He explains his past crime and his early parole from prison after being convicted of self-defense manslaughter in a drunken, bar-room brawl:I""ve been in the penitentiary for four years.The yellow-raincoated gang member smashes through the glass, rolling into three dress mannequins (female) - symbolizing more violence to women.[The second monolith - another indication of extra-terrestrial intelligent life and their desire to provide further guidance to mankind - also exerts its unmistakable will on human beings in a different era.] Presumably, he Academy felt obligated to honor one of filmdom""s greatest directors (DeMille) with the Best Picture Oscar, as his career was coming to an end.