to decide that
you're gonna do that.
1596
01:12:51,475 --> 01:12:52,867
That doesn't happen naturally.
1597
01:12:53,041 --> 01:12:55,870
Dad, she's messing up
the cardboard.
1598
01:12:56,044 --> 01:12:58,786
- How far across? I don't know.
- Did you read it?
1599
01:12:58,960 --> 01:13:00,658
[Al] And she was also the one.
1600
01:13:00,832 --> 01:13:02,311
My dad was very competitive
1601
01:13:02,486 --> 01:13:04,357
and he didn't
necessarily slow down.
1602
01:13:08,274 --> 01:13:09,754
[Chris] Come on.
1603
01:13:09,928 --> 01:13:11,320
[laughs] Like when
we'd go skiing, you know,
1604
01:13:11,495 --> 01:13:13,192
we'd all go up
in the chairlift together,
1605
01:13:13,366 --> 01:13:15,194
and then he'd, like,
[blows sharply]
1606
01:13:15,368 --> 01:13:17,152
you know, bomb down the hill
and wait for us at the bottom.
1607
01:13:18,502 --> 01:13:19,503
And we're like...
1608
01:13:20,417 --> 01:13:21,896
He used to say, like,
1609
01:13:22,070 --> 01:13:23,420
"Aren't you glad I'm not
like Franklin?" [chuckles]
1610
01:13:23,594 --> 01:13:25,552
I put much less pressure
on my children
1611
01:13:25,726 --> 01:13:26,988
than my father put on me.
1612
01:13:27,162 --> 01:13:29,208
[laughing]
But Dana would be, like,
1613
01:13:29,382 --> 01:13:31,210
"Yeah, you know,
there's a couple...
1614
01:13:31,384 --> 01:13:34,256
"You know, you're not
completely unlike him."
1615
01:13:34,431 --> 01:13:35,997
[Al] Pretty quickly
it was Dana saying,[laughs]
1616
01:13:36,171 --> 01:13:37,695
"Let's actually go at a pace
1617
01:13:37,869 --> 01:13:39,392
so that Alexandra and Matthew
can come out."
1618
01:13:39,566 --> 01:13:40,480
[Matthew] She was so kind
from minute one,
1619
01:13:40,654 --> 01:13:42,134
as was her whole family...
1620
01:13:42,308 --> 01:13:45,398
warm and welcoming
and, you know... [chuckling]
1621
01:13:45,572 --> 01:13:47,705
I'm not knocking my own family
on the Reeve side
1622
01:13:47,879 --> 01:13:49,620
but there was some contrast.
1623
01:13:49,794 --> 01:13:52,057
[young Matthew] Oh, my God,
Dad. You'll crack the screen.
1624
01:13:52,231 --> 01:13:53,275
- Come on.
- [laughter]
1625
01:13:53,450 --> 01:13:54,407
Hey, man.
1626
01:13:54,581 --> 01:13:57,410
- What a dork.
- "Dork"?
1627
01:13:57,584 --> 01:13:59,499
[young Matthew]
I wasn't talking to you.
1628
01:13:59,673 --> 01:14:01,109
I'm going to read a poem
by Alexandra Reeve.
1629
01:14:01,283 --> 01:14:02,633
Oh, Dad, please.
1630
01:14:02,807 --> 01:14:03,982
[Chris] Alexandra's gonna
read a poem
1631
01:14:04,156 --> 01:14:05,679
- by Alexandra Reeve.
- No, I'm not.
1632
01:14:05,853 --> 01:14:07,333
[Chris] I'm gonna read
a poem by Alexandra Reeve.
1633
01:14:07,507 --> 01:14:09,727
- [young Al] No, Dad, please.
- "My poetry. By me."
1634
01:14:09,901 --> 01:14:11,250
[all laughing]
1635
01:14:13,339 --> 01:14:15,602
[Chris] It's finally only in
this relationship with Dana,
1636
01:14:15,776 --> 01:14:18,387
where I began to see
marriage is a freedom.
1637
01:14:18,562 --> 01:14:20,999
It's an opportunity.
It's a team, you know.
1638
01:14:21,173 --> 01:14:22,696
Is there anything missing
in your life?
1639
01:14:22,870 --> 01:14:25,220
A hit movie would be nice.
1640
01:14:25,394 --> 01:14:28,702
[Dana] And we got married,
eventually.
1641
01:14:28,876 --> 01:14:30,704
[audience laughing]
1642
01:14:30,878 --> 01:14:33,446
Five years later.
1643
01:14:33,620 --> 01:14:36,057
The "I commit" part
took a little while
1644
01:14:36,231 --> 01:14:37,929
to, uh, work itself out.
1645
01:14:38,103 --> 01:14:39,539
- [audience member laughs]
- [laughs]
1646
01:14:39,713 --> 01:14:41,019
One person laughing.
1647
01:14:41,193 --> 01:14:43,021
The rest of you
are all like, "I know."
1648
01:14:43,195 --> 01:14:44,370
[audience laughs]
1649
01:14:44,544 --> 01:14:46,633
[romantic classical
music playing]
1650
01:14:55,773 --> 01:14:59,603
I love you. [chuckles]
I marry you.
1651
01:14:59,777 --> 01:15:03,215
I give you this ring
as a symbol of my vow.
1652
01:15:03,389 --> 01:15:04,782
[guests cheering]
1653
01:15:08,916 --> 01:15:10,265
[Jay Leno] Gonna start
a family,
1654
01:15:10,439 --> 01:15:12,006
you've got the whole thing
planned?
1655
01:15:12,180 --> 01:15:13,617
Yeah, well, actually,
we have a son on the way...
1656
01:15:13,791 --> 01:15:15,140
who's coming late in June.
1657
01:15:15,314 --> 01:15:16,228
I see you've sort of
started the family.
1658
01:15:16,402 --> 01:15:16,881
We have started the family.
1659
01:15:19,361 --> 01:15:20,406
[Dana] Action.
1660
01:15:22,930 --> 01:15:24,236
Action, Will.
1661
01:15:29,763 --> 01:15:31,025
- Can't you tell?
