References and Parallels to Superman II:

Richard Donner's Cut

Superman was directed by Richard Donner - about 70%.  Then  came in Richard Lester and changed things leaving two distinct cuts of the film, the Theatrical Release and what is coming out later in 2006 as the Donner Cut.  To learn more about the theatrical cut go here.

The Donner Cut

Like stated in the introduction, this was actually filmed about 70% due to the fact that Superman I and Superman II started their shoots at the same time, and were written to be two halves of the same hole.  Thanks to a few nifty transcripts sites, and Superman Homepage, there are three key scenes that were all deleted or vastly changed between the two versions of the film - and we know about them.  There's no Eiffel tower scene, Lois doesn't jump into Niagara Falls, and the ending is completely different.

Also different about this version, and worth noting, is that Jimmy is not scared dork; instead, he tries to take on Zod himself.  Noble, but silly.  Additionally, there was prior footage shot that set up the Phantom Zone for the first movie, thus really making the Donner Cut the second half to Superman I.  There is also a (not included) scene where Lois teaches Superman how to make a soufflé - don't know why.

And  a HUGE, HUGE thank you to Donner's Superman for collecting so much data and input on this version of the film before the final version is released in November of 2006  Seriously, check them out, as they are the source of these and the photos (until the cut actually gets released, anyway).

Lois "Knows"

The first scene, though rather long, is the introduction to the Planet portion of the movie - it sets up the story, and more importantly, this is Lois' revelation.  It's different than Lois in Lois and Clark, different than in the Iron Age of comics, and far different than the two-part reveal to Chloe Sullivan; it allows Lois and her nose for news to put the pieces together all on her own with no help (or hindrance) from him.   It keeps Lois very smart (emphasis is added to the transcript where needed) and it does work in some of the veiled hinting we saw Chloe do in season four. 

INT. DAILY PLANET CITY ROOM - DAY - The hum of typewriters and activity is heard. O.S. CAMERA CLOSE on an edition of the Daily Planet lying on a desk. The front page shows a picture of the collapsing Boulder Dam (seen in SUPERMAN) with the banner headline: "LEX LUTHOR'S SCHEME BOMBS - SUPERMAN SAVES WORLD" - CRIMINAL DRAWS LONG SENTENCE, exclusive story by Lois Lane. Photographs by James Olsen. LOIS sits behind her desk, reads the story, nods approvingly, pleased with herself. JIMMY OLSEN stands over her shoulder, a camera around his neck, all admiration.

JIMMY: Golly, it's a great story, Miss Lane ...

LOIS: A picture usually isn't worth a thousand words when I write the article, Jimmy. (nice smile) But in this case - congratulations.

JIMMY : There's Mr. Kent! I'd bet he wishes he'd been there when it all happened.

LOIS (reading): Poor Clark. For some strange reason he's never around when Superman appears ...
[JIMMY walks off to join CLARK. LOIS turns over the page of the paper. More of Jimmy's pictures and her story are inside. LOIS reads for a moment, then glances over at CLARK and JIMMY. She returns to her paper, suddenly blinks, looks back and forth between Clark and the newspaper.  A photograph of SUPERMAN - both the pose and the expression are exactly identical to the way CLARK is standing and looking. LOIS is stunned. She looks over at CLARK again. LOIS picks up a pen, goes to work feverishly, as CAMERA  ZOOMS IN on the picture of SUPERMAN in the newspaper. She draws in eyeglasses, changes the hairstyle, colors in a suit, etc. It is a perfect match. CAMERA ZOOMS BACK to Lois, tensely excited. There's no doubt about it - she's made the discovery of the century. She rises triumphantly.]

PERRY'S VOICE : Lane! Kent! Get in here!

[INT. PERRY'S OFFICE - DAY -- CLARK smiles nicely at LOIS as they enter. LOIS, almost bursting with the new-found knowledge, still hangs on to her newspaper ]

CLARK: How are you, Lois...

LOIS: Oh, just... (Sly wink) Super, thanks...

