Fritz Lang's 1931 film »M« is far more than just a crime film. It is a haunting portrait of the fears and social tensions in Weimar Republic Germany and a style-defining work that has influenced the thriller genre to this day.

From the very beginning, the film captivates with its oppressive atmosphere. The opening scene is no exception. It features children singing a macabre rhyme about a child murderer while the camera looks down on them from a bird's-eye view. This creates a sense of foreboding and turns the viewer into a voyeur. Lang is a master at using light and shadow to create a world characterized by uncertainty and latent threat.

The hunt for the child murderer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) reflects the turmoil of society. Both the police, represented by the dutiful inspector Karl Lohmann (Otto Wernicke), and the organized underworld under the leadership of the unscrupulous "Schränker" (Gustaf Gründgens) are confronted with the case. The police, under pressure from the public and the government, take drastic measures and scour the neighborhoods, while the criminals activate their own networks to capture Beckert, who is hindering their "business" through the increased police presence.

Lang masterfully illustrates the parallels between the two worlds—the state order and the world of crime—where hierarchies, rules, and a relentless pursuit of control reign supreme in both spheres. This is made particularly evident in the scene where the camera alternates between the police officers' discussions and the meeting of the underworld bosses.

Peter Lorre's performance as Hans Beckert is nothing short of masterful. He portrays the murderer not as a one-dimensional monster, but as a deeply divided figure, torn between his pathological impulses and the desire to resist them. In a pivotal scene, Beckett's "defense" before the "court" of the underworld makes this conflict undeniably clear. He demands mercy and declares: "I can't help it!" I am losing control! The fire, the voice, the torment! Beckert is a tragic figure, an outcast who cannot control his actions. The question of guilt and atonement—of the responsibility of the individual and of society—is posed here with overwhelming clarity.

Lang's film is a haunting contemporary document. The Weimar Republic, marked by economic crisis and political instability, is a breeding ground for fear, mistrust, and the call for simple solutions. The murders incite a growing mass panic, which in turn leads to denunciation and vigilante justice. The distinction between law and arbitrariness is obfuscated.

However, »M« is not just a film about crime and punishment. It's also about the power of images and the media. The title of the film, »M,« reduces the murderer to a stigmatizing sign, a brand. The newspapers fuel fear and contribute to the public hunt by reporting on the murders and printing mugshots. The increasing flood of images shapes perceptions and influences people's behavior.

»M« is a film of frightening topicality that has lost none of its power even today, almost a century after it was made. We must ask ourselves: How do we deal with evil? We must ask ourselves: where are the limits of individual and social responsibility? And what role does the media play in the construction of "scapegoats"? Lang's work is thought-provoking and reminds us that the "monsters" are not only lurking outside, but also within ourselves.

»M« is a masterpiece of German Expressionism and a classic crime film that has lost none of its fascination to this day.