- [laughs]
1662
01:15:32,810 --> 01:15:34,594
[Dana] Oh, God, honey,
you'll hurt yourself.
1663
01:15:34,768 --> 01:15:36,161
You won't be able
to get it off.
1664
01:15:37,336 --> 01:15:39,904
We were talking in the office.
1665
01:15:40,078 --> 01:15:43,734
He was so angry, and he said,
"I wish I could do something,
1666
01:15:43,908 --> 01:15:45,997
move a piece of paper,
anything."
1667
01:15:47,172 --> 01:15:48,695
And it was, um,
1668
01:15:48,869 --> 01:15:50,958
where you would
normally gesture.
1669
01:15:51,132 --> 01:15:53,004
And I was noticing
that when he would do it,
1670
01:15:53,178 --> 01:15:55,180
he would go... You know,
his finger would move.
1671
01:16:02,883 --> 01:16:05,799
[Matthew] He hadn't moved
anything in six years.
1672
01:16:05,973 --> 01:16:07,322
I don't know what it means,
1673
01:16:07,496 --> 01:16:09,150
but it, like, it means
something surely.
1674
01:16:10,499 --> 01:16:12,023
[Al] They had fun with it, too.
1675
01:16:12,197 --> 01:16:13,894
I remember one day Matthew
came home from college
1676
01:16:14,068 --> 01:16:16,636
and he had bought a little
gift for Dad's wheelchair.
1677
01:16:16,810 --> 01:16:18,420
An eject button
1678
01:16:18,595 --> 01:16:20,335
that we put under his finger.
1679
01:16:20,509 --> 01:16:22,511
[stirring music playing]
1680
01:16:29,997 --> 01:16:32,696
[Al] Dad started regaining
elements of movement.
1681
01:16:41,095 --> 01:16:43,881
And they were small,
but so meaningful.
1682
01:16:46,623 --> 01:16:48,059
[people cheering]
1683
01:16:51,584 --> 01:16:53,325
Hours' worth of gym
right here.
1684
01:16:53,499 --> 01:16:54,761
[laughter]
1685
01:16:56,676 --> 01:16:59,548
- Push, push, push.
- Push.
1686
01:16:59,723 --> 01:17:01,420
[man] There he goes.
There he goes.
1687
01:17:02,595 --> 01:17:03,944
[laughter]
1688
01:17:04,118 --> 01:17:05,903
Oh, my God. [laughs]
1689
01:17:07,469 --> 01:17:09,123
[woman] Go hard. Real hard.
1690
01:17:15,826 --> 01:17:17,610
[Chris] My spirits rose
1691
01:17:17,784 --> 01:17:19,656
with the possibility that
I was on the road to recovery.
1692
01:17:28,360 --> 01:17:31,232
[Dana] You do have to learn
to walk the fine line
1693
01:17:31,406 --> 01:17:34,845
between hope
without expectation.
1694
01:17:35,019 --> 01:17:37,543
As soon as you start
expecting something,
1695
01:17:37,717 --> 01:17:39,371
the disappointment
is so much more ferocious.
1696
01:17:39,545 --> 01:17:40,633
You know, I think
if he could have
1697
01:17:40,807 --> 01:17:42,113
just gotten off
the ventilator.
1698
01:17:42,287 --> 01:17:44,463
Oh, my God,
and he practiced so much.
1699
01:17:44,637 --> 01:17:46,160
It was brutal to watch.
1700
01:17:46,334 --> 01:17:47,727
[machine beeping]
1701
01:17:49,163 --> 01:17:50,121
[grunts softly]
1702
01:17:51,426 --> 01:17:52,863
[grunts]
1703
01:17:53,037 --> 01:17:56,040
But the strength
of the muscles weren't present
1704
01:17:56,214 --> 01:17:59,696
to give him enough ability
to wean off completely.
1705
01:18:01,785 --> 01:18:02,742
All right.
1706
01:18:05,745 --> 01:18:07,704
[brooding music playing]
1707
01:18:11,142 --> 01:18:12,970
[Al] He wanted
to give people hope.
1708
01:18:13,884 --> 01:18:15,973
But it was really hard
1709
01:18:16,147 --> 01:18:18,323
and he did not show that
to the world.
1710
01:18:19,846 --> 01:18:21,369
[Chris] What's really curious
1711
01:18:21,543 --> 01:18:24,024
is that in all the time
since my injury,
1712
01:18:24,198 --> 01:18:26,505
I've never once had a dream
1713
01:18:26,679 --> 01:18:28,376
in which I've been
in a wheelchair.
1714
01:18:29,900 --> 01:18:31,466
It's easy to sink
into a depression.
1715
01:18:32,772 --> 01:18:34,426
And you have to get him out.
1716
01:18:34,600 --> 01:18:36,167
We had a list of people
we'd call
1717
01:18:36,341 --> 01:18:37,603
if we weren't good enough.
[chuckles]
1718
01:18:37,777 --> 01:18:39,344
We'd call brother Robin.
1719
01:18:40,824 --> 01:18:42,390
[laughter and chatter]
1720
01:18:44,523 --> 01:18:46,307
- Oh, God. What?
- No, they were sliding down.
1721
01:18:46,481 --> 01:18:48,353
Now, every time
you move this...
1722
01:18:48,527 --> 01:18:51,138
[Close] Another thing that
Robin and Marsha did was that
1723
01:18:51,312 --> 01:18:54,011
on the anniversary
of the accident,
1724
01:18:54,185 --> 01:18:56,665
every year,
they would get a chef
1725
01:18:56,840 --> 01:18:58,363
at Chris and Dana's house
1726
01:18:58,537 --> 01:19:00,104
and have a great party.
1727
01:19:00,278 --> 01:19:02,541
Made it into
a point of celebration and...
1728
01:19:03,716 --> 01:19:06,284
appreciate life.
1729
01:19:06,458 --> 01:19:07,894
That was Marsha and Robin.
1730
01:19:10,375 --> 01:19:13,770
[Chris] Robin and I,
we laugh as much as ever,
1731
01:19:13,944 --> 01:19:16,642
but we hardly
ever talk about disability.
1732
01:19:16,816 --> 01:19:19,253
We hardly ever,
ever talk about the chair.
