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M

Who is the murderer?

1931 1hr : 50m Drama · Thriller · Crime ★ 8.1

In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and criminals in pursuit, the murderer soon realizes that people are on his trail, sending him into a tense, panicked attempt to escape justice.

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Viewing guide

Is M right for you?

Why it may be worth watching

  • M combines Drama and Thriller elements in one feature.
  • The principal cast includes Peter Lorre, Ellen Widmann, Inge Landgut.
  • Viewers currently rate it 8.1/10 from 2,584 votes.

Who may enjoy it

Best suited to viewers looking for Drama, Thriller, Crime.

Content notes

A regional age classification is not currently listed. Metadata signals include violence or peril. Ratings vary by country; use this as a quick screening note rather than a complete parental guide.

Themes and topics
berlin, germanygermanypsychopathdetective inspectorchild murderinvestigationfilm noirorganized crime

Viewing guidance uses the title details shown on this page; classifications may differ by region.

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Reviews

5
WiccaburrExternal review · ★ 8.0/10

The movie is classic and yet this is my first time watching this.

Peter Lorre alone is worth seeing this movie as he always played such the great villain. No music keeps your focus on the image and dialogue throughout the movie. Camera work looks pretty awesome especially when they start doing the manhunt.

This movie clocks in at almost two hours so there will be a lot of pacing and dialogue to go through. It will feel a bit dragging when Lorre isn't on the screen but it is well worth going through the film to see how it all plays out.

badelfExternal review · ★ 10.0/10

So you say you want to enroll in film school? Don't bother. Just watch Fritz Lang's M and Metropolis.

JamesExternal review · ★ 7.0/10

Random person: Nobody knows him (The murderer). Woman who lives with the murderer: Am I a joke to you?

JamesExternal review · ★ 7.0/10

Stone cold classic. Certainly one of the best time films about orange peels being littered.

Filipe Manuel NetoExternal review · ★ 9.0/10

**One of the masterpieces of classic German cinema.**

There isn't much that can be said about this film that almost everyone hasn't already said or written. It is one of the great films of German cinema, one of the best productions that were made before the Second World War and one of the best films in the career of the renowned director Fritz Lang, who shortly afterward would leave Germany due to the rise of Nazism, refusing to deal with that political regime.

The film is inspired by real events, namely the murderous path of Peter Kürten, the “Va…

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**One of the masterpieces of classic German cinema.**

There isn't much that can be said about this film that almost everyone hasn't already said or written. It is one of the great films of German cinema, one of the best productions that were made before the Second World War and one of the best films in the career of the renowned director Fritz Lang, who shortly afterward would leave Germany due to the rise of Nazism, refusing to deal with that political regime.

The film is inspired by real events, namely the murderous path of Peter Kürten, the “Vampire of Düsseldorf”, who terrorized people at the same time and also had young teenagers as his victims. The film manages to capture very well the feeling of fear that existed among the people of the city and the attempts that the police made to find this merciless killer.

The cinematography, in black and white, still shows signs of the influence of German expressionism without, however, giving up the realism that the entire film demanded. In fact, I can't say whether the film was inspired by “noir” or came to inspire “noir” later, but I could see the aesthetic and style similarities. Peter Lorre is the only actor who stands out: he brought the main role to life and shines without almost having to say anything. It's an excellent work by the actor and has undoubtedly opened many doors for him.

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