The New Original Wonder Woman

The New Original Wonder Woman
Director:	Leonard Horn
Writer(s):	Stanley Ralph Ross
Release Date:	November 7, 1975
Running Time:	93 mins
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Full Credits	Trivia
Home Video	Awards
Soundtrack	Reviews
Merchandise	Characters

The New Original Wonder Woman is a TV movie that served as the series premire to the television series, which follow the origin of The Amazing Amazon.

Plot

From within a top-secret Nazi base in Berlin, Germany, Reich party leader Colonel Oberst von Blasko gives orders to his top pilot Drangal. He wants him to conduct a raid against an American bomb factory in Brooklyn, New York. While the two men converse, Oberst's assistant Nikolas listens closely. Oberst also talks about a double-agent he has planted in Washington who will be responsible for destroying all blueprints relating to the bomb factory, preventing the Americans from constructing another.

In Washington, General Blankenship of the Air Corps Intelligence Division receives news concerning Drangal's attack plans. He consults with Major Steve Trevor and his assistant Marcia. Trevor tells him that he will personally intercept Drangal before his plane ever gets near the United States. After Steve leaves, Marcia returns to her apartment and sends a coded message to her master: Oberst von Blasko as she is the Nazi double agent.

Trevor and Drangal face each other in the air. Both pilots cripple the other's plane and are forced to evacuate via parachute. While floating downward, they continue fighting one another and Drangal shoots Steve in the chest. Although injured, Steve manages to float safely to the shore of a tropical island in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. Drangal however, lands in the middle of shark-infested water, never to be seen again.

As Steve's body washes up on the shore of this "Paradise Island", two Amazons named Diana and Rena come upon him. Diana, having never seen an actual man in person, is infatuated with Trevor and scoops him up. She brings him to a hospice where other Amazons tend to his wounds. Hyppolyta, queen of the Amazons learns of the news and becomes agitated. She explains to her daughter Diana that the Amazons have lived free of the warlike nature of men for thousands of years. Diana wants to study Steve Trevor, but Hippolyta is reluctant. Diana finally convinces her to allow her to act as Steve’s personal nurse.

Later, news of Major Trevor's apparent demise reaches the offices of the Air Corps Intelligence Division. General Blankenship and Marcia share a toast to honor Steve's memory. After Blankenship leaves, Marcia sends another coded message to Oberst von Blasko. She tells him of the deaths of both Trevor and the pilot Drangal. Oberst suspect that the Americans may have their own double agent working in Berlin. Oberst decides to complete the mission personally.

On Paradise Island, Queen Hippolyta decides to hold a tournament to determine which Amazon will be charged with returning Steve Trevor to the United States. Diana wants to participate in the tournament, but Hippolyta strictly forbids it. She does not want the Princess of Paradise Island risking her life in a foreign land. Diana however, will not be deterred. Disguising herself with a blond wig, she enters the tournament and excels at every event. The final contest is called Bullets and Bracelets. Diana and another Amazon test their mettle by deflecting gunshots from the other with the use of their magic bracelets. Diana wins the contest and is awarded the Golden Belt and the Golden Lasso as tools for her mission to the United States. The Golden Belt will give her added strength, while the lasso forces others to speak only the truth. Diana removes her disguise and Hippolyta is shocked to see that it is her daughter standing before her. However, she is still very proud of Diana and will honor Amazon tradition by allowing her to undertake the mission. She provides Diana with a specially designed costume and an invisible jet plane. At Hippolyta's suggestion, she takes the name Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman flies Steve Trevor back to the United States and immediately takes him to a hospital. Word of Steve's return soon reaches the office of General Blankenship. Marcia feigns happiness, but once Blankenship leaves, she places a call to her agent in New York and tells him that Trevor is alive.

Wonder Woman meanwhile tries to adapt to American culture. After an embarrassing incident at a clothing outlet, she stops two armed bank robbers from making a getaway. One of the witnesses is a theatrical agent named Ashley Norman. Ashley is so impressed with Wonder Woman's bullets and bracelets display, that he wants to put her on the stage. Wonder Woman isn't comfortable with using her talents for exhibition, but she does need a means of earning money. After a quick visit to the Army hospital to see Steve, she goes to Ashley Norman's theater and performs the bullets and bracelets stunt for a crowded house. Ashley calls upon volunteers from the audience to fire bullets in Wonder Woman's direction. One of the volunteers is an elderly woman armed with a machine gun. Wonder Woman succeeds in deflecting every single shot fired from the weapon. After the show, Wonder Woman tells Ashley that she is quitting. Ashley tries to force her to stay with the show, but Wonder Woman flips him onto his back. After she leaves his office, he telephones Marcia. Ashley is Marcia's New York contact. He tells her that he tried to delay Wonder Woman as long as he could, but she is gone.