1733
01:19:21,778 --> 01:19:23,127
[Sarandon]
Robin also had struggles
1734
01:19:23,301 --> 01:19:24,998
that he dealt with
his whole life.
1735
01:19:25,172 --> 01:19:26,783
And I think that there...
1736
01:19:26,957 --> 01:19:29,394
Despite the way they look
and their facade,
1737
01:19:29,568 --> 01:19:32,353
that they both
were aware of darkness.
1738
01:19:32,527 --> 01:19:33,877
[tapping on back]
1739
01:19:35,661 --> 01:19:37,794
One, two, three.
1740
01:19:37,968 --> 01:19:39,970
[Manganiello] You know,
Chris' level of injury
1741
01:19:40,144 --> 01:19:42,929
was so dramatic and so severe,
1742
01:19:43,103 --> 01:19:46,411
I just think
it's a lonely existence.
1743
01:19:46,585 --> 01:19:48,195
[Will] Which must've
been hell for him.
1744
01:19:48,369 --> 01:19:49,893
And must've been hell
for my mom, too,
1745
01:19:50,067 --> 01:19:52,765
knowing the man
she fell in love with
1746
01:19:52,939 --> 01:19:56,508
had this whole part of him
taken forever.
1747
01:19:57,944 --> 01:19:59,990
I found this
in one of her journals.
1748
01:20:01,730 --> 01:20:03,167
"I've been studying
the difference
1749
01:20:03,341 --> 01:20:05,865
between solitude
and loneliness.
1750
01:20:06,039 --> 01:20:08,868
Telling the story of my life
to the clean, white towels
1751
01:20:09,042 --> 01:20:12,916
taken warm from the dryer
and held to my chest.
1752
01:20:13,090 --> 01:20:15,875
A sad substitute for a body
pulled in close.
1753
01:20:18,225 --> 01:20:20,227
The whole man
took his last walk
1754
01:20:20,401 --> 01:20:23,448
away from me
five years ago today,
1755
01:20:23,622 --> 01:20:27,278
leaving only mind, soul,
heart and heartache behind.
1756
01:20:29,280 --> 01:20:31,543
I think of him
in certain lights.
1757
01:20:31,717 --> 01:20:33,545
Dawn, late afternoon,
1758
01:20:33,719 --> 01:20:36,069
bright, windy days that would
be perfect for sailing."
1759
01:20:39,377 --> 01:20:40,552
[sighs]
1760
01:20:40,726 --> 01:20:43,555
"I miss most, even now,
his hands,
1761
01:20:43,729 --> 01:20:46,906
the expressive grace
and heft of them.
1762
01:20:47,080 --> 01:20:49,474
The heat of his hands
on my skin.
1763
01:20:49,648 --> 01:20:50,867
The wrap of his arms,
1764
01:20:51,041 --> 01:20:52,259
two becoming one.
1765
01:20:54,218 --> 01:20:56,394
I carry the stack of towels
upstairs,
1766
01:20:56,568 --> 01:20:59,658
carefully cradling them
so as not to let them tumble.
1767
01:21:00,615 --> 01:21:02,443
Save one still damp,
1768
01:21:02,617 --> 01:21:06,404
the top one I had pressed
against my face,
1769
01:21:06,578 --> 01:21:08,449
which needs more time
for drying."
1770
01:21:13,585 --> 01:21:15,543
That's what she was enduring.
1771
01:21:16,936 --> 01:21:18,285
That's what she had lost...
1772
01:21:23,160 --> 01:21:24,161
when my dad got hurt.
1773
01:21:28,992 --> 01:21:30,123
- You good?
- [Chris] Mm-hmm.
1774
01:21:31,820 --> 01:21:33,387
- But...
- [both laugh]
1775
01:21:33,561 --> 01:21:34,780
You gotta grab on.
1776
01:21:34,954 --> 01:21:35,955
I know.
1777
01:21:37,174 --> 01:21:38,827
- Ha ha.
- [Dana laughs]
1778
01:21:39,002 --> 01:21:40,699
- God.
- Come on, let's go in.
1779
01:21:40,873 --> 01:21:42,396
[Al] Dana did what Dana does,
1780
01:21:42,570 --> 01:21:46,096
which was find ways
to rally around him.
1781
01:21:46,270 --> 01:21:47,662
And Dad did what Dad did,
1782
01:21:47,836 --> 01:21:49,795
which was go down
through the valley
1783
01:21:49,969 --> 01:21:52,363
and then go back up
to the hilltop again.
1784
01:21:52,537 --> 01:21:54,800
[Chris] I see
it's like a game of cards.
1785
01:21:54,974 --> 01:21:57,672
And if you think
the game is worthwhile,
1786
01:21:57,846 --> 01:22:00,110
then you just play
the hand you're dealt.
1787
01:22:00,284 --> 01:22:02,112
I think the game's worthwhile.
I really do.
1788
01:22:03,765 --> 01:22:06,420
I thought it would be
a good thing
1789
01:22:06,594 --> 01:22:09,554
for me to tell
one really good story
1790
01:22:09,728 --> 01:22:14,820
about a family dealing
with a devastating event.
1791
01:22:14,994 --> 01:22:18,128
[Ellison] The phone rang
and it was a man saying,
1792
01:22:18,302 --> 01:22:22,219
"I have Christopher Reeve here
on the line for you.
1793
01:22:22,393 --> 01:22:24,612
Would you like
to talk to him?"
1794
01:22:24,786 --> 01:22:26,571
And he said,
1795
01:22:26,745 --> 01:22:29,617
"I have long wanted
to tell the story of somebody
1796
01:22:29,791 --> 01:22:32,751
who lived
with ventilator-dependent
quadriplegia.
1797
01:22:32,925 --> 01:22:34,622
So people have
a better understanding
1798
01:22:34,796 --> 01:22:38,191
of what it's like
to live with quadriplegia."
1799
01:22:38,365 --> 01:22:40,150
[Chris] She's
an extraordinary person
1800
01:22:40,324 --> 01:22:43,675
because her mind
is sharp as a razor
1801
01:22:43,849 --> 01:22:46,025
and the devotion and loyalty
of her family
1802
01:22:46,199 --> 01:22:48,288
is totally amazing.
