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M

Gustaf Gründgens (Actor), Friedrich Gnass (Actor), Fritz Lang (Director), Rated: NR (Not Rated) Format: DVD
4.4 out of 5 stars 787 ratings
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Genre thriller
Format NTSC
Contributor Ellen Widmann, Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur, Franz Stein, Friedrich GnaB, Friedrich Gnass, Fritz Gnass, Fritz Lang, Fritz Odemar, Georg John, Gerhard Bienert, Gunther Hadank, Gunther Neumann, Gustaf Gr ndgens, Gustaf Grundgens, Gustaf Gründgens, Heinrich Gotho, Heinrich Gretler, Hertha Von Walther, Hugo Döblin, Ilse Furstenberg, Inge Landgut, Karl Platen, Leonard Steckel, Lotte Lobinger, Otto Waldis, Otto Wernicke, Paul Kemp, Peter Lorre, Rolf Wanka, Rosa Valetti, Rose Valetti, Rudolf Blumner, Seymour Nebenzal, Theo Lingen, Theodor Loos, William Friedkin See more
Language German
Runtime 1 hour and 35 minutes
Number of discs 1
Manufacturer Reel Vault
UPC 644827200924
Global Trade Identification Number 00644827200924

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Product description

Horror/crime Classic finds an elusive child killer who forces the police to crack down on all criminals, which makes the crime bosses want him out of commission also. When they finally capture him, they put him on trial, putting the police in the unenviable position of having to save him. Lorre's film debut. Produced by Seymour Nebenzal. Written by Fritz Lang & Thea von Harbou. Sets designed by an uncredited Edgar G. Ulmer. English subtitles.

Product details

  • Language ‏ : ‎ German
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.42 x 19.2 x 13.31 cm; 86.18 g
  • Manufacturer reference ‏ : ‎ 12680
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Fritz Lang, William Friedkin
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 35 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ July 9 2015
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Friedrich Gnass, Gerhard Bienert, Gustaf Gr ndgens, Gustaf Gründgens, Peter Lorre
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Reel Vault
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Seymour Nebenzal
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0034EBUCG
  • Country of origin ‏ : ‎ USA
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • 鶹 Rank: #23,922 in Movies & TV Shows (See Top 100 in Movies & TV Shows)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 787 ratings

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4.4 out of 5 stars
787 global ratings

