Woman in the Moon
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| Woman in the Moon | |
|---|---|
 Frau im Mond |
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| Directed by | Fritz Lang |
| Written by | Fritz Lang Thea von Harbou story |
| Starring | Klaus Pohl Willy Fritsch |
| Release date(s) | 1929 |
| Running time | 156 min. / 200 min. (2000 restoration) / Spain:104 min. / Spain:162 min. (DVD edition) / USA:95 min / West Germany:91 min (edited version) (1970) |
| Country |  Germany |
| Language | Silent film German intertitles |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Woman in the Moon, or in original German, Frau im Mond is a science fiction silent film released in 1929, and is often considered to be one of the first "serious" science fiction films. The title Frau im Mond translates to "Woman in the Moon". It was written and directed by Fritz Lang, based on the novel Die Frau im Mond (1928, translated as The Rocket to the Moon in 1930) by his then-wife and collaborator Thea von Harbou. It was released in the USA as By Rocket to the Moon, and in the UK as Woman in the Moon.
The film is a strange mixture of accurate science and bad guesses. The basics of rocket travel are presented to a mass audience for the first time. The idea that the moon rocket Friede would be submerged in water before launch was a bad guess. Also, the first thing the space travelers do upon reaching the moon is use a dousing rod to search for water; the Moon is too arid to extract water from even if it could be found.
Though the special effects used in the movie were innovative for their time, the movie was not a financial success. The failure can be partly attributed to the public's move away from silent films by 1929.
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[edit] Influence
This film is often cited as the first movie containing a rocket-launching sequence that has long since become a motion picture cliché: the "countdown to zero". The launch crew counts down the seconds from ten to zero, and the rocket ship then blasts off into space.
Since rocket scientist Hermann Oberth worked as an advisor on this movie (he had originally intended to build a working rocket for use in the film; time and technology kept this from happening), it was very popular among the rocket scientists in Wernher von Braun's circle at the Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR). The first successfully launched V-2 rocket at the rocket development facility in Peenemünde had the Frau im Mond logo painted on its base. Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, which deals with the V2 Rockets makes reference to this fact along with several other classic German silent films.
[edit] Plot
The film is essentially a melodrama, blended with scientific speculation. Helius is an entrepreneur with an interest in space travel. He seeks out Professor Mannfeldt, a visionary who has written a treatise on the likelihood of finding gold on the moon, only to be ridiculed by his peers. Helius recognizes the value of Mannfeldt's work – but a gang of evil businessmen have also taken an interest in Mannfeldt's theories.
Meanwhile, Helius' assistant, Windegger, has announced his engagement to Helius' other assistant, the lovely Friede. This is disconcerting to Helius, who secretly also loves Friede. He avoids their engagement party, but is then mugged on the way home by operatives of the evil businessmen, led by the creepy Mr. Turner. They steal from him the research of Prof. Mannfeldt, and also burglarize his home, taking other valuable material. They then present him with an ultimatum: they know he is planning a trip to the moon. Either he brings them in on the project, or they will sabotage it and destroy his rocket. Reluctantly, Helius agrees to their terms.
So, the rocket team is assembled: Helius, Mannfeldt, Windegger, Friede, and Turner (who is along to represent the interests of the evil businessmen.) After the rocket blasts off, it is discovered that Gustav, a young boy who has befriended Helius and has a choice collection of science fiction comics, is aboard as a stowaway. During the journey, Windegger emerges as something of a coward and general wet blanket, and the feelings of Helius toward Friede become known to her, creating a romantic triangle of sorts.
Once they get to the moon, Mannfeldt and Turner both make the discovery that Mannfeldt's theories are correct: there is gold on the moon! They struggle in a cave, and Mannfeldt falls to his death in a crevasse. Turner attempts to hijack the rocket, and in the ensuing struggle, he is shot and killed. Gunfire damages the oxygen tanks, and they come to the grim realization that there is not enough oxygen for all to make the return trip. One person must remain on the moon (which, in this film, has a breathable atmosphere.)
Helius and Windegger draw straws to see who must stay, and Windegger loses. Seeing Windegger's self-centered anguish, Helius decides to drug him and take his place, letting Windegger return to earth with Friede. He makes Gustav his confidante and the new pilot for the ship. But after the ship takes off for home, Helius discovers that Friede has decided to stay with him on the moon, and they embrace passionately.
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