What time was the bomb set for? - The Hindenburg (1975) Discussion

[–] Onslow1965 16 years ago

I've always thought that Ritter's attempt to defuse the bomb accidentaly set it off early.

reply

Why didn't he just pitch it overboard rather than try to diffuse it? Or at least move the detonation time forward about 4 hours---the set switch would have been so easy to move on the watch. Then he would have had all the time in the world to monkey around with it.

reply

[–] TongueFu 12 years ago

You want to defuse a bomb, not diffuse it.

reply

[–] fannetastic 15 years ago

It's difficult to set an analog watch to EXACTLY 7:30. You seldom get the precision you get with a digital watch.

"Ritter!"

Lisa
Visit my Anne Bancroft website at
http://fannetastic.com

reply

[–] transmentalist 15 years ago

As a kid, I thought Ritter set it off on purpose, having decided to join the anti-Nazi movement.

So I NetFlix'ed it and watched the scene again. It's actually poorly filmed and ambiguous at best, but it's CLEARLY not yet ready to blow when it goes off. Ritter's finger seems about to reset the watch, so the minute hand moves back away from "zero hour." Then he pauses, and there's a look of terror on his face, then "boom."

Now, what I'd assumed as a kid was that he spun the watch knob the wrong way on purpose. But I now see that the knob and his finger were off the edge of the screen (and it's a widescreen DVD). It's not as clear as I'd thought.

But I stick with my original theory - Ritter blew it on purpose, rather than let the Gestapo foil the plot. There'd be no other reason for that facial expression.

reply

[–] PurpleNiobe 15 years ago

I just saw this a few moments ago.

I guess I had assumed that he was trying to prevent the clock from making it's detonation time, like he was going to wind the clock backwards so it wouldn't get there. However, that guy ran into the room and called out to him, and he was briefly distracted.

The distraction proved to be his doom, as by the time he looked back at the clock, he had missed his mark, and realized in horror the bomb was now going to explode.

I figured I was worng in this viewpoint mainly because I haven't seen all of the film, and I have a hard time accepting that someone doing something so important would be so easily distracted.

When the hurly-burly's done. When the battle's lost and won.

reply

[–] transmentalist 15 years ago

Hmn, actually yours is a better explanation for his expression of horror just before "boom."

reply

[–] mark-smith473 12 years ago

That's how I see it. It was set for around 7.30, but it's impossible to set it spot on and Ritter was trying to wind it back when he was distracted and off it went at 7.25.

reply

[–] elizabethdicely 11 years ago

If you were deep in love with your wife, would you deliberately blow up the Hindenburg with you on it? I think not. He talked about getting home to his wife in the film. Plain and simple, him being called by that guy and ACCIDENTALLY not setting the watch correctly.

reply

[–] kriegerg69 11 years ago

I just watched it again tonight and in case no one else noticed, Ritter and Boerth's watches were five minutes apart...they actually SHOW this near the climax at Lakehurst, with Boerth looking at his watch and then show Ritter looking at his. I forget whose watch is ahead by the five minutes, but to me that explains why the bomb goes off "early"...coupled with Vogel showing up and distracting Ritter during his attempt to change the time back.

Can't believe no one has noticed or mentioned the five minute difference betwenn Ritter and Boerth's watches.

reply

[–] icaptainchaos 10 years ago

Finished watching the whole film today, and in my humble opinion, if Ritter HAD wanted the Hindenburg to blow up, he wouldn't have bothered trying to do ANYTHING with the device, because I guess he knew it was there & was set, so why mess around with the inevitable?

reply

[–] mrx2117 10 years ago

Watched it just now - he sees the Gestapo guy and I think he changes his mind in that moment and doesn't defuse it.

reply

[–] King_Of_Fuh 10 years ago

About ten minutes before the end of the movie

The world economy will crash in 2016, so for now, have fun!

reply

[–] kriegerg69 9 years ago

Uh, yeah...and that's why when he looks back at the bomb Ritter's eyes widen in shock and it goes off. When Vogel appears then he's just a momentary distraction to Ritter, who then is unable to diffuse it in time.

reply

[–] Rich359 8 years ago

You must not own many watches. It it very difficult to set the tiny watch in a knife case knowing the bomb was going to go off in minutes. When you open the stem of a wind up watch, usually when it opens it moves a little bit in the minute hand. Very easy to accidently set off. My problem is why did Scotts character let him set the bomb in the first place. Ritter was a very sober minded person and would have definitely thought of the possibility of a late landing.

reply

[–] kriegerg69 9 years ago

Because...obviously...the bomb was intended to go off after the ship was cleared of passengers and crew, and Ritter was trying to save everyone's lives.

Duh.

reply