Woman in the Moon
German silent film introducing rocket travel to mass audiences.
Woman in the Moon (German: *Frau im Mond*) is a silent science fiction film from Germany. It first showed on 15 October 1929 at Berlin’s UFA-Palast am Zoo, in front of 2,000 people. Many consider it one of the first serious entries in the science fiction genre. Fritz Lang directed the picture, and his wife Thea von Harbou wrote the screenplay, adapting her own 1928 novel *The Rocket to the Moon*.
The story follows Helius, an entrepreneur fascinated by space travel. He visits his friend Professor Manfeldt, a visionary who once wrote a paper claiming the Moon likely held large amounts of gold—and was mocked for it. Helius sees worth in Manfeldt’s work. But a group of shady businessmen also take notice, and they send a spy calling himself “Walter Turner.” Meanwhile, Helius’s assistant Windegger announces his engagement to Friede Velten, another assistant. Helius, secretly in love with Friede, skips their engagement party. On his way home from meeting Manfeldt, a woman working for the gang—posing as a violet seller—lures Helius. Manfeldt’s research, which Helius had been given, is stolen, and Helius’s home is burgled for other valuable materials. Turner then delivers an ultimatum: the gang knows about the planned Moon voyage, and Helius must include them or they will sabotage the rocket, named *Friede* (meaning “peace,” also Friede’s first name). Helius reluctantly agrees.
The crew consists of Helius; Professor Manfeldt and his pet mouse Josephine; Windegger; Friede; and Turner. After Friede blasts off, they discover a young boy named Gustav—who had befriended Helius—has stowed away, bringing his collection of science fiction pulp magazines. During the journey, Windegger shows cowardice, and Helius’s feelings for Friede become apparent, creating a romantic triangle. They reach the far side of the Moon, which has a breathable atmosphere, as predicted by Peter Andreas Hansen (mentioned early in the film). Manfeldt finds gold, proving his theory. When Turner confronts him, Manfeldt falls into a crevasse and dies. Turner tries to hijack the rocket with gold samples, but in the struggle he is shot and killed. Gunfire damages the oxygen tanks, and the crew realizes there is not enough oxygen for everyone to return. One person must stay behind.
Helius and Windegger draw straws; Windegger loses. Seeing Windegger’s despair, Helius decides to drug Windegger and Friede
- Release date
- 15 October 1929
- Director
- Fritz Lang
- Screenwriter
- Thea von Harbou
- Country
- Germany
- Genre
- Science fiction silent film
- Alternative titles
- By Rocket to the Moon (US), Girl in the Moon (UK)
Lore & Background
The film was shot between October 1928 and June 1929 at the UFA studios in Neubabelsberg near Berlin. Its plot follows entrepreneur Helius, who plans a voyage to the Moon with a rocket named Friede, accompanied by Professor Manfeldt, his assistant Windegger, Friede Velten, and a spy named Walter Turner. A young boy named Gustav stows away. On the Moon, Manfeldt discovers gold, but dies in a crevasse; Turner is killed in a struggle. Due to damaged oxygen tanks, one person must remain on the Moon. Helius drugs Windegger and stays, but Friede chooses to remain with him.
Reader's Guide
Woman in the Moon is significant for presenting the basics of rocket travel to a mass audience for the first time, including the use of a multi-stage rocket. The film introduced several prescient technical features: a rocket built in a tall building and moved on rails, a countdown to zero before launch, blastoff submerged in water, ejection of a first stage, crew reclining on horizontal beds to cope with G-forces, and floor foot straps for zero gravity. These elements led to the film being banned in Germany from 1933–1945 due to similarities to the secret V-2 project. Rocket scientist Hermann Oberth and noted science writer Willy Ley served as consultants. The film was popular among Wernher von Braun's circle, and the first successfully launched V-2 rocket had the Frau im Mond logo painted on its base.
Did You Know?
- The film premiered 15 October 1929 at the UFA-Palast am Zoo in Berlin to an audience of 2,000.
- It is often cited as the first occurrence of the 'countdown to zero' before a rocket launch.
- Rocket scientist Hermann Oberth worked as an advisor on the film.
- The first successfully launched V-2 rocket had the Frau im Mond logo painted on its base.
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