Day 29: M (1931)

M
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Peter Lorre

Here's another bit of film noir. This was one of Germany's first "talkies" and it's a doozie.

This movie was very very dark. The plot centers around a German town that is being terrorized by a child serial killer. The cops are looking everywhere for the killer, which is putting a damper on the mob's business. This motivates the mob to also look for the killer. Most of the movie focuses around the different methods these two groups use to find the killer.

The film looks great. The use of camera angles and shadows made everything so creepy and intense. Lang (who also directed Metropolis) has a great eye for shots of scenery. His filming technique made everything very real. The trial scene at the end of the movie was amazing. The way he shot the angry mob and the murderer was just awesome to watch.

The highlight of the film for me, though, was Lorre's performance as the pedophile murderer. I had seen his iconic bit parts from the Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, but he was in the spotlight for this one. He's like a classic version of Steve Buscemi. He can be so so creepy. His chilling voice makes for some really dialogue delivery. His facial expressions are priceless. He really knows how to sue those bug eyes to make himself seem scared or crazy.

Overall, an interesting film. It brought up some questions about justice and the death penalty that I was really not expecting. At the end, the mob holds a trial for the murderer. It's almost as if Lang wants the audience to play the role of the judge as Lorre masterfully delivers his ranting defense. I am firmly against the death penalty, but found myself challenged in this case. I found myself questioning the validity of the insanity plea and just wanting sickos like this to just leave this world. It was a very scary thing in my own mind. My moral dilemma confirms that this movie works. I won't be forgetting it soon.

Lesson learned: Blind guys make good watchmen.