Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends his infant son, Kal-El, on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), young Clark (Christopher Reeve) discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman), while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). The most expensive film made up to that point with a budget of $55 million, Superman received three Oscar nominations and was awarded a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.