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Top reviews from Canada

  • Shawn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie!
    Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    If you're into old movie classics, you gotta see this!
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  • spiderfriend
    5.0 out of 5 stars Region 'B' locked a beautiful print of a still, sadly, relevant film.
    Reviewed in Canada on October 11, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Although 1931 is a world away the themes developed in this film have become more disturbing by virtue of their current legitimacy.
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  • James White
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beware!
    Reviewed in Canada on August 31, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    A genuine thriller
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  • N Chambers
    4.0 out of 5 stars A movie still for today
    Reviewed in Canada on April 23, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Really well done...dealing with issues back then (and all the more moving given what we know happened shortly after in Europe) Quite as relevant today as it was then. Is it criminal behaviour or a psychological illness?
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Dorothy M McWhirter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on November 8, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the original film noir technique. A clasdic on all levels.
    One person found this helpful
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  • martycz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie
    Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Saw this years ago at a repertoire theatre, was really impressed with the story, acting and photography, so much better
    now since it's alteration by criterion
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Johnny Rocker
    5.0 out of 5 stars M-agnificent!
    Reviewed in Canada on July 16, 2016
    This is a classic of classics! And more poignant today than ever! Fear, suspicion, contempt, and justice BY all. Considering when and where this was filmed, the mere idea of a murderous pedophile, intense police surveillance, and a criminal gang that is more thorough in nabbing the culprit so they can resume their lifestyle of crime is pretty amazing. Somewhat touched upon in Clint Eastwoods Mystic River, but not with the sheer intensity and panic as Fritz Lang established. And Peter Lorre as one of the all time psychopaths. Unrelenting and deranged. Yet, when cornered and caught, is so human and shameful. For all the hype of Truman Capote 'humanizing' murderous criminals with In Cold Blood, I'd have to say again Fritz was WAY ahead of his time. The imagery, camera work, and sheer unapologetic non-conformity to public moral standards of the era makes this one of the most boldest, coldest, and lasting movies of characters, suspense, and social justice ever conceived. The bonus material is also enlightening. A great interview conducted by William Friedkin in 1975 with Lang reveals his displeasure with Metropolis, his views of Nazi Germany, and either due to dementia and/or guilt - contradicts himself over his determent and escape from Germany's Third Reich. Whether Lang was in collusion with the Nazi's or not, I think he had to do what he had to do to retain his genius and protect his works. And kudos for Criterion and all in reassembling, restoring, and preserving this masterpiece for the true fans of film and creativity!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Michael Gates
    5.0 out of 5 stars ...
    Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2004
    The city of Berlin (during pre-WWII Germany) is wrought with hysteria as a cunning child-killer stalks the streets. To hasten the capture of the murderer, the police clamp down tightly on local criminal activity, making business-as-usual activities nearly impossible for members of the city's organized-crime syndicate. So in an effort to return the city to its previously permissive state of affairs, the local mobsters decide to hunt down the elusive homicidal pedophile themselves.
    This compelling study of a pedophilic serial killer and the public reaction to his odious crimes was decades ahead of its time in its treatment of psychological, political, and sociological themes. The first "talkie" from pioneering auteur Fritz Lang--probably better known to fans of classic cinema as the director and artistic force behind 1927's groundbreaking, trendsetting silent SF classic METROPOLIS--1931's M is more than just a crime thriller. It is actually a subtle comment on the sense of security that modern "civilized" people so blithely accept. Lang so effectively blurs the line separating institutions of law from crime syndicates that he leaves viewers questioning whether or not society's leaders are actually capable of keeping its citizens safe and secure. And indeed, Lang had good reason to pose such a question, as the Nazis were already on the rise in Germany at the time he was making M. The film barely veils Lang's disgust for the Germany of that period--a Germany that could birth and foster a philosophy of hatred like Nazism--since the Berlin he depicts is dark with dirt and grime and the people all seem to have bloated, gnarly faces that are twisted into perpetual scowls. That being the case, it is no surprise to learn that Lang employed actual Berlin residents and real-life members of the city's criminal underground to fill several supporting roles.
    M is also notable as the film that launched Peter Lorre into the international spotlight. Lorre's gutwrenchingly emotive portrayal of a human monster who is unable to control his evil, deviant sexual impulses is nothing short of stellar. Unfortunately, this performance also resulted in his being typecast, and it was afterwards difficult for him to secure roles outside of the noir or horror genres, even after his emigration to Hollywood.
    Released the same year as Tod Browning's classic Lugosi vehicle, DRACULA, M is actually the scarier of the two. Although Lang's intention was for M to reflect the decaying and diseased society that WAS Germany during the years that culminated with World War II, it reflects just as poignantly the anger, violence, and social ambiguity so prevalent in today's world. And that is very frightening indeed.
    The Criterion Collection DVD offers a visually stunning restored version of M in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio and at its original 111-minute running time. The disc plays the film with the original German-language soundtrack, but optional English subtitles are available. Unlike many Criterion discs, there are no additional bonus features, but the opportunity to watch this remarkable and historic film as its legendary director intended makes amazon.com's less-than-suggested-retail price very reasonable. Definitely a must-see for students of cinema, aficionados of classic films, and fans of the noir or thriller genres.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • 5sur 5satisfait,j'encourage le vendeur momox à continuer de vendre ses articles même d'occasion dans un très bon état sans rayures ni trace de doigts ,c'est de cette manière que les acheteurs viendront vers vous.
    5.0 out of 5 stars M le maudit.
    Reviewed in France on June 23, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    5sur5 satisfait, film au combien cult.
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  • mario porcaro
    5.0 out of 5 stars Capolavoro
    Reviewed in Italy on April 2, 2021
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    Gran film, da avere assolutamente per gli appassionati....
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  • Jeffrey Heness
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Quality
    Reviewed in Australia on August 21, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Arrived in good time and good quality.
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  • Isabelle Klein
    5.0 out of 5 stars "Und jeder, der neben dir sitzt kann der Mörder sein ..."
    Reviewed in Germany on November 21, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Berlin in den frühen 30er-Jahren: Eine Stadt ist in Aufruhr. Über einen Zeitraum von acht Monaten verschwanden acht Kinder, die zum Opfer eines Serienmörders wurden. Die Handlung setzt mit dem Verschwinden der kleinen Else ein. Dies wird zum Ausgangspunkt einer akribischen und verzweifelten Suche der örtlichen Polizei. Da verhöhnt der Täter mit einem Brief auch noch die Gesetzeshüter.
    Da das öffentliche und schattenhaft-zweifelhafte Leben immer schwieriger auszuüben ist, beschließen die Kleinkriminellen und deren Vereinigung, allem voran die Bettler, nun selbst tätig zu werden und den Mörder zu fassen. Und tatsächlich: ein blinder Ballonverkäufer liefert ausgehend von einer gepfiffenen Melodie den entscheidenden Hinweis. Ein Kampf mit der Zeit entbrennt...

