M (1931)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tsubaki S

  
  It's a movie you will watch mostly for it's historical importance, it's cinematic techniques, and for Lorre's performance. Too many scenes of people smoking and having reunions, not enough interesting characters.

• Spencer S

  
  One of the front runners for Fritz Lang's best films, and one of the best examples of German expression and the modernist movement, M is a story with a message that is either moralistic of the times or includes fear tactics in modern society. The film was made as Germany's… More
  One of the front runners for Fritz Lang's best films, and one of the best examples of German expression and the modernist movement, M is a story with a message that is either moralistic of the times or includes fear tactics in modern society. The film was made as Germany's first sound film, and created the serial killer genre, and police procedure type of situations. It follows the exploits of Berlin before Nazi Germany had truly risen to power. The townspeople in this film become heavily invested in torches and pitchforks trying to find out the identity of a child murderer living among them. (hence the original title Murderers Among Us) They become irrationally hostile towards all people who are suspected in the web of criminal activity that perforates the city. We watch the dynamics between the criminal element and the concerned parents becoming dangerous to each other and those around them. The first hour of the entire film builds this raw tension up to bursting, teasing us with scenes without any diegetic sound whatsoever, reeling us in but with an uncomfortable air, as if music itself was too simplistic for the audience. When we're introduced to Hans Becker as this reviling monster, we've already been led to believe that the villagers and police are the villains, that we almost feel sympathy for him. Whenever they find anyone even resembling his form they become violent and untrustworthy with their resulting actions, which makes any human's fate a very scary question to pose to oneself. He seems absolutely pitiful, and maybe my sympathies would have been extended to the very end of the film, had it not been for the fact that he writes a letter to the police which basically says, "Nana nana boo boo," telling them they will never find him, and that he wants national presence among the people. He creates the unrest willingly, so the fact that many point to this and lump it in with Lang's later work, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, is ludicrous. I can see the connection to the townspeople as the Nazi party, but it doesn't configure with what we know of the dymanic between all involved parties. I do assert that one particular scene looks like they collected items from rounded up criminals, much like when they took Jews' suitcases before boarding trains to concentration camps. The performance by Lorre is bug eyed and irritatingly nervous, which doesn't make sense with the fact that he feels so clinical about his actions in the letter, but in the final scene, it all makes sense. He becomes cornered, and we finally look at the morality of killing because of compulsion. I could see this being used in a case against the death penalty, or to change legislation on the prosecution of criminals in our systems. (Hitler used it to warn of the dangers of pedophilia.) Hinging on shots of staircases,mirrors, shadows, and only including diegetic music but not sound, this film oozes German expression, barely using sound, as if Lang changed his mind over what to use every other week of shooting. It's a remarkable film, overall, sinister and morally reprehensible, it's one of Lang's many masterpieces.

• KJ P

  
  This brilliantly crafted suspense classic pulls on all of your emotional strings as a child killer is on the loose. Every person in town seems to want a piece of him. As on of the townspeople witnesses his next attempt, he chalks the letter "M" across his left shoulder.… More
  This brilliantly crafted suspense classic pulls on all of your emotional strings as a child killer is on the loose. Every person in town seems to want a piece of him. As on of the townspeople witnesses his next attempt, he chalks the letter "M" across his left shoulder. Everyone in town is informed of this and is able to trap him in a bulding where there are no exits. The film is filled with amazing cinematography, and the first ever hollywood film to have sound, definitely shows it's cinematic talent. For it's time, the acting is quite powerful and the resolution is heart-stopping. It ends quite abruptly, letting you believe what you want. This film is one of the best pieces of crime cinema I have ever witnessed on screen. It is riveting, heart-pounding, and jaw-droppingly strong. "M" is a pure masterpiece.

• Tim S

  
  Fritz Lang's socially-conscious masterpiece M is an all time classic film that could have come from any time period. Recently restored to its nearly full length, it has now taken on a whole new life in high definition. The story of a sinister underworld combining forces with… More
  Fritz Lang's socially-conscious masterpiece M is an all time classic film that could have come from any time period. Recently restored to its nearly full length, it has now taken on a whole new life in high definition. The story of a sinister underworld combining forces with angry citizens - all united to catch a child killer on the loose before the police do makes for a very compelling story. It did particularly in an era where the storyline was ripped straight from the local German headlines. It hit home, even if we're asked to sympathize with the killer a bit. Fritz Lang's great silent masterpiece may have been Metropolis or Destiny, but M is his swan song, and a film that any film fan owes it to themself to experience.