Meanwhile, Steve Trevor recovers and is nearly healed from all of his injuries. He telephones General Blankenship and learns that Oberst von Blasko is personally undertaking a mission to bomb the Norden munitions plant in Brooklyn. Steve tells Blankenship that he will intercept Von Blasko in his new experimental fighter. On his way to the airstrip, Steve encounters Ashley Norman and two Nazi stooges. The thugs jump him and knock him out. They bring him back to Marcia's house and question him about the location of the Norden bomb site plans. Despite the interrogation, Steve refuses to tell them anything. Ashley injects him with a truth serum, and Steve eventually yields. He gives Marcia the combination to his office safe where the plans are kept.

Marcia breaks into Steve's office, but finds Wonder Woman waiting for her. Wonder Woman tells Marcia that she suspected her treachery all along. Marcia is hardly intimidated by Wonder Woman's presence, and boldly remarks that she was the Nuremberg Judo champion. Marcia and Wonder Woman begin fighting one another, and they crash through the office door into the hallway. Marcia tries breaking a chair across Wonder Woman's head, but Diana deflects it with her bracelets. She then delivers a punch to Marcia's jaw, which sends her reeling down the hall. Wonder Woman then wraps her stunned adversary with her Lasso of Truth. She forces Marcia to reveal where Steve Trevor is hidden.

Before Wonder Woman can rescue Steve however, she has a more pressing concern: Von Blasko. She flies her Invisible jet out over the Atlantic until she finds Von Blasko's bomber. She lands her plane on top of his and boards Von Blasko's cabin. Von Blasko attempts to fight her, but Wonder Woman knocks him out with one punch. She drags the Nazi onto her plane, then sends his bomber crashing into the sea.

Returning stateside, she dumps Von Blasko's unconscious body on the steps of a police precinct house, then takes off to find Steve. She arrives at Marcia's apartment and begins fighting the thugs. Ashley Norman and the others open fire on her, but even Ashley realizes how fruitless an effort it is. She finishes the thugs off and unties Steve. Trevor is startled to see Wonder Woman yet again and wants to know more about her. Wonder Woman tells him that they will be together soon and takes off.

A few days later, Steve meets with General Blankenship to discuss filling in Marcia's position. Blankenship tells Steve that he has already interviewed someone for secretarial duty. Inviting him into his office, Blankenship introduces Steve to Yeoman first class Diana Prince. What Steve doesn't realize is that Diana Prince is actually Wonder Woman in disguise. Steve feels that Diana Prince and he are going to get along just fine.

Cast

• Lynda Carter as Diana of Paradise Island/Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
• Lyle Waggoner as Major Steve Trevor, Sr.
• John Randolph as General Blankenship
• Red Buttons as Ashley Norman
• Stella Stevens as Marcia
• Eric Braeden as Drangel
• Henry Gibson as Nikolas
• Kenneth Mars as Colonel von Blasko
• Cloris Leachman as Queen Hippolyta
• Inga Nielsen as Rena

Trivia

• Director Leonard Horn suffered a heart attack and passed away shortly after shooting this episode.
• The cat-fight between Wonder Woman and Marcia later inspired a memorable television brawl between the leading actresses on Dynasty years later.
• The same portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt can be found in both Steve Trevor's office and Marcia's apartment.
• Actors Severn Darden and Eric Braeden who both play Nazi agents in this episode also played villains in the Planet of the Apes franchise. Braeden played the role of Dr. Otto Hasslein in Escape from the Planet of the Apes and Darden played Inspector Kolp in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
• The Pilot is featured as a bonus episode on the Blu-Ray version of Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths.

Gallery

Diana finds Steve Trevor on Paradise Island.

The Amazons competing to return Steve Trevor to the outside world

Diana competing in the tournement.

Queen Hippolyta's reaction to Diana's victory.

Wonder Woman flying the invisible plane.

Wonder Woman flies in the invisible plane

Wonder Woman deflecting bullets.