    Die vorliegende DVD ist die der "Edition Deutscher Film" der Spiegel-Reihe. Die hier dargebotene 2002er Filmfassung des 1931 erschienen Films schließt eher, - mehr dazu unten - aber Achtung leichte Spoilergefahr.

    Fritz Langs früher Tonfilm überzeugte und begeisterte mich auf ganzer Linie. Einfach überragend.
    Das beginnt schon mit der Symbolik ganz am Anfang: Schulschluss einer "Gemeinde-Schule" - das "D" ist aber verdeckt, demnach eine Schule für das "GEMEINE Volk". Die kleine Else schwimmt gegen den Strom - sie bewegt sich entgegen aller anderen Kinder, landet so in den Fängen ihres Mörders, den man nur als Schatten vor einen Litfaßsäule sieht. Er kauft ihr bei dem blinden Ballonhändler einen heliumgefüllten Ballon, der als Symbol ihres Ablebens in den Himmel steigt, somit die Himmelfahrt der kleinen Else andeutet. So bleibt das Tellerchen Elses leer und zeigt wie alles andere andeutungsvoll, was Sache ist.
    Gelungen auch die Darstellung des trostlosen Lebens in den Hinterhöfen - die Kargheit, die Enge - auch durch das verwinkelte und heruntergekommene Treppenhaus dargestellt. Zudem weist selbiges neben der Enge bedrohliche Strukturen (Geländer...) auf.

    Der Mörder, dessen Schatten wir bislang kennen, schreibt einen Brief - à la Jack the Ripper - an die Polizei. Verhöhnt sie. Scheint ungestraft mit dem Morden davonzukommen und eine Stadt mit über vier Millionen Einwohnern in Angst und Schrecken zu versetzen. Jeder verdächtigt jeden. Hysterie und Angst an der Grenze zur Psychose grteift um sich. Prägnant und pointiert reiht Fritz Lang Szenen aneinander, die dies eindrucksvoll belegen und den Zuschauer erschauern lassen. Eine Saat des Misstrauens und des Zweifels wird gesät. Berlin wird stimmungsvoll und ungeheuer atmosphärisch dargestellt, voller Lokalkolorit.

