M

1931, was a break out year for movie monsters, Bela Lugosi played Dracula, and Boris Karloff played Frankenstein for the first time. But in the Germany saw the premier of a much more real, primitive monster in the child murderer portrayed by Peter Lorre in "M".

"M" isn't a horror film really, but it could be mistaken as a horror film due to Lorre's unforgettable performance. Pretty soon he would play for Hitchcock in "The Man Who Knew Too Much", and then he would be off to Hollywood as one of the great character actors of all time. Lorre is the star of "M" although he isn't given much screen time, but even when he's not on the film, his presence is known.

The film is about a child murderer who is stalking the streets of a German town, killing young girls. The town is in a panic, citizens are stricken with fear and paranoia, everyone has become a suspect. Police are seen cracking down harder than usual due to the public demand. Criminals are being harassed more than usual as their speak easys and brothels are raided more often.

With "M" the criminals and the police are given a common enemy, even regular criminals have had enough of this child murderer. The band of criminals decide to concoct a plan to catch the murderer themselves, so we are given two stories of their trail of the murderer and the police's more procedural investigation.

"M" was directed by Fritz Lang, who, legend has it was offered to head the German film industry under the Nazi party, but decided to flee instead, to Hollywood where he would spearhead some of the greatest film noirs in history. Lang seemed to understand the sort of paranoia happening in Germany at the time, and used it to great effect in "M" and two years later with his last German film "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse".

What makes "M" such a curious film is how the criminals come out as the heroes of the film and the commentary Lang makes on society's law. Lang sometimes comes off as an anti-Hitchcock in his films, both directors use police prominently in their films, but where Hitchcock was able to keep his films playful and light at times, Lang strived for a more cynical approach. He was a pessimist and it shows in the climactic scene where Lorre is brought towards a court of thieves and murderers all of whom want to do away with him. Yet his lawyer pleads with them that the man is sick and must be taken to an institution. His fate however was sealed once he was brought among the court, but he's saved at the last minute by the police who find him.

I don't think Lang seems to be on the side of the law in this case, although he does seem to be able to argue both points, and the key might be in Lorre's performance where he's able to make this monster seem sympathetic, yet the question remains does he deserve saving.

I don't think this is meant to diminish the role of the police who are seen as competent in their job particularly detective Lohmann played by Otto Wernicke, who may have been the inspiration for detectives like Columbo to Dirty Harry.

The argument is made that if a child murderer like Lorre's is given up to the police, there's a chance where he might be deemed cured by society and able to walk out a free man. It's a slippery slope towards vigilantism which Lang knows the dangers of as well.

With "M" I don't think there are any easy answers, Lang ends the film on the mothers of the girls who were killed who give out a warning to watch your children carefully. It is really the victims of these crimes who deserve justice, it's something that's still debated in our criminal courts, but what we do get with "M" is one of the earliest film noirs, it's dark, it's moody, you revel at the closed in streets Lang makes for the hunted man, until he is trapped in the corner. It is mostly a crime movie with the social commentary in the end. It has a lasting effect and should be viewed by every film fan, and a terrific start to one of the great character actors of film.