1803
01:22:48,462 --> 01:22:51,683
She applied to Harvard,
and she got in.
1804
01:22:51,857 --> 01:22:55,339
Her mother, Jean,
went with her every day.
1805
01:22:55,513 --> 01:22:58,690
They lived together.
They ate together.
1806
01:22:58,864 --> 01:23:02,085
Brooke graduated
with a degree in neuroscience.
1807
01:23:02,259 --> 01:23:03,434
Both my mother and I
1808
01:23:03,608 --> 01:23:06,872
have learned so much
from all of you.
1809
01:23:07,046 --> 01:23:09,135
What we hope
you can learn from us
1810
01:23:09,309 --> 01:23:11,616
and from each other
1811
01:23:11,790 --> 01:23:14,314
is to take no one
in your life for granted.
1812
01:23:16,229 --> 01:23:17,143
[woman on screen]
What we really hope
1813
01:23:17,317 --> 01:23:18,449
you can learn from us...
1814
01:23:19,928 --> 01:23:22,496
is to take no one
in your life for granted.
1815
01:23:27,806 --> 01:23:29,721
[Chris] It would be great
if this film
1816
01:23:29,895 --> 01:23:31,897
would cause
families everywhere
1817
01:23:32,071 --> 01:23:34,682
to think about how they're
really doing in their family.
1818
01:23:34,856 --> 01:23:37,381
You know, what are the bonds?
Is the love there?
1819
01:23:37,555 --> 01:23:39,905
- [chuckles]
- I think it probably happened.
1820
01:23:40,079 --> 01:23:42,386
[Matthew] There was
a huge shift in my dad
1821
01:23:42,560 --> 01:23:44,431
from the time
after the accident.
1822
01:23:44,605 --> 01:23:46,172
Happy Father's Day, Father.
1823
01:23:46,346 --> 01:23:48,696
- Hey.
- [Matthew] Hello there.
Is it in?
1824
01:23:48,870 --> 01:23:51,308
His entire approach
to parenting changed.
1825
01:23:51,482 --> 01:23:53,223
He started really to see us
1826
01:23:53,397 --> 01:23:55,399
and to connect to us
as people.
1827
01:23:55,573 --> 01:23:57,357
[Matthew] Being together
and talking
1828
01:23:57,531 --> 01:24:00,404
was far more valuable
and meaningful
1829
01:24:00,578 --> 01:24:03,755
than doing all those crazy
physical activities.
1830
01:24:03,929 --> 01:24:06,975
[Chris] I was a sailor.
I was a skier. I was a rider.
1831
01:24:07,150 --> 01:24:09,195
I traveled everywhere.
1832
01:24:09,369 --> 01:24:13,069
And you realize
that is not the definition
1833
01:24:13,243 --> 01:24:15,375
or the essence
of your existence.
1834
01:24:15,549 --> 01:24:18,335
What is the essence
are relationships.
1835
01:24:18,509 --> 01:24:20,032
[Dana chuckles]
You're gonna regret this.
1836
01:24:20,206 --> 01:24:21,990
[Chris laughs]
1837
01:24:22,165 --> 01:24:23,992
Daddy's in
his off-road vehicle.
1838
01:24:24,167 --> 01:24:26,430
[Will] My dad taught me
how to ride a bike,
1839
01:24:26,604 --> 01:24:28,562
which is quite remarkable
1840
01:24:28,736 --> 01:24:31,435
considering he wasn't
able to move.
1841
01:24:31,609 --> 01:24:33,828
[Dana] How does it feel
to be riding your bike, sir?
1842
01:24:34,002 --> 01:24:36,744
- Good.
- [Dana laughs]
1843
01:24:36,918 --> 01:24:39,138
[Chris] If someone had told me
before my injury
1844
01:24:39,312 --> 01:24:40,879
that you could teach a kid
to ride on his own
1845
01:24:41,053 --> 01:24:42,533
just by talking to him,
1846
01:24:42,707 --> 01:24:45,188
I would have said that
that was impossible.
1847
01:24:45,362 --> 01:24:47,538
In my case,
a catastrophic event
1848
01:24:47,712 --> 01:24:49,670
was probably necessary
to change my perspective.
1849
01:24:51,846 --> 01:24:54,719
I needed to break my neck
to learn some of this stuff.
1850
01:24:55,807 --> 01:24:57,461
[man] Matthew Exton Reeve.
1851
01:24:57,635 --> 01:24:59,637
[cheers and applause]
1852
01:25:05,033 --> 01:25:06,470
Oh, so proud of you.
1853
01:25:08,950 --> 01:25:10,343
[Exton] It was the accident
1854
01:25:10,517 --> 01:25:12,519
that brought us
closer together
1855
01:25:12,693 --> 01:25:14,130
without a shadow of a doubt.
1856
01:25:16,044 --> 01:25:17,611
Together like this.
1857
01:25:22,181 --> 01:25:24,575
[Chris] For the first time
since the accident,
1858
01:25:24,749 --> 01:25:27,317
I've seen my life
as a continual timeline
1859
01:25:28,796 --> 01:25:32,583
instead of before and after,
1860
01:25:32,757 --> 01:25:34,802
being on my feet
and being seated.
1861
01:25:36,891 --> 01:25:39,851
It's all part
of the total story.
1862
01:25:40,025 --> 01:25:41,983
[sentimental music playing]
1863
01:25:46,379 --> 01:25:49,295
Things were good.
Things were going well enough
1864
01:25:49,469 --> 01:25:51,645
that Dana actually took
a play in California,
1865
01:25:51,819 --> 01:25:53,517
leaving Dad and Will at home.
1866
01:25:53,691 --> 01:25:56,911
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
1867
01:25:57,085 --> 01:25:59,349
[Matthew] She had,
like, two nights off.
She came home.
1868
01:25:59,523 --> 01:26:02,700
We had a very
totally informal,
just dinner.
1869
01:26:02,874 --> 01:26:05,398
- [Dana] Some of them
are sparklers.
- [Matthew] He turned 52.
