When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.
- Director
- Writers
- Thea von Harbou
- Fritz Lang
- Egon Jacobsohn(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaContrary to popular belief, Fritz Lang did not change the title from "The Murderers are Among Us" to "M" due to fear of persecution by the Nazis. He changed the title during filming, influenced by the scene where one of the criminals writes the letter on his hand. Lang thought "M" was a more interesting title.
- GoofsAdults, especially parents, are terrified of a murderer who targets children--yet children are shown playing outside unsupervised and talking to strangers without reservation.
- Quotes
Hans Beckert: I can't help what I do! I can't help it, I can't...
Criminal: The old story! We never can help it in court!
Hans Beckert: What do you know about it? Who are you anyway? Who are you? Criminals? Are you proud of yourselves? Proud of breaking safes or cheating at cards? Things you could just as well keep your fingers off. You wouldn't need to do all that if you'd learn a proper trade or if you'd work. If you weren't a bunch of lazy bastards. But I... I can't help myself! I have no control over this, this evil thing inside of me, the fire, the voices, the torment!
Schraenker: Do you mean to say that you have to murder?
Hans Beckert: It's there all the time, driving me out to wander the streets, following me, silently, but I can feel it there. It's me, pursuing myself! I want to escape, to escape from myself! But it's impossible. I can't escape, I have to obey it. I have to run, run... endless streets. I want to escape, to get away! And I'm pursued by ghosts. Ghosts of mothers and of those children... they never leave me. They are always there... always, always, always!, except when I do it, when I... Then I can't remember anything. And afterwards I see those posters and read what I've done, and read, and read... did I do that? But I can't remember anything about it! But who will believe me? Who knows what it's like to be me? How I'm forced to act... how I must, must... don't want to, must! Don't want to, but must! And then a voice screams! I can't bear to hear it! I can't go on! I can't... I can't...
- Crazy creditsAll of the original credits appear only in the beginning with no music.
- Alternate versionsIn the English and French language versions, in addition to having been dubbed, had some footage re shot. These scenes include the telephone conversation between the minister and the police commissioner, and the ending of the film. Peter Lorre's performance in the trial was re shot, however this time he spoke his lines in English or French, depending upon the version. The shots of him are lit and photographed much differently than Fritz Lang's original footage. Additionally, a shot of the police arriving was inserted, taken from an earlier part of the film (whereas in the original German version no police forces are shown at all). The court scenes have been eliminated and replaced with happy endings where young children play a game similar to the one seen in the opening (English) or a smiling couple watching their children play in the street (French).
- ConnectionsEdited into Juden ohne Maske (1937)
It is a film devoid of typical humanitarian propaganda, yet it is not the case that we immediately feel the need to relate to the child murderer Hans Beckert ( Peter Lorre ) since Fritz Lang also shows us the effects his gruesome crimes have in the form of the police constantly raiding establishments, the grieving parents & random people accusing eachother of the murders. It is not a movie that forces its opinion on you, but causes you to think about what is truly right and wrong. Hans later claims he cannot help himself because he has an irresistible compulsive urge to kill which cannot be stopped, much to the dismay of other career crooks who claim they only commit crimes to survive and take no pleasure or feel no compulsion towards it. It is a psychological kind of movie that is still as relevant as ever today as it was in 1931.
Peter Lorre is ofcourse the perfect fit for the psychopathic child murderer, he has the perfect innocent wide eyed look for a psychopath, who seems to even be likeable when he is not murdering children. His signature whistle by Edvard Grieg - In the Hall of the Mountain King is a nice creepy addition to his character which he uses to lure kids to their doom. Ofcourse the incredible shot at the start which focuses on Hans's shadow on the poster that lists his crimes and reward for capture while talking to a little girl before killing her is a great ironic symbolism to announce his character.
It was Lang's first sound picture, yet only two third of the movie was shot with actual sound while everything else was shot silent. This was primarily to keep the costs down since sound equipment was very expensive at the time. It creates a weird mix in constant transitioning from silent to sound. Yet as Lang has stated it adds another layer to the eeriness the movie has, so it only enhances the experience instead of unimmersing you out of the film.
The cinematography is revolutionary in its use of low key lightning, which is a technique that was used many times after in the classic Film Noir era in Hollywood. The result is many Film Noirs share a visual resemblance with M due to their dark tone. Not only visually, but psychologically many themes of M have been repeated throughout the years in cinema. It was one of the first instances of a semi-sympathetic look on a pure psychopathic murderer, which has been repeated countless times in later years.
Some might feel sorry for Beckert for having this affliction of which he cannot be helped while others would prefer to see him hang, the movie doesn't shove the right answer down our throats, and it's possible to look at it from either way without having a right answer. It is a sociological thinking man's picture that is as relevant now as it ever was.
- TheNabOwnzz
- Apr 26, 2018
- Permalink
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $35,566
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $6,123
- Mar 17, 2013
- Gross worldwide
- $35,566
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.19 : 1
- 1.20 : 1
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