Viewers of Disney’s 1979 scifi picture “The Black Hole” might have noticed, during much of the last half or so of the film, Maximilian Schell’s character Dr. Reinhardt wearing a medal or medallion on his dress uniform.
My question is…what is it? It’s never mentioned in-dialogue, either as a real or fictional decoration, and I simply don’t recognize the design, if it was just taken out of a stock supply of props, although it slightly resembles a US Space Medal of Honor.
Thus, I’m stumped. Is there a cult film buff and/or a Phalerist in the house?
Bumped.
Just saw the movie recently and wondered that myself. Dr. Reinhardt’s medal looks a lot like, but not exactly to my eyes, the Legion of Merit, as SpoilerVirgin suggested. But the five white branches of Dr. R’s medal look like they point outwards, as arrowheads, rather than being indented at the end, as in the Wiki link SV provided.
Ranchoth’s first link has reverted to a picture of Dr. R. in casual wear, earlier in the film; here are some images of the mad scientist in formal wear with the medal:
http://3.darkroom.shortlist.com/980/6f1e481ff567691a7162dec087216f57:4a6da48a81fe5d7ea3bfec32e1afa6bc/dr-hans-reinhardt
Perhaps it’s slight reworking of the Legion of Merit by the Disney costumers, intended to evoke a future version of the award?