    Gelungen auch die Charakterstudie des Mörders. Man erlebt eingängig und nachhaltig seine Zwänge und Ängste mit. Eine sehr gute Darstellung eines kranken Geistes. Lorres Mienenspiel, gerade am Ende, ist eine Klasse für sich. Er verkörpert sehr eindrucksvoll den gejagten, von seinen Trieben geleiteten und besessenen Mann, der einem im Grund vor dem Tribunal fast - aber nur fast - schon leid tut. Sein Abgleiten in den wahnhaften, besessenen Zustand wird durch Ausblenden der anderer Geräusche, als auch durch zunehmend heftigeres Pfeifen Peer Gynts symbolisiert.
    Allerdings dachte ich mir, Beckerts Geschichte hätte etwas mehr psychotischen Background. So war ich ob der Auflösung der psychischen Komponente doch ein klein wenig enttäuscht. Will aber an dieser Stelle nicht mehr verraten. Krass, wie Lorre es schafft die Augen einzusetzen. Einige Male mal war ich geneigt anzunehmen sie springen gleich heraus ...

    Man erkennt, dass der Film ein früher Tonfilm ist - teils überzogen-manieriert wirkende Gestik, Mimik und Sprechweise, trotzdem nie deplatziert. Lang bedient sich des Stilelements "Subjektiver Ton" d. h. er stellt die Szene aus Sicht des jeweils erlebenden Subjekts dar. So ist der Mörder so in seiner Welt versunken und pfeift Auszüge aus der Peer-Gynt-Suite vor sich hin, alle anderen Alltagsgeräusche sind ausgeblendet. Merkwürdig allerdings die Razzia-Szene: hier ist plötzlich der Ton weg. Man ist geneigt zu denken, dass dies aus Sicht der Kleinkriminellen dargestellt wird, die im Keller von nichts wissen. Allerding ist die Aufnahme aus der Vogelperspektive dargestellt (wie vieles andere in diesem Film auch - lediglich einmal ist mir die Froschperspektive aufgefallen, aber der Sinn warum gerade Frosch erschloss sich mir nicht so wirklich), deswegen sollte man eigentlich Geräusche vernehmen.
    Weiteres Stilmittel: die Fortführung von Dialogen über Szenewechsel hinweg, genannt Parallelmontage. Da greift geht Gangster-Szene nahtlos in die Polizei-Szene über, denn Halbsätze werden von dem anderen vervollständigt.

    Zum Regisseur Lang ist folgendes zu sagen: zusammen mit seiner Frau Thea von Harbou verfasste Lang ein Drehbuch, das vor allem von seiner intensiven täglichen Zeitungslektüre geprägt war. So basiert der Film auf wahren Tatsachen. Quasi inspiriert von Peter Kürten, dem "Vampir von Düsseldorf", weiterhin von Carl Großmann und Karl Denke (Mord an den Schwestern Fehse); auch der Hannoveraner Mörder Fritz Haarmann (berühmt bis heute das Haarmann-Lied) findet Eingang. Am stärksten aber erstgenannter Kürten. Sein Prozess und das Urteil endeten kurz vor der Erstaufführung Ms. In anderen europäischen Ländern dann gleich werbewirksam unter M - "El Vampiro de Dusseldorf" vermarktet, wobei Dialekt und Einwohnerzahl definitiv auf Berlin hindeutet. So recherchierte das Paar ausgiebig u.a. in psychiatrischen Kliniken, als auch bei der Berliner Polizei. Die Figur Karl Lohmann ist eine Reminiszenz an den berühmten Berliner Kriminalbeamten Ernst Gennat, der im Fall Kürten ermittelt hatte in Langs Dr. Mabuse hat er einen weiteren Auftritt..
    Interessant ist auch der Anklang auf Zeitgeschichtliches im Bezug auf das Plädoyer des Tribunals am Ende: "Diese Bestie hat kein Recht zu existieren, die muss ausgerottet werden." (Anmerkung: nur ein Volk kann ausgerottet werden). Hier wird eindeutig auf das Unrechtsregime angespielt. Auch greift der Film die Ohnmacht der Weimarer Republik gegenüber dem erstarkenden Unrechtsregime auf. Dargestellt in der Wühlarbeit im Bürogebäude. Der Schränker erinnert dabei in seinem Ledermantel und Auftreten/Gebaren an eine namhafte Größe.

