M (1931)

M (1931)
Germany.

"Just you wait, it won't be long. The man in black will soon be here. With his cleaver's blade so true. He'll make mincemeat out of YOU! "

Director: Fritz Lang


Writers: Fritz Lang Thea von Harboou



*Spoiler Alert*

Fritz Lang is possibly one of the most forgotten directors in North America. Yes, I am aware that he is in fact Germany only coming to North America after fleeing from the Nazis but that's not the point. Hitchcock owes a lot to Lang, and so do a lot of film techniques that have become a stable in thriller genres. Also, this film is a technical landmark, it is the first film to ever use voice overs, a character speaking over images of something else happening. At the time, this was seen as revolutionary (and even confusion). The story revolves around the search for a serial killer that kidnaps and murders little girls. The police are unable to dig up any leads and are completely stumped. The people are angry, scarred, mothers cling to their daughters tightly. Anyone acting the least bit suspicious, or that shows any sort of kindness to children is accused of being the killer. The fact that a considerable bounty has been set doesn't help. The city is ready to explode, the police are getting more and more desperate and launch nightly raids on the "criminal districts" of the town. The criminals aren't enjoying it either. They're clubs are being raided, there "more police out than whores" to quote one colorful character, and more importantly is the principle of the thing. People are associating this person with them, and they are not child murders. We have their own morals, limits and rules, and this man is making people doubt that. The criminals become obsessed with catching this murder, and create a Beggar's Union, an organized army of beggars and hobos to watch every square inch of the city. It's a plot that talks about justice, suspicion, law and morality and the relationship between power and mobs.

The plot is simple in it's content: Who done it? Although we the spectators already know, it's not so much a mystery as it is a tension. This tension is between the two camps, police and criminals. Who will catch him, will he indeed be caught? And how many will he kill in the meantime. The plot follows three groups: 1 the police, represented by the chief, 2. the murderer played by Peter Lorre, and the criminals represented by some sort of mafia, or gang. There is a lot of juxtaposition of conversations between the criminals and the cops, as their over lapping interests and difference weave in and out. The symbiotic yet hostile relationship between the two is intriguing. The killer is seen doing mainly bizarre things, meant to make us pity him and feel repulsed by him. His whistling tune creeps up your spine as his shadow is cast over some innocent child, which wasn't even done by Peter Lorre who could not whistle, Lang had to do it himself and overdub the sound. We get the sense from him that he is indeed possessed by something, not well and definitely not killing for any sensible reason. As the plot lines beginning to collide, the fate of the killer seems sealed. Again, it's nothing terribly original, now. But at the time, an actual movie about a child murder was unbelievable, no one thought he could do it. And when Lang did it, no one thought it would pass the nazi censors, which it did. So, if you watch it (please do) you should try to keep this in mind.

Fritz Lang's abuse of actors in legendary. He actually threw Peter Lorre down the stairs over a dozen times, just to get the shot right. Lang was also obsessed with authenticity, and claims he casts real criminals during the mock trial scene (the criminals catch the murder and try him). Criminal justice or more accurately the idea of honor amongst thieves is a major part of this film. Although the criminals are motivated by some selfish reason, they are still generally disgusted by the killings. When they finally capture the killer in an abandoned warehouse, they hold a trial. The judge is replaced by a council (headed by the gang leader). The killer even has a defense lawyer. The argument ensues over the rightness or wrongness of killing the killer. The man can't help himself says the prosecution we must kill him. The defense argues that this is the very reason why he should spared. Whenever I watch a film in a language I do not speak, I hesitate to comment on the dialogue, for two important reasons: 1. I don't know if the translations are good or not. 2. What may sound odd or un natural in English may be common in another. if I had to guess, I would say that the dialogue in this film is typical of it's genre and time. Trying to be edge, without being able to say really nasty things on screen.

There are moment of dark visual beauty in this film, or more precisely, stills that stay with you. The M placed on the back of the murder's coat to identify him, (hence the title), the wild eyed, angry furious mob. Fritz Lang is very good at composition, and I am very excited to see some of his silent films, as I think that these will be even more picturesque. This is not to say that the sound is useless. Although there is little sound in general (sound was relatively new, so some scene with no dialogue are complete silent as the habit of recording sound effect for things like walking, street noises etc. had not be common place). When there is it works. The song the murder whistles is eerie, changing in tempo faster slower. There is also no music in this movie. None. Not a note. This is odd, considering that silent films usually had a musical score to it, and since this was a relatively new talkie I assumed that it would do. it gives the film a much more serious, real atmosphere. Adding music would only take away from the seriousness of the both the themes and the actually content.

Both Fritz Lang and Peter Lorre left Germany shortly after the release of this film. Lorre because he was Jewish, Lang because he was half Jewish. Lang went on to make English films, such as Fury. This is the first film of his I've seen so, it might be the start of something beautiful. You must see this film, really. If you really want to get into cinema, you're going to have to, at some point, watch this movie.