M (1931 Film)

Introduction

M is a 1931 German mystery suspense thriller film directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre (in his third screen role) as Hans Beckert, a serial killer who targets children. An early example of a procedural drama, the film centers on the manhunt for Lorre's character, conducted by both the police and the criminal underworld.[2]

The film's screenplay was written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou, and it was Lang's first sound film.[3] It features many cinematic innovations, including the use of long, fluid tracking shots, and a musical leitmotif in the form of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" whistled by Lorre's character. Now considered classic, Lang regarded the film as his magnum opus.[4] It is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, and an indispensable influence on modern crime and thriller fiction.[5][6][7]

A remake under the same title, directed by Joseph Losey, came out in 1951.


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