Peter Lorre in M (1931)

[venomey666]

The slow moving shot of the crowd is eerie as all hell.

[NeverDoubt1]

You know in a way Peter Lorre in this movie is the original Freddy Krueger, lol

[Cocoabeing]

10 minutes of intense cinema

[SCRIPPSCAST2007]

Now I know why Warner Bros. loved him so much that he was caricatured in their cartoons!!! He's a pretty cool dude!!! Peter Lorre -- acting it like it is!!! Way to go Petey!!!

[tjl1961and2]

240p we meet again -______-

[Ryjek222]

A german black metal band Nargaroth made me aware of this movie, becuase this dramatic monologue is put in one of their songs. Really chilling

[Wallyworld30]

6:14 is Smeagle/Gollum from lord of the rings.

They copied him to a T!

[ridermystery]

How Genuine!!!!!

[LandondeeL]

Sadly, after Lorre came to Hollywood, most of his roles (with very few exceptions) were pathetic characatures of his brilliant signature turn in "M".

[Iceman219]

I definately see some of Heath Ledger's Joker influenced by this guy

[LandondeeL]

@Iceman219 Not to mention Ted Edwards in "Maniac" (1934)

[balrog13571]

Isn't it sad that this is how our society still acts? I don't support crime, but the only way to really know a person is if you are that person and we all have flaws. We have no real right to wish death on anyone, and certainly can't just go around sentencing them without giving them a fair trial. It's one thing to have an insane killer on the streets, but when you realize that society itself can easily dissolve into a mad mob, you realize how scary life can sometimes be.

[Miss65boo]

Awesome, Peter Lorre was so talented. I also enjoy hearing him speak his native German. I do like the sound of his accented English too. I wonder how old he was before he learned English.

[LandondeeL]

@Miss65boo Peter learned English while he was filming his first English-language movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much' (1934). As his English improved, earlier scenes where he spoke the language phonetically were re-shot.

[dreamingpixles]

I wonder if those are the stairs Fritz Lang allegedly kicked Peter Lorre down?

[sparkkle2]

@dreamingpixles Yup. And when you see a very quick shot of him getting kicked in the shin? That's Peter's shin. Lang had him do the take 18 times. Peter couldn't walk for three days. Lang was fucking crazy. Oh, and Lorre passed out on set during a shot. I think they used it, can't remember....

[stiggyh]

@dreamingpixles why did he kick him down some stairs ?

[wanderkind0]

This scene is incredible, but I couldn't believe what a hellish time Fritz Lang put Peter through. He made Lorre do this scene from 8am to 1am the next morning, never used doubles for the bit where he gets kicked and beaten while trying to escape, or for the scene where they've got him in a bag. Peter would faint while doing this scene out of sheer exhaustion. Lang wanted Lorre to feel more animal than man and that's what he got.

[NeverDoubt1]

@wanderkind0 Yup, the movie profession in the 1930s and '40s wasn't all that different from the sweat shops. No regard for the worker's/actor's safety to say the least, heh.

[wanderkind0]

@NeverDoubt1 I wouldn't doubt it. But from what I've read, Lang had an especial reputation as the "Stalin of film." I definitely got the sense that his methods were shocking even to his contemporaries.

[SaitouBouKazuhiro]

Hey, this was the monologue that I did for acting class! :)

[JustRockinit]

That was pretty intense.Isnt this in German?

[Cosmic86x]

@JustRockinit right. i think it's definitly one of the best performences in cinema history. and way ahead of its time.

[FightEEEE]

This is a real act. Great performance, I have no words....

[Feedmebearz]

Absolutely captivating performance by Lorre.

A truly incredible film, decades ahead of its time.

If you havent seen this thriller do so.

[Chizpurfle52595]

Fucking magnificent.

[dybbuk4640]

strange how peter lorre looks like a cross between oscar levant and sal mineo

[Vash1286]

It just freaking amazes me..to see that kind of performance in that time..i mean come on, most of the acting during that decade was good, but kinda corny. Peter Lorre's performance is just astounding and way ahead of its time. GREAT actor.

[morgantown1]

ha no one wouldve guessed Lorre could have pulled off Hans Beckert so well back then

[brando6358]

What a powerful performance! Incredible.

[ITILII]

Great actor, great director and a great insight into the all too common dark side of human nature

[Atheneastro]

@ITILII Great director... but he pushed Peter down the stairs.

