Superman on Television

Adventures of Superman: Episode Reviews

Season 4 - Episode 7: "The Girl Who Hired Superman"

Reviewed by: James Lantz

Original Broadcast Date: May 05, 1956

Writer: David Chantler

Director: Phil Ford

Guest Cast:
John Eldredge as Jonas Rockwell
Lyn Guild as Millie
George Khoury as Caspar
Maurice Marsac as Oresto El Centro Jones
Gloria Talbott as Mara Van Cleaver

"The Girl Who Hired Superman"

Heiress Mara Van Cleaver's guardian Jonas Rockwell and Oresto El Centro Jones, a diplomat from South Argonia, are partners in crime whose plans have been ruined by Superman recently. However, Rockwell has an idea. Mara is to place a classified advertisement in the Daily Planet. It will be addressed to the very person whom the villains want to unwittingly aid them in their next evil deed - Superman himself.

Mara has had a little difficulty getting the ad placed in the newspaper. She wants a full page for only a couple of lines. Her bubble is burst slightly when reporter Clark Kent tells her that the Man of Tomorrow is not for sale. Mara is not deterred from her mission as she agrees to give ten thousand dollars to a charity of Superman's choice if he can entertain Oresto at a private party on Tuesday. Diplomatic relations between South Argonia and the United States could depend on the caped hero's appearance. Clark agrees to pass the message onto Superman. Little does Kent realize that his costumed alter ego may very well get into some deep trouble very soon.

Mara is somewhat suspicious of Jonas and Oresto's nervous behavior and obscure references. Jonas tries to calm his partner. Oresto's manservant and bodyguard Caspar will be committing their latest crime for them while Superman is entertaining Oresto. In addition to that, the telephone line has been disconnected to prevent anyone from making any calls, particularly to the police. Before more can be discussed, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen arrive to do a feature story and photos for the Planet. Jonas Rockwell may have all the bases covered for his next evil scheme. Can he outwit even Superman and his friends? If so, will he succeed in masterminding another criminal plot that will create worldwide chaos?

As Superman astounds all with his superhuman feats, Caspar has stolen plates used for engraving twenty dollar bills from the district attorney's office. Superman gave them to the official after the Man of Steel broke up a counterfeiting ring one month ago. Caspar later delivers the objects to Jonas, who has hidden them in a photo negative holder. After Jimmy takes a group shot, Jonas asks Superman to deliver the picture to Oresto's family in South Argonia. The Last Son of Krypton will be given additional charity money if he does so. Superman agrees, unaware that he is playing right into the criminal's hands. It looks like Jonas Rockwell will most certainly make Superman look like an accomplice in his vicious plot.

Jonas has explained his true intentions to Mara. He is actually a smuggler and counterfeiter, and Oresto is his foreign contact. They want to print fake money in Argonia because it's too dangerous to do so in Metropolis. Jonas has also embezzled every cent of Mara's money that she herself has not spent. The Van Cleaver Fortune, including Mara's diamonds, no longer exists. The ones she is wearing are false. Jonas was forced to sell the real things. Mara wants to go to the police, but Jonas prepared for this eventuality. Mara was the one who hired Superman, the only person who can get the plates past customs in the photo holder he is carrying. This makes the heiress an accessory to Jonas' crimes. With her back against the wall, it looks like there may be no way out for Mara Van Cleaver without the aid of Superman.

Lois and Jimmy have just returned to the Daily Planet. Jimmy is certain he used six photo holders at the party tonight. He gave one to Superman for Oresto's family. Yet, he saw a seventh behind some books near the Van Cleaver home's telephone, which was dead when he tried to call the newspaper's picture developing room. Jimmy should have five negatives, but he still has six. The cub reporter believes the group shot is still among the images. Superman is delivering something else. Jimmy and Lois intend to return to the Van Cleaver Estate for answers. What they learn could put them in such grave peril that even Superman may not be able to save them.