• Jan Marc M

  
  Considered as the finest work of Fritz Lang, M delicately profiles a wanted psychopath with stimulating themes and striking complexity that helplessly infects the audience with questions on justice and ethics. Remarkable.

• Stephen M

  
  I may be barking up the wrong tree completely here but, having just watched <i>M</i> again for the first time in ages, I was struck by how the film seems to prefigure the work of Jean-Pierre Melville in certain key respects. Firstly, as played by Otto Wernicke and Gustaf… More
  I may be barking up the wrong tree completely here but, having just watched <i>M</i> again for the first time in ages, I was struck by how the film seems to prefigure the work of Jean-Pierre Melville in certain key respects. Firstly, as played by Otto Wernicke and Gustaf Gründgens respectively, Fritz Lang presents us with a police inspector and a gangster who are equally charismatic, thereby testing the audience's sympathy, a trick which Melville would make good use of, time and again, in his <i>Nouvelle Vague</i> noirs of the late Fifties and Sixties. But rather than being a straightforward personality contest between the good guys and the bad guys, Lang's far more disturbing moral dilemma invites us to choose between the criminal justice system and mob rule in the question of what should be done with Peter Lorre's pathetic child murderer, who is beyond the pale of the regular criminal fraternity. The director would, of course, return to the subject of mob justice for his first American movie, <i>Fury</i>, in 1936. Lang's fascination with meticulous police procedure in <i>M</i> is also very similar to Melville's in <i>Le Samouraï</i>, and I was yet again reminded of Melville in those scenes where the criminal mob uses the tools and techniques of its trades to close in on the cornered Lorre in a deserted office building, which is essentially a heist scenario with Lorre as the booty.

• Randy T

  
  As a child of the 60's, I grew up knowing Peter Lorre as a spooky looking character actor with supporting roles in old classics like <i>The Maltese Falcon</i> and <i>Arsenic and Old Lace</i>. Although I enjoyed his performances I never fully appreciated… More
  As a child of the 60's, I grew up knowing Peter Lorre as a spooky looking character actor with supporting roles in old classics like <i>The Maltese Falcon</i> and <i>Arsenic and Old Lace</i>. Although I enjoyed his performances I never fully appreciated his talent until I saw this 1931 Fritz Lang masterpiece. In it, Lorre plays a psychotic child murderer stalking a German city. Lorre's approach to the character is unusual in the sense that he himself is tormented by the unspeakable acts he commits. There is a tangible emanation of right and wrong, of good versus evil, that Lorre projects. I found myself fascinatingly disgusted (or disgustingly fascinated) by my empathy for his character.

• AJ V

  
  Lorre's most dramatic performance, and one of his best. If you're a fan of his don't miss this movie. It is both very artsy and very exciting.

• Aditya G

  
  Fritz Lang's "M" took me by surprise completely! It is one of those amazing motion pictures which holds the audience in their grasp and never lets go. And when it is finally over, it refuses to exit the mind and forces the viewer to constantly think about what he/she… More
  Fritz Lang's "M" took me by surprise completely! It is one of those amazing motion pictures which holds the audience in their grasp and never lets go. And when it is finally over, it refuses to exit the mind and forces the viewer to constantly think about what he/she has just seen! I wasn't expecting much, but I was more than satisfied when I was finished with this timeless classic. I have watched countless films, but this is one story that is definitely unique. It is one of those films which will leave the viewer in two minds about who to sympathize with..and puts him/her in (for lack of a better expression) a true moral dilemma! Peter Lorre delivers a bravura performance as a child murderer who is the center of this whole drama involving everyone from the police to the families who lose their children to even the underworld! That is pretty much all that can be said about the plot of this gem which has to be seen to be believed. This also happens to be the Lang's first talkie film and is probably one of the greatest films ever made about a pathological serial killer. True, due to the era it was released in(1931), it lacks some of the finesse that is used in "creating" a motion picture in today's times. But that hardly mars the overall viewing experience. There are some great movie moments, masterfully shot sequences and nail-biting proceedings in the narrative combined with great display of acting from Peter Lorre, as mentioned earlier, along with some commendable supporting acts from Otto Wernicke as Inspector Lohmann and Gustaf Gründgens as Schränker. Go ahead and rent/buy this and treat yourself to a wholly satisfying movie experience! Highly recommended!