[godzilloid]

Oscar winning performance. No actor today can even come close to this.

[brendaPMB]

@godzilloid I agree there

[DarkAmbellina]

Hans Beckert= The greatest horror movie villian in cinama history.

[brendaPMB]

@DarkAmbellina agreed!

[oliviaisgod]

i hate to ruin the seriousness of this fantastic scene,but i cant help but realize at 6:25 the person really sounds like a sheep.

[oliviaisgod]

@oliviaisgod

sorry try 6:22

[Heralde8]

@oliviaisgod It's OK, I always wondered about that myself, heh.

[oliviaisgod]

@XsmurfetteX

what are the odds,my mother is all so schizophrenic and i think you really hit the nail on the head.People that have experienced what inner torment can do to people will most likely respond immensely to this amazingly intense scene.

[ShroudedFury]

PEETWAAA LARRRWAAAA

[Keither9]

Yes sir I did. He had a daughter taken. He was driving the streets in his Jag and recruiting everyone he could to help in his effort to find her. I meet him through a string of events starting from a phone call from a jail in LA CA where I was asked by my friend too meet him at his home where we played cards and listened to music like any kids.

[Keither9]

(continued)

He was a class mate in my 6th grade class after a kidnapping incident where I was abducted to Arkansas by family and perused across the nation. That class was comprised of people from all over the nation and taught by Mrs. Funk of the Wager dictionary. People can know I got the dirt and the dots and I will bury the Sex offender registry for good and the top level Mush headed freaks that started it, and everyone will know why? You can take that to the Banks.

[Carycomic]

Most people don;t know this. But, the film studio recruited real German street criminals for the kangaroo-court scene! And, the polizei who raided the basement? Real cops, who arrested the former!!

[sultanamonkey]

that is one of the greatest acting performances ever!

[Atheneastro]

@sultanamonkey I nearly jumped in my seat when, in that wide shot of the crowd, he suddenly screamed 'HILFE!'

[SL04]

I believe this to be the greatest single scene in the history of cinema. Peter Lorre is a god.

[sultanamonkey]

he was phenomenal in this scene!

[Keither9]

I rode with Peter wile looking for his daughter and he was distraught. He was willing to sell me his Jag for little or no money compared to the worth of the car to get me involved in her search. He was on to something he said was big. He loved her very much and told me so. So if she is in some WitSec over the corse of life love is what matters and he had that for her. See his movie M. but know murder is not rape and it was people who dressed as cops took his kid. was that some kind of payback?

[jamesbelas]

@Keither9 really? u actually meet him? so wait, ive never heard that, he had a daughter? and wat happend?

[Skorenzy]

"Who knows what it's like to be me?"

One of the best lines in movie history in my opinion, considering how Lorre delivers it in such a sad pitiful tone. He really pours his soul out not only to make others understand but for himself to understand all that's happened as well -- how can anyone know what it's like to be him and therefore judge him?...

Just my two (philosophical) cents.

[HeraldMB]

Very true, and notice the shot of one of the criminals nodding during Peter's speech. Clearly most people aren't child killers and there's no defense for such a crime. But most everyone can understand feeling helpless and misunderstood in their own way.

[Indygoguy]

@HeraldMB The alcoholic is driven to drink, the gambler is driven to gamble, liars are driven to lie, people are addicted nowadays to pornography, anonymous sex, drugs. Yes, since this room was filled with criminals, people who are driven by impulses they are powerless to stop, they would understand what he was talking about, that doesn't mean they all shared his impulses.

[kgs42]

...reminds me of Charles Laughton.....

[jmichaelfulton]

Lorre's eye expressions are perfect.

[SariaMew456]

The look on his face at 8:49 is terrifying. I've seen a lot of horror films, but Beckert is the only one that gives me nightmares.

[thecrimsonfloyd]

Peter Lorre is the best actor of the 30s and 40s!

[eirino0369]

For me is the best monologue I ever heard: it has so much power, passion, anguish. Im speechless and with tears every time I heard it. And Lorre is such a genius. He really make me believe he is Hans Beckert. I ve first saw him in this movie spanish version-and despise it was totally dubbed- I love it. He really makes me think about what the sentence should be. Amazing.

as you, mikeszar and 8data said...I would be more than happy if more movies like this one were now a day at cinemas.

