"I Thought I'd Be Welcomed with Turkish Coffee"

Either take issue with Rentschler's reading of some scene in Münchhausen (1943), or discuss the operation of the film's narrative framing device.

I greatly appreciated Rentschler's approach to Münchhausen as it helped explain in many ways how the Nazis, and particularly Goebbels, were capable of using this film to their advantage, paying no expense in the process. However, I am curious about one thing in particular that I would like to raise here in the form of a question...why did Rentschler not focus on the fact that many parts of this film are out right hilarious? I ask this realizing that it could be that I am reading my own viewing of this film into it way to much, and maybe the film was not meant to be funny when it was released in 1943. However, I do not see how one could not possibly laugh at what Münchhausen says to the Turks after his cannonball flight is over. To me, this scene and what he says is absolutely hysterical. Vehemently, Münchhausen apologizes for his intrusion, explains he had meant a reconnaissance but his gunner aimed at their priceless fortress. Then, he yells a traditional Arab greeting (Asalaam 'Alaykum...peace be upon you) and proceeds to say that he will come down, introduces himself, and once he is tied up, says that he thought he would be welcomed with Turkish coffee. This is only one example, and it certainly plays into the fantastic nature of the film, and so I just wonder if the fantasy was supposed to act in a comedic way at all since it was so outrageous at times. It seems that humor, along with fantasy, would have been increasingly important as a means of distraction in Germany at that time, given, as Rentschler points out, the country had just suffered a major defeat at Stalingrad and was under constant air raids by the Allies.