CLARK looks at her curiously. PERRY stares out his open window, turns, checks his watch.

PERRY : You're late this morning, Kent.

CLARK :Sorry, Mr White. I... got stuck in traffic.

LOIS : (Half to herself) Hmm. That's a new one...

CLARK : Excuse me?

LOIS : I mean as opposed to: "I had to make a phone call", or "I was locked in the washroom", or ...

CLARK: LOIS, what are you...

PERRY: Listen. If you two want to bicker, that's great, because I got just the assignment for you. You're going to pose as a honeymoon couple, in Niagara Falls to get an expose of the newlywed racket. Some of the hotels up there are bilking these kids for every cent they can get. Real human interest stuff. Your Aunt Edna'll cry her eyes out.

CLARK (shocked) Newlyweds? Us?

LOIS (quickly) That's a great idea, Mr White.

CLARK (protesting) But I'm right in the middle of my series on the City council, and ...

LOIS: Oh, it won't take long, Clark. We can just...(coy gesture) fly right up there and then sort of ... zoom right back again. (quick smile) You know. Like Superman.

CLARK has caught her drift now, grows slightly alarmed.

PERRY : Hey. If he could give you to ride we could save a couple of bucks... (checks watch) I gotta go. Six lousy photographs and Olsen wants to hit me for a raise...[PERRY leaves. LOIS sits in her chair, humming, taps the newspaper on her knee. She looks up at CLARK, flashes a broad grin. He looks back at her apprehensively. ]

CLARK Well. You certainly look like the cat who swallowed the canary this morning.

LOIS: Canary? (rising) No. Actually I was thinking of something much bigger that flies... something more in blue...

CLARK : Lois, as usual, I'm totally in the dark about...

LOIS : Here, Clark. Let me turn on the lights for you. [LOIS drops the paper down on PERRY'S desk, open to the page with her retouched picture of SUPERMAN]. Get the picture? [CLARK crosses, looks down at it, frowning.] You know, I never started to put it together before. And that's funny, because a good reporter isn't supposed to let anything slip by her.

CLARK : Lois? This is... very amusing (nervous chuckle) Yes, Sirree, very amus ...

LOIS : Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair... listen, I've got to give you credit. I mean you fooled me...(cool stare) And I'm nobody's fool - Superman.

CLARK:Su ... Superman? (total disbelief) You think I'm Superman?

LOIS : Think? I'd bet my life on it. Literally. [LOIS walks casually over to the window. CLARK pauses, then bursts into hysterical laughter.]

CLARK : Lois ... you're priceless... you know that? I mean, that's the single funniest thing ... [LOIS swings one leg out the window, CLARK suddenly concerned] Lois, what do you think you're doing?

LOIS : I'm not worried, Superman. You won't let me die... [LOIS smiles, swings the other leg out, jumps, disappears from view.]

This scene was obviously replaced with Lois jumping into Niagara Falls - Clark similarly uses his powers to not expose himself and save Lois (she falls in a cake); in the original script, Superman saves a young boy there which automatically triggers Lois again (which is similar to the Theatrical Release.)

Lois' "Reveal"

Also, unlike Lois in Lois and Clark, different than in the Iron Age of comics, and far different than the two-part reveal to Chloe Sullivan, when Donner's Lois confronts Clark at long last, she's once again smart - smarter, in fact, than Superman.  This scene was the alternate for the hairbrush scene - it starts off with Lois trying to slowly weasel Superman out of his forced mask of Clark Kent - telling him to stand up straighter, buy better clothes.  Of course, he catches on and berates her for knowing once again, so she reveals her own test.  Though similar to the other Loisi, she comes to the same conclusion - that she must of known all along.

[LOIS levels a knowing stare at him in the mirror.] LOIS : You are Superman. Aren't you.

CLARK : Lois, we've been through this hallucination of yours before. Don't you remember what you almost did to yourself, jumping out of a building thirty stories up? Can't you see the tragic mistake you almost made?