1870
01:26:05,572 --> 01:26:07,313
[Dana] If you blow one out,
I'll do the rest.
1871
01:26:08,488 --> 01:26:09,750
Put it a little closer.
1872
01:26:11,535 --> 01:26:13,101
- Oh, yeah!
- [kids cheering]
1873
01:26:13,276 --> 01:26:15,713
[Al] Things were good, and then
1874
01:26:16,583 --> 01:26:17,715
they weren't.
1875
01:26:23,547 --> 01:26:25,331
All right, here comes Will,
here comes Will.
1876
01:26:27,159 --> 01:26:28,900
[Will] He mentioned
this infection
1877
01:26:29,074 --> 01:26:30,510
that wasn't going away.
1878
01:26:30,684 --> 01:26:32,425
He was frustrated.
1879
01:26:32,599 --> 01:26:34,297
I came home.
1880
01:26:34,471 --> 01:26:37,996
Our favorite baseball team
were playing in the playoffs,
1881
01:26:38,170 --> 01:26:40,433
so I would rub his head
for good luck.
1882
01:26:40,607 --> 01:26:42,392
The Yankees came back and won.
1883
01:26:44,568 --> 01:26:48,267
At some point, after midnight,
1884
01:26:48,441 --> 01:26:52,793
my bedroom door slammed open
and it was the nurse on duty.
1885
01:26:52,967 --> 01:26:55,361
"Will, something bad
has happened.
1886
01:26:55,535 --> 01:26:57,885
Your dad has fallen
into a coma."
1887
01:27:00,584 --> 01:27:02,063
[Al] It was the middle
of the night
1888
01:27:02,238 --> 01:27:03,587
and it was Dana calling.
1889
01:27:03,761 --> 01:27:05,980
She just said,
"Al, it's really serious.
1890
01:27:06,154 --> 01:27:07,504
You need to go home now."
1891
01:27:07,678 --> 01:27:09,027
She was trying
to hold it together,
1892
01:27:09,201 --> 01:27:10,594
but she sounded so scared
1893
01:27:10,768 --> 01:27:13,814
and I'd never heard
my mom scared before.
1894
01:27:13,988 --> 01:27:16,252
She was getting home
as fast as she could.
1895
01:27:17,427 --> 01:27:19,646
I called my mom, told her.
1896
01:27:19,820 --> 01:27:23,563
We were on a plane
a few hours later.
1897
01:27:23,737 --> 01:27:27,219
[Al] There we were,
back in an ICU again.
1898
01:27:27,393 --> 01:27:29,830
Both Michael and I go in,
Chris is unconscious,
1899
01:27:30,004 --> 01:27:32,703
and we just start holding
his hand, chatting with him.
1900
01:27:32,877 --> 01:27:36,054
The hope was that they would
somehow turn it around.
1901
01:27:36,228 --> 01:27:39,753
But he just wasn't stable.
His body would keep crashing.
1902
01:27:39,927 --> 01:27:42,495
I think he died three
or four times that day.
1903
01:27:42,669 --> 01:27:44,497
Um, and the doctors
kept him alive.
1904
01:27:44,671 --> 01:27:46,412
They kept resuscitating him
1905
01:27:46,586 --> 01:27:48,153
to make sure
that Dana got there.
1906
01:27:48,327 --> 01:27:49,676
And, uh...
1907
01:27:52,418 --> 01:27:54,725
And then in front of me
steps my mom.
1908
01:27:55,987 --> 01:27:58,990
She came flying in. [sniffles]
1909
01:27:59,164 --> 01:28:02,776
And she just yelled,
"I love you, I love you."
1910
01:28:02,950 --> 01:28:03,821
[sobbing]
1911
01:28:05,083 --> 01:28:07,477
Over and over again,
1912
01:28:07,651 --> 01:28:10,436
making sure he could hear it.
She was going to reach him.
1913
01:28:12,569 --> 01:28:14,484
Certainly, a part of her
had just died
1914
01:28:14,658 --> 01:28:16,050
in that moment as well.
[voice quivering]
1915
01:28:16,703 --> 01:28:17,791
And...
1916
01:28:19,619 --> 01:28:20,794
I told him
1917
01:28:22,230 --> 01:28:23,536
that I loved him.
1918
01:28:24,885 --> 01:28:26,278
I would do whatever I could
1919
01:28:28,280 --> 01:28:29,455
to make him proud.
1920
01:28:29,629 --> 01:28:31,414
[soft music playing]
1921
01:28:31,588 --> 01:28:33,024
And then he was gone.
1922
01:28:39,378 --> 01:28:40,336
[sniffles]
1923
01:28:42,425 --> 01:28:44,078
Um...
1924
01:28:44,252 --> 01:28:47,778
I was in the back of a taxi
on my way to the hospital
1925
01:28:47,952 --> 01:28:50,302
when my sister called me
and said he was gone. Um...
1926
01:28:55,133 --> 01:28:56,700
[sighs deeply]
1927
01:29:01,574 --> 01:29:03,924
[somber choral music playing]
1928
01:29:08,929 --> 01:29:10,670
[newscaster 1]
Good morning, everyone.
1929
01:29:10,844 --> 01:29:12,846
Christopher Reeve is being
remembered this morning
1930
01:29:13,020 --> 01:29:14,848
as a courageous
and inspirational person
1931
01:29:15,022 --> 01:29:16,937
who provided hope
to millions of people.
1932
01:29:21,333 --> 01:29:22,769
[newscaster 2] Condolences
are still pouring in
1933
01:29:22,943 --> 01:29:25,250
around the world today
for Christopher Reeve
1934
01:29:25,424 --> 01:29:27,992
two days after his death
at the age of 52.
1935
01:29:28,166 --> 01:29:29,820
Friends and admirers alike
1936
01:29:29,994 --> 01:29:31,561
all have one word
to describe him.
1937
01:29:31,735 --> 01:29:32,866
"Hero."
1938
01:29:40,570 --> 01:29:42,659
[Manganiello] He never rested.
He just didn't.
1939
01:29:42,833 --> 01:29:45,618
And I think, you know,
after all those years,
1940
01:29:45,792 --> 01:29:47,098
people were looking
for some answer.
