M (1931)

M (1931) is a German film directed by Fritz Lang; main characters are Hans Beckert played by Peter Lorre, Frau Beckmann, Elsie, Police Lohmann, Detective Greober and other characters ‘M’ contain both speech  and silent sequences with music and sound effect; the setting is black and white. This black and white and shadow give a moody and haunting tone to the movie.

This is an intriguing movie that conveys terror, complexity and malignity. Each individual character displays distinct personality and aspect of emotions. The movie contains high tension. It begins with children singing about the nasty man in black that will come and chopped them up. It seems like the parents are worried for the children because of the serial killer that preys on children especially their girls.

The main theme focuses on the kidnapping and murdering of children in Berlin. ‘M’ portrays chaos of the town in terror. The murdering of children has disturbed the neighborhood. Parent everywhere are living in fear of their children being kidnapped and suddenly destroyed.

Frau Beckmann heard her clock, she seems happy to know that it is time for her daughter Elsie Beckmann to return from school. As time pass by her daughter did not return home. This leads into the investigation of a child murderer.  The police search extremely.  They search in the woods, underground in homes and business places. Everyone including those with illegal business became nervous.  The locals decide to help find the murderer as quickly as possible. Everyone, people are demanding result and the police are monitoring everything and everyone is in desperation to find the murderer.

In the scene with the men around the round table reading about the murder, chaos and terror is identify. This murder brings distrust in the community. These men begin to accuse each other and fuss with each other. In the street, they accuse innocent citizen; they mob the innocent neighbor who was seen talking to a child.  As the search intensifies, criminals are being raid constantly by the police. As a result, these criminals decide to take the matter in their own hands and assist in the search.  Also, in this scene the film seems to be shifting from the mobs around their table organizing how to catch the murder to the scene with polices around their table organizing their search. In this scene one can hardly tell the different from the police and the criminals’ scene who is speaking. As the film continues, the murderer was eventually caught with the assistance of the blind man that recognizes the whistle of the murderer and associates it with the time when Elsie went missing. The beggar follows and watchs the killer and marked him with the letter M. The criminal and police learns that the killer is identified Then begin a chase until he was caught and tried by the criminal and finally by the police.  

‘M’ film portrays a current human world that we are now living in; it relates to several serial killing and killer of our modern world. It depicts pathology of such criminals; it examines patterns of society, mass media and media culture. It reflects codes of behavior judgment and criticizes society disintegration; this can be seen when the people violently turn on each other and cause riot. Also, it depicts a society of social mistrust.

Questions;      

1          Police power as depicted in Dr Caligari and M have evolve, some change between both is seen in the way the react with the public they are more sociable in ‘M’ than in Dr Caligari. The police seem to be more receptive to the public in ‘M’ than in Dr.Caligari. In Dr. Caligari when Francis report his suspect to the police he was ignore by the police. In ‘M’ the police are given more power to the search people’s home and interfere more.

2          Yes, although he claims that he has no control over himself; he is responsible for his action and the killer deserve to die because he preys on the innocent.

3          The criminal ability to organized themselves does affects their ability to capture Beckert; they were distrusting to each other and suspecting that either of themselves can be the killer. They spend more time arguing and fussing with each other rather than focusing on planning.

4          Nazis are depicting as criminals base on the fact that they are corrupt; they betray the people. In the reading it shows that they are engage in more violence, street battle throughout Germany            .

5          The importance of the media in the film is to spread words about murderer. The media informs the people in the community of the tragic incident. It speaks against wrongful acts and gives voice to poor people. It gives information on crime, corruption and shape society lives. In this movie media is use to alert and informs the public of incident; it can encourage change in people or society. It aims to influence the people, which can be seen when criminals, beggars and people of the community get involved in the search for the murderer.