• Elvira B

  
  M is a film in which horror is both in what goes unseen and in what takes place in front of an audience. In this masterfully suspenseful film, it is up to a group of people -angry citizens, lawmakers and housewives alike- to discover and capture a child murderer -and, once they have,… More
  M is a film in which horror is both in what goes unseen and in what takes place in front of an audience. In this masterfully suspenseful film, it is up to a group of people -angry citizens, lawmakers and housewives alike- to discover and capture a child murderer -and, once they have, decide how to keep and punish him. What most struck me about it was the way Fritz Lang dealt with the difficulty of applying law and order as a collective decision, while also expressing the risk and skepticism that derive from leaving law and order to the authorities; that is, when authority is not necessarily the most trustworthy institution. More than a thriller about a serial child killer, to me this is an observation of power and people in the German Expressionist style. In that, it's a masterpiece, and surely a landmark of cinema.

• Jonathan H

  
  One of the most distinguished and technically accomplished early sound films, Fritz Lang's M (1931) revealed the expressive possibilities for combining sound and visuals, in a metaphorically loaded story about pre-Nazi Germany. Working from the true story of the Dusseldorf child… More
  One of the most distinguished and technically accomplished early sound films, Fritz Lang's M (1931) revealed the expressive possibilities for combining sound and visuals, in a metaphorically loaded story about pre-Nazi Germany. Working from the true story of the Dusseldorf child murders, Lang matches a mother's anguished calls for her daughter with images of an empty stairwell and a lost balloon rather than show the killing, while the murderers obsessive whistling becomes the calling card for his threatening presence. Beyond the use of sound, Lang takes a pessimistic view of German society, using editing to equate the police with the criminals, while Fritz Arno Wagner's fluid cinematography creates a gloomy night world of shadows and paranoid entrapment. Lang's documentary-like attention to the details of the search, combined with the absence of non-diegetic music, matches the stylization with an equally creepy element of realism. The killer may be sick, but the society pursuing him isn't that much better. A worldwide success and a star-maker for Peter Lorre, M influenced movies from those of Orson Welles to the classical American film noir period of the 1940s. This film is one of the absolute best of the early sound era.

• Jennifer D

  
  I effin love Peter Lorre. That man can do no wrong in my eyes.

• Lady D

  
  Another disappointment! I seem to be on a run recently of overrated films. The film of course isn?t all bad, I like the actual storyline and it?s bravery of using a child killer in it?s time, the beginning was good and so was the end, but slumped far too much in the middle. I can… More
  Another disappointment! I seem to be on a run recently of overrated films. The film of course isn?t all bad, I like the actual storyline and it?s bravery of using a child killer in it?s time, the beginning was good and so was the end, but slumped far too much in the middle. I can see why it?s a popular choice with people, but found parts far too boring.

• El Hombre I

  
  Such a fantastic movie and one of my top favorites. Peter Lorre, all popping eyes, baby face and chubby little hands, is repulsively fascinating as the twisted, pathetic psychopath, dropping hints about the erotic nature of his fixation. The 1931 film directed by Fritz Lang is about… More
  Such a fantastic movie and one of my top favorites. Peter Lorre, all popping eyes, baby face and chubby little hands, is repulsively fascinating as the twisted, pathetic psychopath, dropping hints about the erotic nature of his fixation. The 1931 film directed by Fritz Lang is about more than law and order. It blurs the definitions of both and questions whether the law can keep us truly safe in the context of the rising Nazi party. The elaborate steps through which good guys and bad guys (you are left to decide which is which) must keep watch for the man who has already killed 8 children are very engaging. M is essential viewing for those interested in the early development of sound. Long before the sophisticated soundscapes so popular in the mainstream, Lang discovered that a movie's atmosphere could be achieved by subtleties, and few films since have achieved the blending of sound and image to this degree. It's also Lang's first "talkie" feature and complete without score. No music, which adds to the dark, gritty atmosphere falling right in between the German Expressionistic Era and Noir Along the lines of technical achievement, M stands as the blueprint for forensics displayed in feature films and television to this day. Only time will tell if Silence Of The Lambs will be as strong of a film when it's 78 years old. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=MLorre.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/MLorre.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Chris W