1941
01:29:47,272 --> 01:29:48,969
It was a bedsore,
it was... It wasn't.
1942
01:29:49,143 --> 01:29:50,188
It was just system breakdown.
1943
01:29:51,798 --> 01:29:53,060
[Hawkins] We knew
this day was coming.
1944
01:29:53,234 --> 01:29:54,671
You know it's coming
at some point.
1945
01:29:54,845 --> 01:29:56,194
It's inevitable.
1946
01:29:56,368 --> 01:29:57,761
But we'd gotten
so used to Chris
1947
01:29:57,935 --> 01:29:59,502
just outliving everything.
1948
01:30:03,027 --> 01:30:04,594
[applause]
1949
01:30:07,858 --> 01:30:09,033
[crowd laughs]
1950
01:30:10,861 --> 01:30:12,645
Just have to water
the stem cells there
1951
01:30:12,819 --> 01:30:14,430
- for a moment.
- [crowd laughs]
1952
01:30:16,562 --> 01:30:20,523
But I've always considered him
basically, uh, my brother.
1953
01:30:20,697 --> 01:30:22,655
I was his fool, but that's it.
1954
01:30:22,829 --> 01:30:23,743
[laughter]
1955
01:30:23,917 --> 01:30:25,658
Someone's got to do it.
1956
01:30:25,832 --> 01:30:27,921
As ordered
and as all things were...
1957
01:30:28,095 --> 01:30:29,575
that he knew were precise,
1958
01:30:29,749 --> 01:30:33,753
I was chaos for him.
And that was joy.
1959
01:30:33,927 --> 01:30:34,885
[Hawkins] I don't know
that I've ever seen
1960
01:30:35,059 --> 01:30:36,582
a sadder person in my life...
1961
01:30:36,756 --> 01:30:39,498
like, just, I mean,
I look at him and I just...
1962
01:30:39,672 --> 01:30:43,023
You wanted to break down
in tears. He was just so sad.
1963
01:30:43,197 --> 01:30:45,635
I've always felt
if Chris was still around,
1964
01:30:45,809 --> 01:30:47,463
Robin would still be alive.
1965
01:30:50,553 --> 01:30:51,510
I believe that.
1966
01:30:54,121 --> 01:30:55,471
Goodnight, sweet prince,
1967
01:30:55,645 --> 01:30:57,342
flights of angels
send thee to thy rest.
1968
01:30:57,516 --> 01:30:58,996
[applause]
1969
01:31:02,521 --> 01:31:04,436
[Dana] I made a vow to Chris
when we married
1970
01:31:04,610 --> 01:31:08,222
that I would love him.
And I would be with him
1971
01:31:08,396 --> 01:31:10,311
in sickness and in health.
1972
01:31:10,486 --> 01:31:12,270
And I did okay with that.
1973
01:31:12,444 --> 01:31:16,013
But there's another vow
that I need to amend today.
1974
01:31:16,187 --> 01:31:19,407
I promised to love, honor,
and cherish him
1975
01:31:19,582 --> 01:31:21,758
till death did us part.
1976
01:31:21,932 --> 01:31:23,107
Well, I can't do that.
1977
01:31:24,761 --> 01:31:26,763
Because I will love...
[crying softly]
1978
01:31:32,812 --> 01:31:37,513
honor and cherish him forever.
1979
01:31:40,211 --> 01:31:41,604
Goodbye to you.
1980
01:31:51,004 --> 01:31:52,179
[birds chirping]
1981
01:32:00,536 --> 01:32:02,538
[pensive music playing]
1982
01:32:08,021 --> 01:32:10,894
[Will] After my dad died,
it was just me and my mom.
1983
01:32:11,068 --> 01:32:12,373
It felt strange.
1984
01:32:16,639 --> 01:32:20,164
[Al] We gave the van to a boy
in New Hampshire.
1985
01:32:20,338 --> 01:32:21,818
Absolutely changed his life
1986
01:32:21,992 --> 01:32:23,123
because he couldn't go
anywhere before that.
1987
01:32:25,038 --> 01:32:27,040
[Matthew] It was hard
'cause the foundation lost
1988
01:32:27,214 --> 01:32:29,913
its biggest advocate,
its biggest magnet.
1989
01:32:30,087 --> 01:32:34,178
But Dana stepped in
and helped fill that void.
1990
01:32:34,352 --> 01:32:36,223
[cheers and applause]
1991
01:32:36,397 --> 01:32:40,227
[Kerry] Despite the sorrow,
the loss, the pain,
1992
01:32:40,401 --> 01:32:42,186
she thought
it was important for her
1993
01:32:42,360 --> 01:32:45,493
to make Chris' voice
heard through her.
1994
01:32:47,800 --> 01:32:49,236
I've been trying
to help the children
1995
01:32:49,410 --> 01:32:53,110
start to piece together
a life without their dad.
1996
01:32:53,284 --> 01:32:56,069
[Will] She was so full of life
and full of hope
1997
01:32:56,243 --> 01:32:59,682
that while she had lost
a part of her soul
1998
01:32:59,856 --> 01:33:01,553
when my dad died,
1999
01:33:01,727 --> 01:33:04,121
I think she stayed true
to her belief
2000
01:33:04,295 --> 01:33:06,253
that there's not enough time
in the day for self-pity
2001
01:33:06,427 --> 01:33:09,082
and you gotta
get on with things.
2002
01:33:09,256 --> 01:33:12,695
[Hawkins] A Broadway composer
asked her to sing.
2003
01:33:12,869 --> 01:33:15,393
- ♪ His is the only...♪
- [piano playing]
2004
01:33:15,567 --> 01:33:16,829
Really, it's like... urgh.
2005
01:33:17,003 --> 01:33:18,352
It feels... it's...
how does...
2006
01:33:18,526 --> 01:33:20,137
It feels like it's maybe
just a little tight.
2007
01:33:20,311 --> 01:33:22,182
I think it's from my...
[forces a cough]
2008
01:33:22,356 --> 01:33:23,706
[Hawkins] And she has
this little cough.
