M

Movie

1931

1h 51m

PG-13

German

Drama, Thriller, Crime

User Score:

8.2

Critic Score:

Watch on HBO (Via Hulu)

Play Trailer

M

PG-13

Movie

1931

1h 51m

German

Drama, Thriller, Crime

Play Trailer

Watch on HBO (Via Hulu)

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.

WATCHMODE

8.2

IMDB

CRITIC SCORE

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Available in 3 other countries.

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Cast

Hans Beckert

Frau Beckmann

Elsie Beckmann

Inspector Karl Lohmann

Inspector Groeber

Schränker

Franz

The Cheater

Pickpocket with Six Watches

Bauernfänger

Becker's 'Attorney'

Blind Panhandler

Minister

Police Chief

Criminal Secretary

Damowitz

Bartender

Prostitute

Leeser

Staatsanwalt

Polizeihauptmann

Sekretärin im Polizeiarchiv

Karl Hannemann

Kriminalbeamter

Directed By: Fritz Lang

Written By: Fritz Lang (Screenplay), Thea von Harbou (Screenplay), + 1 more

Featured Comments/Tips

christopher_brink says...

12 years ago

Lang really was a master with the camera, capturing some amazing shots--particularly of Lorre's reactive reflection. Lorre, himself, delivers a chilling performance that is unmatched in his English-language work. While the silences are almost deafening, I will never hear "In the Hall Of the Mountain King" the same way again.

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Jordyep says...

11 months ago

Well deserved classic, a perfect film. Really fantastic, clever script about the nature of justice that functions within the confines of the noir genre. Masterful use of sound and visuals by Fritz Lang, technically it feels very ahead of its time but it’s also very pronounced stylistically. The acting styles and dialogue don’t just feel like they’re from this time period, they feel specific to this film. I’d love to write an in depth analysis about this one someday, but considering that so many papers have already been written about it, I don’t think I could bring much to the table in terms of original thoughts. Just take a chance on it if you’re unsure; don’t let it being a German black and white film scare you away from seeing it. 9.5/10

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Cluisanna says...

5 years ago

One of my favourite films. Despite its age I get choked up by so many scenes, especially the first ("Elsie?!") and last ones and the blind beggar with the balloon. And while it has a very dark subject matter, this movie is quite hopeful in a way - seeing the city come together to protect its children is strangely comforting - though the ending is rather ambiguously grim in a way. Plus, it's interesting to see how much Berlin has changed and how much it hasn't - especially the dialect.

Like - Dislike - Comment - 10 0

nmahoney416 says...

7 years ago

It holds up well today and is still somewhat relevant. Peter Lorre is great and has an amazing scene near the end. The cinematography is fantastic and there are a lot of amazing shots. The sound is really good too, the use of complete silence really makes me feel uneasy. Definitely worth watching.

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Featured User Reviews

TinyTinkerBell9

7/10 2 years ago

A little bit of a backstory here: At university my focus was in studying literature and languages, but I had to take a seminar in Introduction to Film Studies. My professor was obsessed with this movie. Especially with it's technicality.

So, we had to watch it. Over and over again. Sometimes just More

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JN2012

11 months ago

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

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Filipe Manuel Neto

11 months ago

**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 fi More

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badelf

one year ago

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

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