M (1931)
M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Passed
- 1h 57min
- Crime, Mystery
- 31 Aug 1931 (Sweden)
- Movie
When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 2 wins.
- See more »
Reviews:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Peter Lorre | ... |
Hans Beckert
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Ellen Widmann | ... |
Frau Beckmann
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| Inge Landgut | ... |
Elsie Beckmann
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| Otto Wernicke | ... |
Inspector Karl Lohmann
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| Theodor Loos | ... |
Inspector Groeber
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| Gustaf Gründgens | ... |
Schränker
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Friedrich Gnaß | ... |
Franz
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| Fritz Odemar | ... |
The Cheater
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| Paul Kemp | ... |
Pickpocket with Six Watches
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| Theo Lingen | ... |
Bauernfänger
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Rudolf Blümner | ... |
Beckert's Defender
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| Georg John | ... |
Blind Panhandler
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Franz Stein | ... |
Minister
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Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur | ... |
Police Chief
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| Gerhard Bienert | ... |
Criminal Secretary
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Karl Platen | ... |
Damowitz
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| Rosa Valetti | ... |
Bartender
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| Hertha von Walther | ... |
Prostitute
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Lucie Rhoden | ... |
Sekretärin im Polizeiarchiv
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Joseph Almas | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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| Carl Balhaus | ... |
Leeser - Man Who Marks Hans Beckert (uncredited)
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Hans Behal | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Paul Biensfeldt | ... |
Man suspected in street (uncredited)
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Behal Carrell | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Josef Dahmen | ... |
(uncredited)
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Hugo Döblin | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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J.A. Eckhoff | ... |
(uncredited)
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Else Ehser | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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Karl Elzer | ... |
(uncredited)
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Erwin Faber | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Ilse Fürstenberg | ... |
(uncredited)
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Anna Goltz | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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| Heinrich Gotho | ... |
(uncredited)
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Heinrich Gretler | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Günther Hadank | ... |
(uncredited)
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Robert Hartberg | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Ernst Paul Hempel | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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| Oskar Höcker | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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| Albert Hörrmann | ... |
(uncredited)
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Ellen Isenta | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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Karl Junge-Swinburne | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Albert Karchow | ... |
(uncredited)
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Werner Kepich | ... |
(uncredited)
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Hermann Krehan | ... |
(uncredited)
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Kurth Leeser | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Rose Lichtenstein | ... |
(uncredited)
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Lotte Loebinger | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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Sigurd Lohde | ... |
(uncredited)
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Alfred Loretto | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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| Hanna Maron | ... |
Girl in Circle at the Beginning (uncredited)
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Max Maschek | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Paul Mederow | ... |
(uncredited)
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Margarete Melzer | ... |
(uncredited)
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Trude Moos | ... |
(uncredited)
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Hadrian Maria Netto | ... |
(uncredited)
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Günter Neumann | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Neumann-Schüler | ... |
Bit Role (uncredited)
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Katharina Nied | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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Maya Norden | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Fred Nurney | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Edgar Pauly | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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| Klaus Pohl | ... |
Witness / One-Eyed Man (uncredited)
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Franz Poland | ... |
(uncredited)
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Eduard Rebane | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Paul Rehkopf | ... |
(uncredited)
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Bertold Reissig | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Ernst Rhaden | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Hans Ritter | ... |
(uncredited)
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Max Sablotzki | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Alexander Sascha | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Agnes Schulz-Lichterfeld | ... |
(uncredited)
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Leonard Steckel | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Karl-Heinz Stroux | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Wolf Trutz | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Otto Waldis | ... |
(uncredited)
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Borwin Walth | ... |
(uncredited)
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| Rolf Wanka | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Ernst Wulf | ... |
Xxx (uncredited)
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Bruno Ziener | ... |
(uncredited)
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Directed by
| Fritz Lang | ||
Written by
| Thea von Harbou | ... | (script) and |
| Fritz Lang | ... | (script) |
| Egon Jacobsohn | ... | (article) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Seymour Nebenzal | ... | producer (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| Fritz Arno Wagner | ||