2009
01:33:25,577 --> 01:33:27,187
[coughing]
2010
01:33:27,361 --> 01:33:29,015
♪ Never let him go ♪
2011
01:33:29,189 --> 01:33:31,104
[Al] She couldn't figure out
what was going on.
2012
01:33:31,278 --> 01:33:33,629
It just wouldn't go away,
and her back was hurting.
2013
01:33:34,760 --> 01:33:35,935
[Hawkins] I was like, "Dana,
2014
01:33:36,109 --> 01:33:37,023
I'm getting you
to a doctor."
2015
01:33:44,248 --> 01:33:46,685
And sure enough,
came back lung cancer.
2016
01:33:50,123 --> 01:33:51,951
We got the first results,
2017
01:33:52,125 --> 01:33:55,433
and Michael called me up,
and he's like,
2018
01:33:55,607 --> 01:33:57,478
"Did you guys go to, like,
Labs"R"Us?"
2019
01:33:57,653 --> 01:33:59,132
Like, "No, we're going
to a real lab."
2020
01:34:01,134 --> 01:34:04,747
The diagnosis
was stage four non-small cell.
2021
01:34:04,921 --> 01:34:06,357
[Al] And she got that diagnosis
2022
01:34:06,531 --> 01:34:08,707
less than a year
after we'd lost my dad.
2023
01:34:10,317 --> 01:34:11,841
[Hawkins] I'm still in shock.
2024
01:34:12,015 --> 01:34:13,407
"You've never smoked
a day in your life.
2025
01:34:13,581 --> 01:34:15,366
You're so healthy."
2026
01:34:15,540 --> 01:34:18,717
I mean, it was just so wrong.
It was really, really wrong.
2027
01:34:18,891 --> 01:34:21,067
[Manganiello]
Dana was so brave.
2028
01:34:21,241 --> 01:34:23,156
I mean, she was just like,
"Okay, I'll do whatever
I need to do."
2029
01:34:23,330 --> 01:34:24,810
Because the last thing
on this planet
2030
01:34:24,984 --> 01:34:26,246
she was gonna do
was leave that kid.
2031
01:34:26,420 --> 01:34:27,813
Wasn't gonna happen.
2032
01:34:27,987 --> 01:34:29,902
[Oprah] What are you
most proud of
2033
01:34:30,076 --> 01:34:32,122
in this past nine
and a half years?
2034
01:34:32,296 --> 01:34:34,080
- [laughing]
He's sitting right there.
- [Oprah] Yeah.
2035
01:34:34,254 --> 01:34:35,429
That's what I'm most proud of.
2036
01:34:35,603 --> 01:34:36,822
- [Oprah] Yeah. Yeah.
- [applause]
2037
01:34:36,996 --> 01:34:38,563
I'm so... I'm so proud.
2038
01:34:40,391 --> 01:34:41,348
[Oprah] Yeah.
2039
01:34:41,522 --> 01:34:43,699
I am. We have extraordinary...
2040
01:34:43,873 --> 01:34:46,571
We have extraordinary kids.
2041
01:34:46,745 --> 01:34:49,922
[Will] Matthew moved home
and was unbelievable.
2042
01:34:50,096 --> 01:34:53,578
He was acting as a dad.
He was acting as a brother,
2043
01:34:53,752 --> 01:34:54,753
as a best friend.
2044
01:34:54,927 --> 01:34:56,189
He took care of me.
2045
01:34:56,363 --> 01:34:58,539
And he took care
of my mom and he...
2046
01:34:58,714 --> 01:35:01,194
he made life
feel normal. Um...
2047
01:35:03,675 --> 01:35:05,416
[Matthew] Dana had sat us down
2048
01:35:05,590 --> 01:35:07,810
and she made it very clear
kind of what...
2049
01:35:08,811 --> 01:35:11,988
she had in mind for,
2050
01:35:12,162 --> 01:35:14,294
you know,
should anything happen to her.
2051
01:35:14,468 --> 01:35:16,862
I think we were all in denial.
2052
01:35:17,036 --> 01:35:19,647
You know, I don't know
what it is with that family
and hope,
2053
01:35:19,822 --> 01:35:23,651
but it's like Chris knew
he was going to walk again.
2054
01:35:23,826 --> 01:35:26,306
Dana just knew
she was gonna survive this.
2055
01:35:26,480 --> 01:35:27,917
[Dana] Well,
I had a great model.
2056
01:35:28,091 --> 01:35:32,095
Um, I was married to a man
who never gave up.
2057
01:35:32,269 --> 01:35:35,402
He taught me so much
about courage
2058
01:35:35,576 --> 01:35:37,274
and about going forward,
2059
01:35:37,448 --> 01:35:42,018
and he really lives
with me in this.
2060
01:35:42,192 --> 01:35:46,196
She got sick pretty quickly.
It got serious pretty fast.
2061
01:35:49,634 --> 01:35:52,289
[Will] Marsha Williams put us
up in a hotel in New York.
2062
01:35:52,463 --> 01:35:55,553
Matthew, Al, and I in a room.
I was on the cot.
2063
01:35:55,727 --> 01:35:57,598
At some point,
the phone rings...
2064
01:36:00,384 --> 01:36:01,864
with the news
2065
01:36:03,430 --> 01:36:04,910
that my mom had died.
2066
01:36:07,304 --> 01:36:10,394
And I remember being awake
2067
01:36:11,917 --> 01:36:15,225
but pretending I was asleep.
2068
01:36:16,139 --> 01:36:17,357
Because
2069
01:36:18,445 --> 01:36:20,143
I didn't want to face it.
2070
01:36:23,973 --> 01:36:26,062
[melancholy music playing]
2071
01:36:32,372 --> 01:36:34,157
And so, I waited
for the sun to rise
2072
01:36:34,331 --> 01:36:36,202
and then shook him
on the shoulder
2073
01:36:36,376 --> 01:36:37,508
and we told him.
2074
01:36:40,946 --> 01:36:43,122
So, in 18 months,
2075
01:36:43,296 --> 01:36:45,037
Will lost his dad,
2076
01:36:45,211 --> 01:36:47,953
his grandmother, who he was
really close to, and his mom.