[benniquaid]

Brilliant film. Superb acting. This film gave me the chills

[faceofjesusinmysoup]

amazing performance! I always like Peter Lorre

[haroldcoxly94]

on the german wikipedia it says that he gets put to death

[ArtificialLili]

One of the best movie ever, it gives me chills.

[brainiacbelle]

The best part of Lorre's performance in M was when you see him lusting after the little girl in the reflection of the window. The array of emotions and performance that he gives is just ....mindblowing. I hadn't seen him in anything before M but I'm going to make sure I get his whole catalogue. Just ...sheer acting genius.

[Lennoxed]

I have the dubious honour of being your defense council XD

Peter Lorre is amazing in this.

[brendaPMB]

Amazing clip from one of the best movies by Fritz Lang!!!!

[hAodha]

Such a powerful clip.

After all the plea's have been made, I hope that the jury of the people put him to death.

[melwyn777]

Genius

[JubalCalif]

Fascinating! Truly one of the greatest films in cinema history. Peter Lorre is simply amazing. Interesting how he's heavy set when he made it, then thinned way down when he started making films in English in Britain & later in Hollywood, and then by the late 40's was putting on weight again. A true "battle of the bulge" as it were. In any case, thank you for sharing this intriguing clip with us.

[TheKaijuSciFiGuy]

Hitler used to show this film to his troops to show them the dangers of sexual perverion

[fauxplastic89]

Where did you find out about this?

Thanks

[TheKaijuSciFiGuy]

It was just something I learned in history class

[fauxplastic89]

How come your history covered this detail? Where are you from?

[TheKaijuSciFiGuy]

My history teacher was a Jew so he really reamed the Nazis when he had the chance

[StandupShowcase]

Still haven't forgiven the Nazis huh?

[mihu333]

The real "M" ,Peter Kürten was sentence to dead in 1931 by guilliotine.He murdered 9(known,even more)little girls and boys with the knife , hammer and scissor.

[MildredDavisLloyd]

WOW! Now that is acting! All the crappy actors of today need to watch this, to see what real acting is! Thanks for posting this! AMAZING!

[nukecat]

man they smoked alot in this film .which i actually i liked it  reallyadded to the atmosphere of the film

[cheesymaster5]

PWNED. This is one of my favorite German movies of all time. So well done.

[yohannbiimu]

I wish the entire end of this film were shown here, because the scenes that follow this are equally outstanding.

[ashflower]

That was so amazing. I need to see this movie.

[yohannbiimu]

A word of warning about M--this is from a HUGE fan of it, and that is it tends to creep along at times. The beginning is gripping, as is the climax; however, there are moments along the way where you wish that it would move along better, especially the sequences just prior to the scenes in this video.

[mkultra2300]

Spiel

[arisztidoltz]

Best part of the movie by far. (Because this is where Lorre has his great speal!)

[radioheadski]

BLIND

hahahaha

awesome!

[junevi2000]

One of the greatest performance of an Actor in cinema.

[InvaderJem]

My favourite scene from my favourite film, starring my favourite actor and directed by my favourite director!!

This is pure gold. I much prefer films like these to the tripe we get nowadays.

5* and favourite! :)

[ebmolloy]

One of the greatest scenes in cinematic history.

[quadroonlicious]

I found out that Peter Lorre was actually a Hungarian Jew who had to leave Austria in the 30s when the Nazis started to rise

[8data]

The most fascinating character actor ever.

[11Believer]

what an amazing actor!!!!

[brendaPMB]

Agreed!!!

[Thespilian]

What a great movie, what a great performance!

And an impressive first row in the court of criminals - Fritz Odemar, Gustav Gründgens, Theo Lingen and Paul Kemp - three of them used up in comical parts, as Lorre was in later years.

[TheKaijuSciFiGuy]

Adolph Hitler actually showed this films to his troops to teach them about sexual perversion. If you watch the entire film you would understand why

[bookishmuch]

The subtitles are accurate enough, but are nothing compared to listening to Lorre talking in the German.....Lang and Lorre: masters.

[GoddessByline]

Thank you for uploading this. This is one of the greatest performances by an actor ever.

[thompashi]

Peter Lorre when he was best. He was best in the 30's and especially in M.

[Snesgamer]

AWESOME scene. The blind man, the crazy Peter Lorre, him getting sentenced by the criminal mob after the police failed to do their job, the deep subject material considering the time - all combine for one of the most memorable movie moments of all time.

Anyone who feels that there's nothing to be enjoyed from older movies is sure missing out on a lot of Hollywood's greatest moments and actors.