  
  What an excellent film. Ahead of it's time, and all the better because of it. It was Fritz Lang's first "talkie", and apparently the film that made "talkies" respectable. The camera work is amazing, and Peter Lorre is absolutely brilliant in his chilling… More
  What an excellent film. Ahead of it's time, and all the better because of it. It was Fritz Lang's first "talkie", and apparently the film that made "talkies" respectable. The camera work is amazing, and Peter Lorre is absolutely brilliant in his chilling portrayal of a sick, sick man. This film is great for so many reasons, but most of all because of how thrilling it is while simultaneously provoking much thought and foreshadowing Germany's history that was to come a few years later. Simply put, this film is required viewing for all fans of film.

• danny d

  
  one of the first and still one of the best psychological thrillers ever made. peter lorre was haunting in his role as a child murderer and getting into the mind of a killer was disturbing but profound. the vigilante crew was brilliant, and this film paints a stunning picture of what… More
  one of the first and still one of the best psychological thrillers ever made. peter lorre was haunting in his role as a child murderer and getting into the mind of a killer was disturbing but profound. the vigilante crew was brilliant, and this film paints a stunning picture of what a city goes through when it is gripped by the fear of a monster on the loose. a must watch for all movie fans.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Haunting, atmospherical and captivating german horror-crime tale, masterfully crafted by Fritz Lang and starring the ever mesmerizing and intriguing Peter Lorre.

• Saskia D

  
  WAUW THIS MOVIE IS WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME!!! What I particularly like is how Lang (the direcor) shows us how the crime affects every layer of the community, without forcing his moral standards on the viewer. Every scene is useful and complements the story, not one is wasted on… More
  WAUW THIS MOVIE IS WAY AHEAD OF IT'S TIME!!! What I particularly like is how Lang (the direcor) shows us how the crime affects every layer of the community, without forcing his moral standards on the viewer. Every scene is useful and complements the story, not one is wasted on useless background information. <div style="width:256px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/link/11088677"><img src="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/11088677.jpg" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com">

• Tim S

  
  Fritz Lang was so ahead of his time.

• Kalel J

  
  A masterwork from Lang that acts as a pioneering leap in cinema style and genre, where techniques are pushed and boundaries are extended, and acts as a pathological study in criminality and rights. The aesthetics of the film brim with Lang's flair for atmospheric tension and the… More
  A masterwork from Lang that acts as a pioneering leap in cinema style and genre, where techniques are pushed and boundaries are extended, and acts as a pathological study in criminality and rights. The aesthetics of the film brim with Lang's flair for atmospheric tension and the usage of plot definition through imagery that results in a piece that works wonderfully in the director's personal transition from silent films to talkies. What makes the film so interesting is its barren soundscape, where a complete absence of non-diegetic scoring becomes apparent from the opening credits, to the closing scenes. In moments of tension or in moments of ease and quiet story progression - the film remains silent, leaving Langs wondrous camera to speak its words to the viewer. This puts a focus on our main killer's calling trademark - a whistle that proves to be the only form of music in the entire picture; adding to Langs want for cinematic atmosphere and realism. Furthermore, M never makes full use of itself to define its story depths or lay a concrete conclusion. Yet, this gives the narrative it's own sense of ambiguity and thought. The pathology is the basis for the story's implications, and Lang makes full means of this through his abrupt conclusion and teetering story lines. Lorre's performance is great enough to almost have an audience sympathise with his sick character, while Langs ability for the encapsulation of a frightful atmosphere will keep audiences hooked through unconventional terms. The atmosphere, the mood, and the dark tension are the basis and thorough delivery of M, which packages itself as a brilliantly crafted example of cinema.

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