Review of M (1931) by Bob M — 01 Aug 2010

M is a fascinating film on many levels. It is a dark, creepy and thrilling film noir about a serial child killer in per-WWII Germany. And yet, since it was released in 1931, it almost seems to be a psychic foreshadowing of a society poised to allow people like the protagonist free rein to run their government. This film was released two years before Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany and that knowledge added to my appreciation of the hopeless horror of the movie.

M is about a child killer who continues to kill while eluding all attempts to catch him. The protagonist, Hans Beckert, is played superbly by Peter Lorre, one of my favorite character actors, often seen in Humphrey Bogart movies. Here he is the star, albeit a tortured character that can't seem to stop his abhorant actions. He is identified as the killer in a very clever piece of scriptwriting. But not by the police. He is identified by a gang of criminals who begin to tail him via an 'M' (Murderer) left on the back of Beckert's overcoat by the first person who spots him. Once cornered, Beckert is brought before a mock criminal trial conducted by the gang. Again, the entire trial scene is very evocative of the direction Germany soon turns not 5 years later.

Fritz Lang was wonderful in creating such a dark world in which not only Beckert, but the entire neighborhood lives. The methods used by the criminals in pursing Beckert were a classic reflection of "the ends justifies the means". In the end, because Lang used such a reprehensible character as his protagonist, you begin cheering for the criminals to execute the villian, heinous as he is. But at what price have you traded individual freedoms for one simple act of revenge? Fascism is truly on it way.

And Lorre and Lang knew quite well the dangers of the impending fascism. Lorre, who is Jewish, fled Germany immediately after the release of the film. Lang, half Jewish, fled immediately after the appointment of Hitler. Art can often immitate life, but in this case, I believe art was used as a warning. A warning that history has shown went pretty much unheeded......