M

Perhaps Fritz Lang is most well-known for Metropolis, his endlessly influential science-fiction classic. Nonetheless, four years later, he produced something equally stunning in M. Made after the introduction of synchronised sound, there remains a silent-movie power in the images; also, M’s moral grey areas may act as a precursor to film noir and Lang’s Hollywood work in the 1940s.

For the time, it tackles remarkably dark subject matter. Peter Lorre uses a childish nervousness in his portrayal of Beckert, a horrific serial killer, and M comprises the fearful and angry hunt to capture him. The early appearance of the murderer removes mystery, but this works to shift into suspense and critique, to the point of blurring who is meant to have earned our sympathy. Lang compared the story to a moving spotlight; it moves through different levels of society to portray a city in crisis, with the disturbing appearances of accusations and paranoia.

Max King