Peter Lorre in M

M (original title: M- Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (translation: M- a city in search of a murderer)) is a 1931 German film noir directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou in which a serial killer, played by Peter Lorre, preys on children; the police and criminal underground of Berlin both work to stop him. M was the first starring role for Peter Lorre, and it boosted his career, even though he was typecast as a villain for years after. DVD cover for the film M showing the actor Peter Lorre This is a DVD cover. ... DVD cover for the film M showing the actor Peter Lorre This is a DVD cover. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Film noir is a style of film associated with crime films that developed in the United States during World War II that featured people acting out of desparation in a bleak and morally ambiguous world. ... Friedrich Anton Christian Lang (December 5, 1890 - August 2, 1976) was an Austrian film director, screenwriter and occasional film producer, one of the most famous emigrés from Germanys school of expressionism to work in Hollywood. ... Thea von Harbou (December 27, 1888 – July 1, 1954) was a German actress and author. ... Serial killers are individuals who have a history of multiple slayings of victims who were usually unknown to them beforehand. ... Peter Lorre, 1946, by Yousuf Karsh Peter Lorre (June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian-born actor known both for playing criminals (particularly psychopaths) and comic roles. ...   Berlin? (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,426,000 inhabitants (as of January 2005); down from 4. ... A stereotypical villain. ...

Peter Lorre's character whistles the tune "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg in the movie; however, Peter Lorre himself could not whistle - it is actually Fritz Lang who is heard. In the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece by Edvard Grieg, composed for Henrik Ibsens play Peer Gynt, which premiered in Oslo on February 24, 1876. ... Peer Gynt is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. ... Edvard Hagerup Grieg (June 15, 1843–September 4, 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. ...

The film was based in part on the stories of Jack the Ripper and the Vampire of Düsseldorf and consistently ranks among the top 50 of the Internet Movie Database's top 250 films. Jack the Ripper is the pseudonym given to an unidentified serial killer active in the largely impoverished Whitechapel area of London, England in the second half of 1888. ... Peter Kürten was a serial killer dubbed The Vampire of Düsseldorf by the contemporary media. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb), owned by Amazon. ...

Lorre's future stardom and reputation as an actor was cemented in the film's climax, in which the killer, facing certain death at the hands of an underworld kangaroo court, makes an impassioned speech declaring that he can't control his violent urges. The monologue ends with the famous line (delivered by Lorre in a near scream) "Who knows what it's like to be me?" A kangaroo court (also known as a kangaroo trial or a Drumhead trial) is a sham legal proceeding or court. ... A monologue is a speech by one person directly addressing an audience. ...

The movie was remade in 1951 (see M (1951 movie)) shifting the action from Berlin to Los Angeles. The remake, directed by Joseph Losey with David Wayne playing Lorre's role, was not well received by critics or audiences. 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... M is a 1951 a remake of Fritz Langs M (1931), shifting the action from Berlin to Los Angeles. ...   Berlin? (pronounced: , German ) is the capital of Germany and its largest city, with 3,426,000 inhabitants (as of January 2005); down from 4. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Joseph Losey (January 14, 1909 - June 22, 1984) was an American theater and film director. ...

External link

M at the Internet Movie Database The Internet Movie Database (IMDb), owned by Amazon. ...