The German Cinema

New Objectivity: A Review of Fritz Lang’s M (1931)

“…Set in a German city, this dramathriller about the police's pursuit of a child-murderer, complicated by other criminals joining in the manhunt, is also considered as Lang's "most universally admired film" (Gunning, 2000, p. 163). Manvell & Fraenkel (1971) assert that Fritz Lang claimed that "he had Hitler in mind when making this film […] though when the film is seen today it appears very doubtful whether the German public world have grasped the parallel intended in this brilliantly made fantasy" (p. 64).…”

“…(Myers, 1966, p. 244) The realistic style that portrays the every-day (Gunning, 2000;Kracauer, 1974) can be illustrated by Elsie Beckman's mother doing the household chores (figure 2, panel 1). Sound is also a characteristic feature of the film (Manvell & Fraenkel, 1971;Gunning, 2000;Kracauer, 1974). The tune whistled by the child-murderer whenever he experiences a malevolent episode becomes a signature motif of the film.…”