M (1931)

If ever there was a movie to show just how much of a geek I am when it comes to film, M by Fritz Lang is it.  M is now over 80 years old.  It is black and white.  It is one of the earliest films to make use of sound.  It is entirely in German (meaning English subtitles for me!).  On the surface you'd think that absolutely no one in my entire generation would even have heard of it.  But I own it.  And love it.

As a work of art, I do not think that M could be any more relevant and modern.  The writing of this film is flawless, the acting (especially that of Peter Lorre) is phenomenal, the direction a marvel, the editing seamless.  The way Fritz Lang edited certain scenes so that you see two conversations happening at once about a single topic is nothing short of groundbreaking for its day.  Lang used the new sound technology to his full advantage, making everything absolutely silent in one scene, and having the murderer whistle Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" as he stalks his prey.  In every way the movie M is a delight to watch.

M is about a serial killer of children in Berlin, played by Peter Lorre.  This is a daring topic for its day, though one far overused today.  M explores the psyche of its sociopath, portraying him not simply as a monster but as a highly disturbed individual who struggles with his evil actions.  Thus morality is portrayed in shades of black, white, and gray.  The murderer must be stopped, certainly, but at the same time he is a sympathetic character.  Moreover, it is not only the police who are the good guys, but thieves, beggars, cheats, pickpockets, and all the criminal fraternity also team up to find him.   

Interestingly, as a movie to come out in the 1930's in Germany, M seems to anticipate the horrors of the Nazi emergence.  There are goose-stepping policemen, the repeated demand of "papers please," and a public all too willing to trade freedom and rights for security.  This is a film that hit the public mood of its moment, which is also a moment we seem to approach again today.

M is amazing.  By the time it is over you wonder about the depths of darkness in the heart of humanity, and wonder if justice ever could truly be done.  This is a masterwork of early cinema.

Entertainment: 7/10
Artistic value: 9/10
Technical merit: 9/10

Overall: 9/10