M (1931)

M (1931)

Director: Fritz Kang

Writers: Thea von Harbou, Fritz Kandg

Genre: Crime, Film-Noir, Thriller

M by Fritz Lang made in (1931), tells the story of a child killer, who frightening people of the little German town. The film begins with a group of children who play and sing a song for children, they say: man in the black shadow, he is kidnapping children who are ill, and cut them up. As they play, they bounce a ball against a lamppost, where there is a wanted printed picture for the murderer.
The next scene is a show - a man buys a ball for a little girl, while whistling a merry tune. In the interim, the mother is cooking dinner for her return. Soon the ball into power lines tangled lines will - see the child is the recent victim of the murderer, while at home, her mother becomes more and more anxious.
The recent assassination provokes outrage - the parents are afraid to let their children go to school and even the most inoffensive actions by men who talking with children, suspicions and allegations. The police are under force - the city council, the press and the public are yelling for results.
The police inspector Lohmann (Otto Wernicke), head of the inspection is a wise man responsible and he is methodical in his evidence. The Murderer is Franz Becker (Peter Lorre), he has been sent messages to the press and the police administration was on the way to his apartment. However, it is not just the police, people who are looking for the murderer - the gangland has its own reward offered for his capture. This is not because of social engagement - the raids have caused so much interference in their activities, they decide it is better for them if they catch the killer.
Great film by Fritz Lang in contrast to the kind, almost childlike way of the assassin, he gradually absorbed the trust of his victims, with the anxious of the police and criminal investigations. When Becker tried to bring another child now, he has patiently and diligently. He is an amiable man, and he easily won his last destination, the girl turned with cake and turns it into an amusement park.
The pace of the hunt is much more frenetic. Although police quickly discovered the identity of the murderer, they are criminals, the first to find the murderer. Becker is betrayed by his trademark tune. He buys a balloon from the same supplier, as he did when he murdered his former victims. The seller is blind, but remembers the melody in the lobby of the Mountain King, and sends follow a young aide Becker. The boy chalk the letter "M" hand and foot, along Becker, patted him on the shoulder, so that the "M" printed on the back of the jacket. In a delicious irony (the child with him his future victims) rating of his coat stain, and they tried wipe. Becker acknowledges that it has been selected, and attempts to escape. He is now in a dilemma - both the police and the gangland hunting him. When it is dark, he takes refuge in an office building. Criminals surrounded the building, wrap and hold their own mock trial.
Lang's film again and again shakes our expectations - the master criminal who arranges hunting the murderer of a well organized and well-dressed man. However, Lohmann (police inspector) is casually dressed, drinking and smoking too much; it shows the properties typically associated with a bad film. It is, however, lead detective clever and methodical approach and its ingenious methods of interrogation in her apartment, both Becker and the office building where criminals chasing Becker.
What is most striking about M as relevant and modern, the film still appears. The presentation of the police at bay and Lorre showing a baby killer faced was not exceeded by the filmmakers. This is not an unnecessary image in the film - cuts from the long search for the murderer and the murderer's own hunting his next victim to step up the unbearable tension in a fascinating and exciting climax. Several scenes feature - has committed the mother of a murdered child to prepare food for her daughter. Each time a child comes into the apartment block, she rushes to see if her daughter. Each time he pushes a little worried. We know the audience that the child never returns; the mother was still moving, and terrifying. Another outstanding scene is when criminals are on the hunt for Becker in the office building. On The alarm was triggered so that criminals have limited time to search for Becker - Becker, who, of course, is not known. He lies like a rat in a cage in a store in the hope that criminals will not find it.
Lang has also cleverly manipulates the audience - we want justice, but we want it to be in the hands of criminals (among them are killers and other undesirables) or in the hands of the police inspector integrates and resourceful? His use of music is as smart - we just need to hear the melody, while knowing that the author is active and another child in danger. It is difficult to believe that Lang was first talkie - he was already famous for his silent film classic Metropolis (1926) known.
It is interesting to compare M to the films released in the United States around the same time. Both The Public Enemy (1931) and Little Caesar (1930) presented strong personalities criminal (breakthrough role for James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson, respectively). However, both films were studies of abuse of power. Although both Cesare "Little Caesar" Bandello (Robinson) and Tom Powers (Cagney) were both able to kill and malice, they were evil in the traditional sense. Two classic horror films have been released at this time - Frankenstein (1931) and Dracula (1931). Both films feature a monster, and the fear of publicity, but in any case, the monster in line with the traditional mythology - it seemed awful creepy and had an inhumane idea. The power of M follows from the fact that the monster was a man whose face was almost angelic, but his crimes were not included.
Although the majority of M Lorre describe how the main star is really a performance together. Lorre's performance is excellent - his understanding of true multi-dimension - his inability to see himself as anything but victims, makes it seem worse. His horror at the prospect of summary justice, the criminal is palpable. Lorre seems much more difficult, too bold in that role, as he has starred in Hollywood, "The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Casablanca (1942). It has that to soften.
The original title of M was the killer among us, but it was changed in the case of the Nazi party, a reference to it. In fact, history has a real-life murderers, but since (M features a black parody of law and order, if criminals have their own "process" Becker) and the power of the government investigation into the crowd it may be caused unrest among supporters of National Socialism. It could be that with which we know with hindsight that the presentation of this "unspeakable evil with an ordinary face," in M as an allegory of Nazism during the 2nd War seen them play, but it is unlikely that such comparison determines Lang. In fact, Hitler and other senior Nazi party members were fans of the work of Fritz Lang. They wanted to make propaganda films of Lang, but Lang fled the United States, fearing the consequences of Jewish relations. Lorre, the Jew was, even for America in the thirties left.
Director: Fritz Lang. Made in black and white. In German.