Beauty & The Beast...

It was 1977, the year of my birth and a new TV pilot movie was being filmed in California. Not only was it a hit, but spawned one of the longest running and most influential TV shows of the era, whose legacy is still felt in the biggest movie franchise of all time.

That pilot was The Incredible Hulk, starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno as David (Bruce) Banner and his angry green counterpart. Interestingly, Richard Kiel (Jaws from Bond) was originally cast but was replaced as he didn't have the right look. Jack Colvin made his debut as Jack McGee, the character which followed Banner for much of the five season/seven year run of the show.

What made it's impression on me when I saw this around 1981 for the first time however was the women involved in the film.

The film opens with an idyllic, soft focus look back to David Banner's marriage to Lara, played by the same named Lara Parker, herself an achingly beautiful woman at the time. I didn't know what love was at 4 years old, but I could tell that Banner loved her and understood his anger and grief that he was unable to save her from a burning car wreck.

We moved on to David's work at the Institute on people in a similar situation and met his colleauge Dr. Elaina Marks, played by Susan Sullivan.

Elaina immediately caught my attention, not only as a clearly beautiful woman but as a nice person who genuinely cared for David.

As the story progressed and David took the ill-fated steps that led to the creation of the Hulk she became the heart of the movie. There was genuine fear and tension as David spent time in a compression chamber, trying to recreate the weather that contributed to his first transformation.

Even as a child I knew waht was coming but Elaina's commentary into her recorder helped me to understand the situation and fear for her. As the Hulk finally emerged and we spent our first proper time with him, Elaina was kind to the child-like creature.

To this day one of my favourite ever moments on film is the scene where she tries to take care of Hulk's wounded hand. Between Sullivan and Ferrigno's silent but pained performance I was hooked on the film and the show.

Sadly the movie ends (SPOILERS) with the death of Elaina Marks, directly due to the actions of Jack McGee - a tabloid reporter desperate enough for a story to break in and damage a chemical store in the process. To hide his actions, McGee blames The Hulk who rescued Elaina but was unable to see her for her and Banner's death. I was inconsolable that Elaina died and at Hulk's grief for her, although he didn't quite know why. She finally revealed what with hindsight was there all along. She had been in love with David all along, even before his marriage.

The final and most iconic moment of the pilot saw David visit both he and Elaina's graves and admitting his love for her and that he understood she loved him via Hulk. This ending to this day is powerful thanks to The Lonley Man theme, by Joe Harnell and Bixby's performance which got the show green lit and remains an influence today.

My crush on Susan Sullivan remained for a couple of years until The Bangles and specifically Susannah Hoffs came along but to this day I can watch her performance in The Incredible Hulk and marvel at how lovely she was as Elaina Marks.

Perhaps her most important contribution is in the "Beauty and the Beast" relationship between Black Widow and Hulk in the MCU. There are very close similarities, not in Natasha and Elaina's characters but in how they fall for and interact with Banner and Hulk.

Look back at that scene of Elaina tending Hulk's damage knuckles and the "lullaby" used in Age of Ultron. They show the same love and affection for Banner the Man while in his Hulk form. Indeed Scarlett Johannson shares many characteristics of Susan Sullivan, especially in their voices which are very close.

If I had been 4 today, I would fall for Scarlett in the same way I did for Susan back in the early 80's.

Susan Sullivan has continued to act on TV most notably in Dharma and Greg and Castle and even joined Marvel as part of Big Hero 6: The Series.

Do yourself a favor and go back and watch The Incredible Hulk, it shows its age for sure...but Bixby, Ferrigno and Sullivan's performances alone make this worth your time and I hope you see what I saw back then.