Editing by
| Paul Falkenberg | ||
Art Direction by
| Emil Hasler | ||
| Karl Vollbrecht | ||
Makeup Department
| Wilhelm Weber | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Ernst Wolff | ... | production manager |
| Gustav Rathje | ... | unit manager (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Edgar G. Ulmer | ... | set designer (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Paul Falkenberg | ... | sound editor |
| Adolf Jansen | ... | sound |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Robert Baberske | ... | second camera operator |
| Horst von Harbou | ... | still photographer |
| Erwin Hillier | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
| Károly Vass | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Vereinigte Star-Film GmbH (1931) (Germany) (theatrical)
- City Film (1931) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Columbus Films (1931) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Fribergs Filmbyrå (1931) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1931) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Svensk Filmindustri (1931) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- National Distributors (1932) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Pathé Consortium Cinéma (1932) (France) (theatrical)
- Foremco Pictures Corp. (1933) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Paramount Pictures (1933) (United States) (theatrical) (English dubbed)
- Goodwill Pictures (1940) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Terrafilm (1945) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Criterion Film I (1947) (Denmark) (theatrical) (reissue)
- Fox Films (1960) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Unidis (1960) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Jerand Film Distributors (1965) (United States) (theatrical) (re-issue)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1969) (Finland) (tv) (as MTV1)
- Antenne 2 (A2) (1975) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
- Filmes Castello Lopes (1979) (Portugal) (theatrical) (re-release)
- New Cinema Enterprises (1983) (Canada) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1992) (Finland) (tv)
- Mistar (1995) (Finland) (VHS)
- UFA Video (1996) (Germany) (VHS)
- Kino International Films (1997) (United States) (theatrical) (restored 117-minute version)
- Janus Films (1997) (United States) (tv)
- BFI Films (1998) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- BFI Video (1998) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- The Criterion Collection (1998) (United States) (DVD)
- Eureka Video (1999) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- BMG Video (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
- Divisa Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Filmmuseum Distributie (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Kinokuniya (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
- Eureka Entertainment (2010) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray)
- Eureka Entertainment (2010) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2010) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- New Star (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Universum Film (UFA) (2011) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Films sans Frontières (2018) (World-wide)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- The Criterion Channel (2020) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- atlas Film (2020) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- atlas Film (2021) (Germany) (DVD)
- Sinister Cinema (2022) (United States) (DVD) (as 'M') (2-disc set; dubbed/subtitled)
- Anton E. Dietz-Filmverleih GmbH (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Die Lupe (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
- New Star (2023) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Sinister Film (2023) (Italy)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
There have been a rash of child abductions and murders in Berlin. The murderer lures the children into his confidence by candy and other such child friendly items. Everyone is on edge because the murderer has not been caught. The most substantial pieces of evidence the police have are hand written letters by the murderer which he sent to the newspaper for publication. Unknown even to himself, a blind beggar, who sold the murderer a balloon for one of the child victims, may have key information as to the murderer's identity. The murder squad's work is made even more difficult with the large number of tips they receive from the paranoid public, who are quick to accuse anyone of suspicious activity solely for their own piece of mind that someone - anyone - is apprehended for the heinous crimes. Conversely, many want to take the case into their own hands, including the town's leading criminals since the increased police presence has placed a strain on their ability to conduct criminal activity. Although they both have the same end goal of capturing the murderer, the police and the criminals seem to be working at cross purposes, which may provide an edge to the murderer in getting away. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | IT STAGGERS THE SENSES!...SHOCKS the Imagination - It will leave you Gasping - It is the Sensation of 3 Continents! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Contrary to popular belief, Fritz Lang did not change the title from "The Murderers are Among Us" to "M" due to fear of persecution by the Nazis. He changed the title during filming, influenced by the scene where one of the criminals writes the letter on his hand. Lang thought "M" was a more interesting title. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Jews without Masks (1937). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Le Halle du Roi de la Montagne See more » |
| Crazy Credits | All of the original credits appear only in the beginning with no music. See more » |
| Quotes |
Hans Beckert:
I can't help what I do! I can't help it, I can't... Criminal: The old story! We never can help it in court! Hans Beckert: What do you know about it? Who are you anyway? Who are you? Criminals? Are you proud of yourselves? Proud of breaking safes or cheating at cards? Things you could just as well keep your fingers off. You wouldn't need to do all that if you'd learn a proper trade or if you'd work. If you weren't a bunch of lazy bastards. But I... I can't help myself! I have no control over this, this evil thing inside of me, the fire, the voices, the torment! Schraenker: Do you mean to say that you have to murder? Hans Beckert: It's there all the time, driving me out to wander the streets, following me, silently, but I can feel it there. It's me, pursuing myself! I want to escape, to escape from myself! But it's impossible. I can't escape, I have to obey it. I have to run, run... endless streets. I want to escape, to get away! And I'm pursued by ghosts. Ghosts of mothers and of those children... they never leave me. They are always there... always, always, always!, except when I do it, when I... Then I can't remember anything. And afterwards I see those posters and read what I've done, and read, and read... did I do that? But I can't remember anything about it! But who will believe me? Who knows what it's like to be me? How I'm forced to act... how I must, must... don't want to, must! Don't want to, but must! And then a voice screams! I can't bear to hear it! I can't go on! I can't... I can't... See more » |