Would an actual Christian (in the 1920s or today) actually make a "prayer sign" like this in this context?

In the Charlie Chaplin film "The Kid" (1921), there is a scene where his character, who is apparently supposed to be Christian, is being threatened with violence by a thug. As he walks backwards, dodging the swings from the thug, they appear under a sign that says "BEDS 10 CENTS". When the thug swings at Charlie's character underneath the sign, it starts swinging back and forth from its hinges. Charlie's character notices this and makes the Christian "prayer hands" sign while looking up at the sign. Here is the YouTube video clip showing it: [**The Kid, Charlie Chaplin fight scene one of the funniest scenes in kid**](https://youtu.be/B2rAv7wOP_8?t=161) . Can this be explained somehow, other than simply being a fun visual gag? I mean, is it based on something? Would a Christian make such a prayer sign at a sign because it swings? Because the thug missed him? As if God saved him from the punch hitting him? Is that "prayer sign" with the hands against each other something that Christians do/did to basically say: "Thanks for saving me from that danger, God!"?