[thorres]

Hollywood gave him Mr Motto and other bs. what a waste for (to me) the best actor ever

[joeocho88]

I am curious as to is dispensing the street justice here, The "judge" looks too distinguished to be a common thief. I think the murders were making things hot for the thieves labor union so they hunted them down and then they put him on trial in their secret Union Hall or social club.The reason the blind guy had the pin wheels in his hat is he was SELLING them to make some extra money. They do the same in Mexico.He raped and killed little girls!Kill him.

[LithiumZ2]

I think that this is a movie, actually.

[RebellionLord]

It's basically organized crime syndicates in the city that are motivated both by a sense of righteous justice and the need to distill the heavy police crackdown

I found that interesting; in the German culture, where central authority is valued, where the government and police and military are trusted, that Fritz Lang made a movie that places vigilantism in a more positive light than that society would have at the time. It plays well into the idea of murders and thieves > pedophiles and rapists.

[SEANFIR]

Cool clip! I think his lifelong morphine addiction gave him an extra crawly, sweaty, slimy quality. Some things you can't fake!

[dariaE]

I agree! Many people here forget he was such a serious opiate addict, his whole adult life, and while not to take away from his considerable acting chops, so much of the langoruos, heavy-lidded Lorre "vibe" was obviously drug influenced. Plus in this film I read the actors were really told to kick the shit out of him, take after take, so the wild-eyed terrified performance probably wasn't too difficult with Lang's abusive directing!

[aidyonline]

a wonderful performance of an awful character, you almost empathise with him, despite what he is

pity lorre became so typecast after this

[MisterSynyster]

A few times in there, it sounds like he's yelling

AU GRATIN!

AU GRATIN!

Memo to self: Learn more German. Or watch American remake.

[dariaE]

I'm not sure why but this post made me laugh so hard I just woke my boyfriend up from his nap. I am still laughing!

[MisterSynyster]

The only thing I don't find dramatically awesome is that the blind salesman has pinwheels in his hat & a sign on him that says BLIND. You'd think they would've come up w/ the white cane w/ red tip or dark glasses. But no, you get a sign on you that says BLIND in big-ass letters!

And you wear pinwheels in your hat too?

[dasdingausdemmoor]

@"mister synyster"thats how blinds really was begging for money then!and not a filmic appliance!

[RebellionLord]

I think that one character was just a street vendor, and that "BLIND" sign and hat was just part of the way he made his living; he sold that ballon to Lorre and the girl at the beginning, and he recognizes his voice.

[joeocho88]

Agreed. This was a BRILLANTLY done film. I wish they would make more films like this. they knew how to deal with pedophile murderers in those days without all of this pseudo-politial correctness. People who are living "correct" lives don't rape and murdr children.

He reminds me of Pee Wee Herman in this scene.

[BrynMawrYamBag]

GREAT MOVIE!!

[barlin07]

I flippin' love this movie so much. it's so different from anything made today. I wish more people would watch it. At least we've got youtube to keep old movies alive.

[quadroonlicious]

I fucking <3 Peter Lorre

[themysticmangos]

"you cannot help but feel this deep empathy and sadness for this man who clearly is unhappy and sic kand tortured and all he wants is for these people to know that he is indeed remorseful."

If the Lorre character was remorseful for slaughtering children, he'd either seek psychiactric help, allow himself to be locked away from future young victims, or kill himself. Instead he screams like a scared dog and begs for the mercy he didn't give his victims. Lorre delivered a phenomenal performance.

[Nationsnotregimes]

Thought the audience was going to give him Leo Frank Justice, but no they did not.

[inbetweentics]

i cannot help but think that one of my favorite horror directors, wes craven, was inspired by this film to write the character he is most known for - fred krueger of the elm street movies.

as most of you know, freddy krueger's character was a dirty child murderer just like peter lorre's character in this one.

if memory serves me right, fred krueger was the name of someone that taunted wes craven when he was younger.

m is a powerful film, with some very humorous moments in it as well.

[TheKubrickFanatic]

A truly terrifying shot at 3:07...

[thorres]

Congratulation to jenthesuperone (the guy who have posted the scene)

That is the best acting scene ever

[foppa123]

terrific acting

[major600]

I think one of the reasons it carries so much impact today is that nearly all our movie villains are remorseless geniuses, not sniveling, pathetic cowards like M. When he screams in fear, you believe it. It's too bad Lorre never had a role in English to match this one.

