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. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luther (Gene Hackman), while,as a novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).