M (1931)

M is a German film written by Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang and directed by Fritz Lang starring Peter Lorre. The story follows the manhunt of a man who has murdered 9 children in a city in Germany. The film was released on August 31, 1931 as a drama.

Link to IMBd synopsis:

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0022100/

*SPOILERS*

As the movie begins, a little girl is heard singing a nursery rhyme, much like eenie meenie miney mo. The camera pans to show a group of children standing in a circle around the singing girl. While it may be visually innocent enough, the song is about a man dressed in black with a cleaver who will come and "get you" if you aren't careful. A woman comes outside and tells the child to stop singing " that awful song. " The camera then follows the woman who drops off laundry to another woman who says that they should be grateful to hear them singing, because at least it means they're safe. The woman is then shown making lunch and waiting for her daughter to come home from school; the daughter never shows up.

What the viewer witnesses, but no one else does, is the daughter leaving school. She pauses and bounces a ball off of a pole. Posted on the pole is a reward for any information/the capture of a man who had murdered eight children. An ominous silhouette of a man is cast over the poster. The man (Peter Lorre), who's face you don't see until later in the film, is shown walking away with the girl and buying her a balloon. Soon after, the ball is shown abandoned in a field with the balloon floating away.

The next few scenes show the pandemonium of accusations of who murdered the girl, along with the eight other children. it is revealed that the police have no leads, nor any accurate accounts. They simply continue raiding criminal hang-outs and following anonymous tips.

Shortly after showing one of the previously mentioned raids, the camera cuts to reveal four men meeting in secret to discuss the effects the murders are having on their criminal organization. Simultaneously, a meeting among the police department is shown. Both groups are discussing ways to catch the murderer. The police decide to locate records and addresses of people released from mental hospitals deemed no longer a danger to society, while the criminals decide to use all of the beggars in the city to keep constant surveillance on anyone who might be the murderer.

It is important to mention that in any scene where the murderer is hunting or doing anything involving his crimes, he begins to whistle "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg; this is the murderer's inevitable downfall. Because the blind beggar who the murderer bought the little girl's balloon from hears the same whistle and sends another beggar after the man.

Just as it seems another victim might be claimed, the tail writes a large "M" on his hand in chalk and smacks the murderer on the back, marking him so that the other beggars cannot lose sight of him.

Eventually, the murderer is taken by the criminals and is tried in a kangaroo court setting. The man admits to his crimes, but admits that he simply cannot stop. He begs, saying that he is followed by a shadow of himself and of the mothers and children he's harmed; that the only time the memories cease is when he kills. The "court" sentences him to death, but just as they begin to charge him, the police arrive, taking the murderer into custody.

While this sounds like a typical episode of any crime drama TV show, the thing that makes it stand apart is the era it was released. M is a blueprint for every "who dun it?" murder mystery since it's release. I highly recommend watching this movie, due to it's hauntingly disturbing nature and lack of blood and gore. It's a timeless and classic murder mystery.

Until next time!

- MJ McCammon