MovieChat Forums > Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) Discussion > Uhura's terrible moment

Uhura's terrible moment

posted 11 years ago by Willisroute2
35 replies | jump to latest

The scene where Uhura...a communications officer of great skill....stutters through Klingon language using a book was a shameful use of Nichelle Nichols. (Oh, and Walter Koenig isn't far behind her either.) The director made her look like a fool to try and get laughs. What would have been much better is for Uhura to have used fluent Klingon language to have essentially sweet-talked her way by the Klingon post. To me, the way they did it is one of the most painful moments in all the movies.

[–] ewaf58 11 years ago

In space no one can hear you laugh

[–] THOMASSU 10 years ago

A freighter like Ursva would've had lower ranking Klingon officers commanding. Remember what the killers said, only top of the line models could talk properly. They needed to speak Klingon badly to get through, otherwise the outpost would've become suspicious. Or, that's the way I forgive this scene. You gotta have a great imagination and fill in the blanks of any Star Trek film if you're going to enjoy it.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe..." - Roy Batty, Blade Runner

[–] hoochiemoochie 10 years ago

Ugh people you need to get over this part. It's humorous and harmless.

=Last time I taught, I was like Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society...by which I mean I got fired=

[–] bjlevine 10 years ago

I disagree.

I think it would have been funnier had Uhura been in the bathroom and Chekov forced to try and stall the Klingons, using broken Russian accented Klingonese, while others rush to get Uhura out to save the day at the last moment.

👷👳
Bob the Builder and Hadji walk into a bar...

[–] puirt-a-beul 8 years ago

Just watching it now, and I completely agree. It would not be at all hard to believe that Uhura was fluent in Klingon -- it would be a logical skill for her to have -- and what you suggest, of having her sweet-talk the guards in a sexy way -- would have been a much better way for her to use her femininity than the fan dance of ST V, and there still could easily have been humour in it.

It's a pet peeve of mine when movies make previously-smart characters (and Uhura didn't get a lot of shots at prominence throughout the series, but there's no doubting she was smart) turn suddenly into bumblers for the sake of low-brow yuks. Smart, character-based humour is always the better way to go.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] mrbobbyh 8 years ago

I can kind of understand it, because relations with Klingons had been so poor for so long that communications more or less broke down. Then again, they never had much trouble communicating with them prior to that point...