    Achtung Spoiler bzgl. Ende

    Die restaurierte 2002er Fassung schließt die Endszene mit dem Todes-Urteil aus. Sie schließt mit den Worten der Mutter, aus denen ich allerdings die gleiche Schlussfolgerung zog. Während mein Mitschauer anderer Ansicht war. Also wer es ganz genau wissen möchte - einfach nachlesen. Nun verstehe ich auch, warum die Mutter am Ende mitten im Satz - nach einem Wort abbricht! Mich hat es aber nicht sonderlich gestört.
    Die DVD weist für das Alter eine überragende Bildqualität auf, in Folge der Restaurierung.

    ** Spoiler-Ende *

    Fazit: Geniales, frühes Dokument des Tonfilmes mit eindrucksvoller, tiefsinniger Geschichte! Unbedingt empfehlenswert. Ob man nun die Jubiläums-Sonderediton oder die Edition Deutscher Film wählt ist wohl Geschmackssache, als auch Preisfrage. Ich bin mit dieser vollauf zufrieden.
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  • cookieman108
    5.0 out of 5 stars "I can't help what I do! I can't help it, I can't..."
    Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    So how is it that one who enjoys movies, good and bad, as much as I do, has never seen Fritz Lang's M (1931) until last night? I've certainly heard about it, I've seen clips from it, I've read John J. Muth's beautifully rendered four issue comic/graphic novel adaptation of it, heck, I even bought the film at the end of last year, and it's been sitting on my `to be watched' shelf ever since...perhaps there was a sense of intimidation on my part, or fear...fear that I may not have liked the film that many acknowledge as a classic work of cinema, and one of the best examples of early German expressionist films (it's also one of the first, big German talkie films), from which so many others have since drawn upon for inspiration. After finally buckling down and watching it last night, I have to say, I really didn't know what I was missing, especially given how much I enjoy the noir films released by Hollywood in its heyday. Co-written and directed by Fritz Lang (Metropolis, The Blue Gardenia), the film stars Peter Lorre (The Man Who Knew Too Much, Mad Love), whom I first became familiar with, unknowingly, when I was a child, watching the Warner Brothers cartoons, shown on Saturday morning. It wasn't until later when I actually saw Lorre in Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) that I made the connection and realized his distinctive manner and appearance (bedroom voice, bug eyes, and moon face) was the one characterized within the various cartoons.

    As the story begins, the city streets are buzzing with news of a child murderer on the loose, one whose just recently claimed yet another victim. We learn there have been eight murders so far, in as many months. The general public is visibly distressed, especially with the authorities and their inability to catch the killer who leaves very little behind in terms of useful clues. Soon people begin pointing fingers at each other, making accusations based on paranoid reactions...if you're seen on the street even near a child you're the killer...if you're seen being arrested by the police for something completely unrelated, you're the killer, and so on...the police may have very little to go on, but that doesn't mean they're not working the case. On the contrary, they're working themselves to exhaustion, following up anything and everything in hopes it will pan out into a viable lead...the problem is, besides the fact that they are being inundated with dead end leads, is that there's no seeming connection between the killer and his randomly chosen victims. The authorities have even begun scouring the criminal districts, in hopes of turning up something, which, of course, upsets the criminals as there's a heightened sense of awareness permeating the city and interfering with their trade. In an interesting juxtaposition, we see two groups meeting separately, yet at the same time, one being the authorities, the other being a criminal syndicate of sorts, both striving for the same outcome, but for relatively different reasons. The authorities want this murdering psychopath off the streets for obvious reasons, while the criminal element wants to catch him because not only is the intensive manhunt interfering with their business, but also because there reputations are suffering given the public's inclination to not distinguish one criminal from another. Based on the respective outcomes of the meetings, the authorities broaden their search to include the recently released individuals who were wards of the state, deemed `harmless' to society, while the criminals employ a very different, unique, and ultimately effective strategy. Eventually both methods pay off and the killer is identified (by the most unlikely source), and the real manhunt begins...who will find him first, the police, or the `organization'?

