M (1931)

Introduction

Fritz Lang is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and honestly, he is one of my personal favourite filmmakers too. His influence on film noir has been unequalled by any other director and his narratives told in strange ways in his films have been incredible to watch unfold. M is one of the first real crime films ever made in a classic style containing a modern storyline.

Plot

The story revolves around the hunt for a child murderer named Becker who is terrorizing the city. As the police intensify their efforts to capture the elusive criminal, the underworld criminals also join the search to protect their own activities from increased police scrutiny. The film is notable for its innovative use of sound, atmospheric cinematography, and a compelling performance by Peter Lorre as the disturbed and haunting child murderer. "M" is considered a landmark in cinema history. It not only has that aspect of crime that the audience thoroughly enjoy, but it explores the inhumanity of criminals and how they will be found out whether by the police or by the regular human being. The one question it leads us to ask is: what is a compulsion?

Appraisals and Awards

And what a haunting film it is. The film doesn't ask for sympathy for the killer Franz Becker, but it asks for understanding: As he says in his own defense, he cannot escape or control the evil compulsions that overtake him. Elsewhere in the film, an innocent old man, suspected of being the killer, is attacked by a mob that forms on the spot. Each of the mob members was presumably capable of telling right from wrong and controlling his actions (as Becker was not), and yet as a mob they moved with the same compulsion to kill. There is a message there somewhere. Not "somewhere,” really, but right up front, where it's a wonder it escaped the attention of the Nazi censors.

Roger Ebert, 1997

It may not have won any awards as I am aware, and it may have only existed in dim prints until some time after its release and fall into obscurity. But M (1931) definitely came out roaring after the Ebert review and after it gained notoreity again during the ressurgence of horror and crime movies. I believe that the main appraisals come from not only critics like Roger Ebert but fellow filmmakers who have often used M (1931) as a point of inspiration.

The opinion of M (1931) definitely changed over time though. Initially, it was thought of as too long, a little too unfinished and a little too unrefined. Despite existing in the era of "talkies" there is very little dialogue by the main character and, throughout the film there is a certain sense of foreboding even though there is no mystery about who the killer is to the audience.

Legacy

I think many people know that this film represents Fritz Lang's own complicated relationship with his home country and his absolute hatred for the Nazi Regime. In the 30s, the Nazi Party were on the rise and it is said that M (1931) is Fritz Lang's way of confronting Germany and saying "how could you let this happen? Look what you've done." A harsh analysis of mob mentality as the crowd seeks out the wrong man, we also see a destructive influence upon the minds of the children of the story. There are many things in this film that represent the horrors of Nazi Germany.

It has earned a reputation as one of the best non-English language films ever made and quite possibly one of the greatest films ever made overall. With a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, this film has earned its space within these articles of great cinema.

My Personal Opinion

It's one of the greatest film of German Expressionism, especially as with the rise of Joseph Goebbels, it was definitely on its way out of the public consciousness. It may represent a ton of different aspects of the horrors of Nazi Germany but to me, this is quite possibly a testament to Fritz Lang's incredible takes on the complex forms of dystopia. In the end, the film is a warning about influence and, in the dystopian world of the Nazis, influence and cult mentality are everything to power. The lack of dialogue only makes it seem all the more ominous and it definitely represents that idea that maybe German Expressionism did not die on its own - maybe in 1933, it was killed on purpose for being too suggestive. Whatever it is though, one thing is definitely sure: this is a fantastic film I have seen many times over the years and with each watch you learn something new about the very real horrors we encounter every day.

Conclusion

M (1931) is a psychological thriller/horror of the best kind - one that gives you all the key information to begin with and leaves you yet, with a feeling of unease and discomfort. There is something off about it and you're constantly left trying to figure out what it is. How many children will Becker kill before they catch him? Why are the mob following the wrong person? What is the significance of Peer Gynt? How evil can people really be? And finally, what does this tell us about Germany towards the 1930s?