LOIS: (thin smile) You're right, Clark. I did make a tragic mistake. What a fool I was....[LOIS opens a drawer in the dressing table, swivels in her seat, a loaded revolver now in her hand, leveled at CLARK]. I bet my life instead of yours.

[CLARK backs up, eyes widening.] CLARK: Lois....don't be insane....Lois, you're crazy!

[She fires. The gunshot echoes across the room. CLARK remains standing. He stares at her resigned, but almost defiant, his voice becoming that of SUPERMAN. LOIS looks at him lovingly, but quietly triumphant.]

LOIS : I knew it. I guess I must really have known it for the longest time.....

SUPERMAN : You realize, of course, if you'd been wrong....Clark Kent would have been killed.

LOIS: How? With a blank?

SUPERMAN closes his eyes in frustration. LOIS looks back at him with a soft smile.

LOIS : Gotcha.

Lois & Superman have The Talk

Additionally in this cut, Superman and Lois get to have The Talk.   Superman shares the fact about his trip here, his mother and father.  Those who know their Smallville should find a very familiar line from Kal-El in it.

SUPERMAN draws LOIS closer, looks at her seriously.

SUPERMAN: There were so many times I wanted to tell you. Sitting next to you as Clark, smiling shyly, listening to you talk about Superman, and how much you... loved him... [He stops, embarrassed, realizing how much he's inadvertently eavesdropped on her during his life as CLARK. LOIS smiles nicely.]

LOIS: That's all right. I suppose it is a little late in the game for me to play hard to get.

Lois' Promise

The full translation of the last scene doesn't exist publicly, all that is around is the clip left over from the international cut of the film.   This is where Lois and Superman break up, and like the Theatrical cut, it's very sad.  Unlike the Theatrical cut, Superman doesn't make her forget everything in the end.  And again, some of this dialogue is very reminiscent of Arrival.

SUPERMAN: Look, Lois, I...

LOIS: Hey, no regrets, okay? I did it. I got the man I loved to love me. Didn't I?

SUPERMAN: Oh yeah.

[She smiles.] LOIS: Well okay then. Those people need you. I mean, I... I'd be buying my rainbow at the expense of all those people that go, "Help, come quick!" You think I don't understand that? [Superman nods.] I mean it's... it's the old eternal triangle. Only, uh... only in this case I... I have all of humanity waiting in the next room.

SUPERMAN:  We'll see each other. All the time, like before. But it can't be like...

[LOIS kisses him passionately. He responds in spite of himself. They break. She looks up at him, trembling.] LOIS: Just don't forget, that's all.

LOIS: It looks so beautiful from up here. I guess I'll never get to fly with you again.

SUPERMAN: Oh, no, anywhere you want to go. [Cut to a shot of Lois's terrace. Superman and Lois come in for a gentle landing.]

SUPERMAN: Well, here we are.

LOIS: Home sweet home.

SUPERMAN: See you at work in the morning.

[Lois has tears streaming down her face.] LOIS: Mmhmm. Bright and early, huh? [Superman nods.] LOIS: The same old Clark and the same old Lois.

SUPERMAN: Yep.

LOIS: Except, uh... maybe I won't be quite so mean to you from now on. [He smiles.] LOIS: You don't have to worry. Your secret's safe with me. I'm not going to tell anyone who you really are.

[He puts a hand on her shoulder.] SUPERMAN: I know. I know that, Lois. [He walks to the edge of the terrace. He looks back at her one last time, and then flies away.]

LOIS: See you later. [She watches him fly off.] LOIS: Well. There he goes, kid. Up, up, and away...(shrugs) What the hell. You're a pretty terrific looking number yourself, Lois Lane. So it's his loss too, right? Right. Let him eat his heart out...(snaps to) Because right now you just happen to be sitting on top of the story of the century! The entire world was saved and you were there! The only eyewitness! She turns, walks inside her apartment excitedly, her voice trailing off. LOIS (O.S.) A gifted reporter who happened to be at the right place at the right time! Coincidence? No...

---

Credits to dynamic duo, SVMedia, and LCPR
with thanks to Superman Homepage, chlarklove,
and Donner's Superman.