M

Starring: Peter Lorre, Ellen Windmann, Inge Landgut, Otto Wernickle, Theodor Loos, Gustaf Grundgens, Fritz Odemar
Directed by: Fritz Lang
Rating: Passed
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
1931

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A child murderer stalks the streets of a large German city, and soon the police, regular citizens, and even organized crime work to bring him to justice.

Review:

Tim: Fritz Lang's M is a hugely influential film. I never want to understate how influential it has been on police films, thrillers, and mysteries. I acknowledge the vast importance of this movie to world cinema. I really liked this film, but I couldn't love it as much as something like Lang's Metropolis. It's always a weird sensation, to think, "Wow, I can see how unbelievably important that movie is to worldwide cinema, how it influenced so much of what to follow" and, "I liked it a lot, but I never loved it". I always hope to love "important" films. That just didn't quite happen here.

What struck me the most about M is how it dove deep into the specific process of the police (and in this case, the mob) working to find a serial killer. I've always loved this approach- not to make everything seem flashy and idealized, but to tell a realistic story of the hard work and immense effort it takes to find a murderer who doesn't want to be caught. It's a big reason I love Henning Mankell's Wallander series- I know it's a very different country, but it's a similar idea of specific, detailed police and detective work to bring a murderer to justice. There's something so fascinating about watching that take place. That's what we get here, but of course, the twist is that it's not just the police. In this city, organized crime gets fed up with the child murderer- the attention he commands is impacting their business. And so, the criminals are determined to bring the murderer to justice. We see these two parallel tracks- the police using the means at their disposal, and the criminals using theirs. This is a fascinating contrast between the two and it makes for compelling viewing. This is really the heart of the movie- it's a thriller- will the murderer strike again, or will the police or organized crime catch him first? All this is done in such a way that is a bit shocking when you realize this film was released in 1931. You could argue that the movie was a decade ahead of its time.

Lang directs a truly well-made film. He keeps the action moving. His framing of specific scenes, the visual touch he adds was absolutely influential to many films to follow. If you've watched a movie about police hunting a serial killer, it was likely influenced in some way by this film and the decisions Lang made. The cinematography is impressive, the film editing especially well done. Technically, this movie is incredibly impressive.

The characters did feel a bit secondary to me. There's a big cast and we see them quite a bit throughout the film. No one really emerges as an incredible, memorable character, though. The film puts the procedure and the process first and the characters come second. This is a big reason why I don't believe this is a great film. It's innovative and influential, but we needed to care more deeply about at least one of the characters. This feels like a collective story, when we needed a stronger individual story. SPOILER (but this is for a 93 year old, film, sooo....) Peter Lorre is the one exceptional, but as he's the killer, we don't feel any connection with him. His performance is chilling, unforgettable. It's a testament to his odd, wonderful talent as an actor. The way he uses his eyes, he is one of the best parts of this film. What's even more surprising is that this was his first real, legitimate acting role. He bursts onto the scene in a very big way.

And so, I'm left with an odd feeling still. Fritz Lang is one of the all-time great directors. M is massively influential and most serious movie watchers would likely put this among their best films. I can't quite do it, though. I was impressed with the movie, I liked it, I was interested in the proceedings, but I never felt any emotional connection. That's what is missing for me. I know the wonderful thing about cinema is everyone can have their own opinions. I see the great individual aspects of this film- there's some truly exceptional sequences. The scene in the factory is an absolute masterpiece of filmmaking, for example. However, as a whole, I feel like the movie is more important than it is great. It's not quite at that level. Still, M's influence cannot be denied and this is an exceptionally well-made film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Metropolis, The Public Enemy, All Through the Night