Jonas and Oresto plan to leave for Argonia with the reluctant Mara. Wanting answers, Lois and Jimmy confront the counterfeiters. The only response they get is in the form of an underground bomb shelter lined with lead. Jonas locks Lois and Jimmy in there with enough food and water for a few days. Unfortunately, even Superman may not be able to find them before they starve, for his X-ray vision would not see his friends. There may be no way for Jimmy and Lois to escape this trap.

As Metropolis Police Inspector Bill Henderson has been called about the theft of the engraving plates, Clark Kent has confronted Jonas and Oresto about Superman's "delivery". Henderson's men will arrive in fifteen minutes. However, Jonas is not afraid, for he, Oresto and Mara will be going out of the country anyway. Clark is shot, but the bullet is stopped by the very thing needed in Jonas' plan - the stolen plates. They are now ruined. Meanwhile, Mara has written Clark a note about the whereabouts of Lois and Jimmy. Now, both Clark and Mara will share the same fate as the mild mannered reporter's friends. How can Superman save everyone and stop Jonas' plans without revealing his secret identity?

In the bomb shelter, Clark reveals that Superman knew that Mara's diamond was fake when he had crushed it so easily. He believed that the heiress was unaware of this and wanted to play along with Jonas' plan to see what he was up to. With the others in the next room, Clark must try to get a connection started for the shortwave radio set. If he can call Inspector Henderson on the police band, Lois, Jimmy and Mara can be free without him answering questions that could compromise his double life. The summer electrical storm outside may be the key to assisting Superman as a bolt of lightning strikes the aerial antenna. Clark's hands are the device's contacts, allowing power to flow to its battery. Now, Kent only needs to deliver his message. Hopefully, Henderson will get it before Jonas escapes.

Clark is able to call Henderson. Jonas, Oresto and Caspar are arrested before they can get on the airplane to Argonia. This time, Superman wasn't needed to rescue his friends, at least in his familiar red and blue costume. Some days later, Mara Van Cleaver is working as a copy girl for the Daily Planet. She feels better doing something on her own without her fortune. The money used to pay Superman has gone to charity as she originally intended. Mara's becoming a mature human being is something that makes both Clark Kent and Superman very proud.

3Rating - 3 (out of 5): You may recall John Eldredge was Burt Burnside in "Shot In The Dark" and The Number One Man Walter Canby in "Crime Wave". Look for him to return in season six's "Superman's Wife".

Lyn Guild was Mrs. Farnsworth in the episode "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" of The Twilight Zone, a slave in The Ten Commandments and Diane Barker in Gang War.

George Khoury will return in season five's "Tomb of Zaharan".

Maurice Marsac was Marcel Duval in season one's "The Birthday Letter".

Gloria Talbott was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, which was co-founded by her grandfather. Look for her in cult classics like I Married a Monster from Outer Space and Daughter of Doctor Jekyll.

The story and most of the acting deserve a four. However, Gloria Talbott failed to convince me that she was a spoiled rich girl. Her dialog is delivered in the same flat, emotionless tone no matter what type of scene she is in. This would work if she was captured by the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but it falls flat in this episode.

Much of "The Girl Who Hired Superman" feels like it could belong in The Adventures of Superman radio program. Atmosphere, villains and even some dialog is reminiscent of the audio adventures of the Man of Steel. I could even hear Bud Collyer's voice when George Reeves delivered his lines in certain scenes.

While we don't see them do much outside of one room in the Van Cleaver Estate, John Eldredge and Maurice Marsac worked well as this episode's guest villains. Our mind's eye imagines most of their evil deeds as they speak to each other and/or other characters. This is refreshing in a day and age when it feels like most television programs spoon feed every detail to the audience because the producers feel that they are too stupid to understand anything.

While I wish that Gloria Talbott had had a better performance in it, "The Girl Who Hired Superman" is still relatively watchable and entertaining. It's not as good as "Jimmy The Kid," but it is still an entry that can be enjoyed by everyone who watches it. Put the DVD in your player to watch it if you get the chance.



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