[almadora]

wow.

[BestOfTheBestNumber9]

The only charector who can relate to "M" is easily Gollumn from the Lord of the Rings...

[Gumbypotty]

This film was banned in Germany in 1933 by the national socialist government, as they meant it defended child murderers. The jew Peter Lorre fled the country. After that, Fritz Lang left too.

[eirino0369]

so Im not the only one who thinks he has cute eyes @=D... He really looks cute and inocent in this part....geezz

[karntnisleians]

to everyone out there: show me a better monologue in movie-history! i bet you won't find one

[WoosterFanGirl]

How disturbing. O_O

Good film, but wow.

~L~

[ITILII]

the look on Peter Lorre's face when the blind man recognizes him by the sound of his voice is absolutely classic, as is this movie, Fritz Lang and Peter Lorre 2 of the greats

[tonimuck]

Isn't it interesting that H'wood never tried to remake this? It would be like putting a moustach on Mona Lisa. Brilliant. Bravo!

[Dibsthe1]

Er, it did. Same title, Joseph Losey in 1951. Need I say it couldn't hold a candle to the original?

[tonimuck]

Oh yeah. Forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me. And true, the part will always belong to Mr. Lorre.

[Dibsthe1]

You're welcome. That it will.

[nilara93]

he reminds me of gollum, i feel a little sorry for him

[lewcifer3rd]

i wanna party with Klaus Kinski & Peter Lorre.

[dariaE]

HA! my two favorite actors! can I join?

[mkoerss]

Someone should build Peter Lorre a shrine for this. Amazing.

[cbak12sg]

This is a magnificent performance by Peter Lorre, managing to be both creepy and to invoke sympathy.

[RollingStone1987]

BRILLIANT

[MaxMeier]

This Film was made by Fritz Lang, who often used as themes for his filmes the uncontrolled pushed-up masses. Think about the time it was made in germany!

[JinEfreet]

This film was made in 1931?! Holy crap, it's way ahead of its time!

[Pimblit]

They're speaking German. I looked on IMDb, and it said Peter Lorre was born in "Hungary-Austria", which later became Slovakia, so I was also curious about what language he spoke. Apparently, it's German.

[hasanordek]

It is German, but Lorre speaks it with a distinct Austrian accent. Which isn't strange, because he has spent a lot of his time in Vienna.

[GGAllinIsGod]

dude i've been trying to find this movie but can't, i wish i could've found the beginning scenes. peter lorre's awesome in this, what anyone know what they're speaking in this?

[camelreg]

It is expensive, however it is available on the Criterion Collection label. you can find it at amazon and deepdiscountdvd and other places.

[somnolent49]

The internet archive has the full version of this as well, if you would rather not spend money on it. The quality available is quite good, too.

Thank god for Public Domain.

[eirino0369]

Ill got it, but it is dubbed to spanish....

[Lobojack57]

When I compare this to the bullshit which is being produced nowadays, I feel ashamed and sad !

[criceto]

Agree

[eirino0369]

Agree

[joeocho88]

The guy was a pedophile who murdered little children and he got what was coming to him.

This is STREET JUSTICE for a MISERABLE PERVERT!

A lot more civilized than what he deserves!

He's one to be criticizing other people! Strange it took the criminal element to hunt him down.

[Ankhsnammon]

One the best moments ever in all the story of arts!!!!

thanks for post this unforgettable acting!

In our truly very very poor years..thi is reconfortant!!!

Ankhsnammon

[sebiart001]

there are also very good movies today, but normaly for watching them you must go to small cinemas.

For me "life of the others" was a very good film to, espacially because of the actors and no cliches.

[mikeszar]

Probably the greatest monologue ever given..

I really wish my generation could make movies like this...but alas...we get stuff like "Gigli"..

[8data]

there are plenty of people our age willing to produce a film such as this one

if the commercial morons had some intellectual integrity

instead of stuff with no artistic value

[mattttttti]

amazing

so many year ago and still so powerful...

[Nacherer]

great!

[dgil99]

While you watch M or Peter Lorre , It never occurs to you as if you are watching a movie rather it lends a 'larger than life' experience...

[etena2003]

His prescence is not only riveting- it is electrifying and meekly pathetic at the same time. Only Lorre could pull this off!

[ladylove1972]

I just love his speech! Gives me goosebumps every time!