MovieChat Forums > Frau im Mond (1931) Discussion > Blowing on a key

Blowing on a key

posted 13 years ago by jtyroler
2 replies | jump to latest

Does anyone know the significance of the man blowing on the end of a key when the Professor is lecturing in a flashback early on in the film (about 13 - 14 minutes in)? Would that have made some sort of whistle or something?

[–] turgon-2 13 years ago

The soundtrack has a whistle noise during those scenes. And whistling in Europe is the equivalent of a booing in the US. So I guess it was supposed to be a sort of heckling.

[–] Naldoman 11 years ago

I believe that is a whistle - and the man is trying to get the attention of the crowd of academics to shut up and settle down.

The people in charge are trying to regain control of the presentation - to let the prof. have his say, but the scoffing colleagues just call him out and disown him.

His reputation is ruined - the scathing newspaper article follows - and unemployment and destitution. His only confidente is a mouse.