MovieChat Forums > Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1943) Discussion > The name etched on the window

The name etched on the window

posted 15 years ago by tuckertex
4 replies | jump to latest

I'm confused about what happened when the inspector turned his back on the window while investigating the scene where his (former) friend had called him from. I believe his name was Hofmeister. I assumed that Hofmeister had "written" Mabuse's name there as a clue. Was the inspector trying to hide it or rub it out? It looked like he was trying to do something without being noticed. If so, why? Or, did the inspector turn his back on the window so he could etch the name "Mabuse" on the window himself with his ring? But that doesn't make sense either. How would he know what name to scratch on the window?

Thanks in advance.

[–] Devans00 15 years ago

Here's my understanding of the scene. From watching the movie and listening to the DVD commentary.

Lohmann was walking around Hofmeister's apartment to figure out what happened to him before he disappears. Somehow, he makes the observation that Hofmeister stood at the window facing the room. Lohmann notices there are scratches in the window at about the same level as a man standing backward at the window rubbing his ring on the glass. Since the last interaction Lohmann had with Hofmeister was about the criminal mastermind, the inspector figured the scratches in the window were related.

I assume the police took a rubbing of the glass or maybe broke that pane out and took it with him. The 1932 version of German CSI, analysed the scratches until he came up with the word/name, Mabuse. By that time, Lohmann had heard the name in several contexts, so here was another example of the name Mabuse coming up.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.

[–] tuckertex 15 years ago

Thanks for the reply. Your explanation makes perfect sense. Lohmann was recreating the physical movements and positions of Hofmeister to see if it made sense that the marks on the window could have been made by him before he was killed. Satisfied that this was a likely explanation for the scratches, Lohmann had the window pane analyzed to see if it would provide a clue as to what happened to his friend. Obviously, it did.

Thanks again.

[–] jtyroler 13 years ago

The only problem - Hofmeister wasn't wearing a ring when he phoned Lohmann.

[–] gribfritz2 11 years ago

Okay. So he picked up a rusty nail lying on the desk. Problem solved.