    I have to say, this is probably the best film I've seen in an awhile. The one aspect that really stood out was the exquisite beauty within the cinematography, the usage of shadows along with an incredibly wide array of shots used to tell the story and develop tension throughout. Normally when someone uses that many different kinds of shots, it tends to draw unwanted attention, but here they seemed to have been chosen and ordered in such as ways as to feel seamless, hardly ever disrupting the flow. There was one shot, in particular, that comes to mind and it's when Lorre, who plays the killer, is being chased by emissaries of the underworld, through darkened streets. There's a high angled long shot, featuring an expansive view of a wide street, and we can see Lorre's character down below looking like a cornered animal, his escape routes cut off as various individuals appear, blocking off the exits. There are also many scenes featuring dialog being spoken by a character not on the screen, describing to another in detail what we're seeing as an example on the screen. One example of this was after the police raids on the criminal districts, we hear voice of one of the authorities speaking to another about the raids, while seeing a slow pan across a long table featuring all the contraband confiscated, including guns, knifes, brass knuckles, burglary tools, stolen booty, etc. Lorre's performance was amazing, even more so considering he wasn't even really featured in the first half of the film. The scenes were he's leading a potential victim around, buying candy and such, were particularly creepy, whistling that tune, but his real talent comes through near the end, as he tries to explain his despicable actions to an audience bent on seeing him destroyed. Despite the ugly nature of the character, Lorre almost makes you feel sympathetic towards his monstrous character...almost. One element that surprised me was the very subtle comedic touches included in the film dealing with such serious material. An example of this can be seen during the meeting of the criminals to discuss the effect the investigation of the killer is having on their business ventures. One individual asks another for the time, to which the one calls and asks the operator, and then proceeds to remove watch after watch from his garments to set the time...obviously he's a pickpocket by trade, and there was something comical about him taking out all these stolen watches to set the time. I've read that, with regards to some elements of the film, Lang intended to surreptitiously comment on his distaste for the prevalent Fascist regime within Germany at the time, and I can see collaborative material within the film to justify such a claim, specifically in terms of the public's reactions (accusations, finger pointing, apathy), and the authorities general sense of contempt for those it is trying to protect...whether this is true or not, I do not know, as I'm not one of historical knowledge, especially of a political sense...regardless, this is an excellent film, with a definite contemporary relevancy even after nearly 70 some odd years, and worth watching, if, for nothing else, to gain an appreciation for its influence on films that followed.

    The film on this Criterion Collection DVD release runs 110 minutes, and looks beautiful in its original aspect ratio of 1.19:1. The picture is very clear and clean, as is the Dolby Digital monaural audio. This release also features a `new and improved' English subtitle translation. This is a two disc set, the first featuring a new, restored in high definition digital print, along with an audio commentary by German film scholars Anton Kaes and Eric Rentschler. The second disc contains a conversation with Fritz Lang (50 minutes), a short film titled "M le Maudet", by Claude Chabrol, classroom tapes of M editor Paul Falkenberg discussing the film and its history, an interview with Harold Nebenzal, son of the producer, a physical history of M, and a still gallery with behind the scenes photos and production sketches. Also included is a 32-page booklet with essays, interviews, and a script for a missing scene.

    Cookieman108

    By the way, as far as the meaning of the one letter title, it's pretty simple, one that's made perfectly clear within the film, so there's no sense in my spoiling it here...
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