I've always liked the Sam Raimi version of Spiderman because he doesn't get the girl (which is canon), and 2)he's not a member of the 'in crowd' as demonstrated at the beginning of the movie. Technically Peter and Harry wouldn't even be friends if Harry hadn't failed at every private school that Norman sent him to, or so Norman tells Harry at the beginning of the movie . I was more under the impression that Norman saw Peter as the son that he wanted to have: inquisitive, respectful, intelligent, a sharp contrast to Harry who was more of a playboy than anything else.