2077
01:36:51,174 --> 01:36:56,483
Despite the love
and security that...
2078
01:36:56,657 --> 01:36:59,573
my siblings provided me
and my family provided me
2079
01:36:59,747 --> 01:37:01,314
and my adoptive family
provides me,
2080
01:37:01,488 --> 01:37:02,838
that was the moment,
2081
01:37:04,100 --> 01:37:07,494
March 6, 2006, that was...
2082
01:37:07,668 --> 01:37:10,410
I've... I've been alone
since then. [sniffles]
2083
01:37:21,639 --> 01:37:23,902
[slow inspirational
music playing]
2084
01:37:30,691 --> 01:37:33,477
[Chris] You can say that the
universe is totally random.
2085
01:37:33,651 --> 01:37:35,653
And it's just molecules
colliding all the time,
2086
01:37:35,827 --> 01:37:37,655
and, you know,
it's totally chaos.
2087
01:37:37,829 --> 01:37:41,659
And our job
is to make sense of chaos.
2088
01:37:41,833 --> 01:37:44,662
Or you can say, sometimes
things happen for a reason,
2089
01:37:44,836 --> 01:37:46,882
and your job
is to discover the reason.
2090
01:37:50,233 --> 01:37:54,977
[Al] Suddenly, there we are,
and it's just three kids.
2091
01:37:55,151 --> 01:37:57,153
You start to pick up
the pieces and think,
2092
01:37:57,327 --> 01:37:59,285
"All right, what does
the future look like?
2093
01:37:59,459 --> 01:38:03,115
How are we gonna
navigate this together?"
2094
01:38:03,289 --> 01:38:06,640
[Will] My dad and my mom
and their values,
2095
01:38:06,814 --> 01:38:08,555
the way that they were,
2096
01:38:08,729 --> 01:38:10,993
the role models, through
their words and their actions,
2097
01:38:11,167 --> 01:38:15,475
their unwavering love and
support and encouragement.
2098
01:38:15,649 --> 01:38:18,826
That's how we found our path
forward and our meaning.
2099
01:38:19,001 --> 01:38:20,480
My brothers and I
joined the board
2100
01:38:20,654 --> 01:38:22,743
almost immediately
after Dana passed away
2101
01:38:22,918 --> 01:38:25,137
to help give continuity
of the family.
2102
01:38:25,311 --> 01:38:28,967
[Will] It is now
the Christopher and Dana
Reeve Foundation.
2103
01:38:29,141 --> 01:38:31,709
[Kerry] Chris and Dana.
They've made a difference.
2104
01:38:31,883 --> 01:38:35,887
They are making a difference
in the continuation
of the foundation.
2105
01:38:36,061 --> 01:38:37,280
[Kirshblum] Both Chris and Dana
2106
01:38:37,454 --> 01:38:39,673
did a really good job.
Clearly,
2107
01:38:39,847 --> 01:38:42,763
because now these children
aren't children anymore,
2108
01:38:42,938 --> 01:38:44,417
and look at
what they're doing.
2109
01:38:44,591 --> 01:38:47,203
Fifty-six and a half
million Americans
2110
01:38:47,377 --> 01:38:49,031
living with disabilities.
2111
01:38:49,205 --> 01:38:52,860
Over $130 million in funding
to labs around the globe.
2112
01:38:53,035 --> 01:38:54,297
[Will] What's happening
right now
2113
01:38:54,471 --> 01:38:58,562
is the beginning
of the end of paralysis.
2114
01:38:58,736 --> 01:39:01,521
[Hawkins] People who became
disabled after Chris
2115
01:39:01,695 --> 01:39:04,176
are literally walking
because of him.
2116
01:39:04,350 --> 01:39:07,571
A man paralyzed from
the neck down walking again.
2117
01:39:10,095 --> 01:39:12,924
He wanted to push everybody
to think bigger.
2118
01:39:13,098 --> 01:39:16,188
[Goldberg] That's the fire
you want to put under people,
2119
01:39:16,362 --> 01:39:19,496
and nobody did it better than
Christopher Reeve. Nobody.
2120
01:39:19,670 --> 01:39:22,499
[Ellison] He helped us say,
"There are lives to lead.
2121
01:39:22,673 --> 01:39:24,066
People with
disabilities have
2122
01:39:24,240 --> 01:39:26,720
an integral role
to play in society."
2123
01:39:26,894 --> 01:39:30,115
Chris wanted to change
the fuckin' world, and we did.
2124
01:39:30,289 --> 01:39:33,858
The Christopher and Dana Reeve
Paralysis Act
2125
01:39:34,032 --> 01:39:37,383
is the first piece of
comprehensive legislation
2126
01:39:37,557 --> 01:39:40,125
specifically aimed at
addressing the challenges
2127
01:39:40,299 --> 01:39:42,214
faced by Americans
living with paralysis.
2128
01:39:42,388 --> 01:39:45,043
Matthew, come on up here.
2129
01:39:45,217 --> 01:39:46,827
He looks like his dad,
doesn't he?
2130
01:39:50,353 --> 01:39:52,616
[inspirational music
continues]
2131
01:39:57,012 --> 01:39:59,101
[Chris] When the first
Superman movie came out,
2132
01:39:59,275 --> 01:40:01,929
the most frequently asked
question was,
2133
01:40:02,104 --> 01:40:03,148
"What is a hero?"
2134
01:40:06,673 --> 01:40:08,675
And my answer was that a hero
2135
01:40:08,849 --> 01:40:12,418
is someone who commits
a courageous action
2136
01:40:12,592 --> 01:40:15,769
without considering
the consequences.
2137
01:40:15,943 --> 01:40:19,251
Now my definition
is completely different.
2138
01:40:19,425 --> 01:40:22,211
I think a hero
is an ordinary individual
2139
01:40:22,385 --> 01:40:25,649
who finds the strength
to persevere and endure
2140
01:40:25,823 --> 01:40:27,999
in spite
of overwhelming obstacles.
2141
01:40:33,309 --> 01:40:34,614
- [wind whooshes]
- [music fades out]
2142
01:40:38,096 --> 01:40:40,055
[gentle music playing]