In this Americanization of the 1931 German thriller, both the police and the criminal underworld stalk a mysterious killer who preys on small children. (s: IMDB)
Directed by Joseph Losey
Produced by Seymour Nebenzal
Written by Waldo Salt (additional dialogue)
Screenplay by Norman Reilly Raine, Leo Katcher
Starring David Wayne, Howard Da Silva, Martin Gabel
Music by Michel Michelet
Cinematography: Ernest Laszlo
Edited by Edward Mann
Production company: Superior Pictures
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
This film is in the Public Domain.
source
Idiotic film
Because he starred in the origonal, I wonder if Mr. Lorre saw version.
I have a small group of films ranking pari passu as my all time favorites: there is no primus inter pares. For example, the Peter Lorre M/Ich Klage An 1941/Ordet 1955 /Elvira Madigan and lastly The Gunfighter [Gregory Peck]. Having said that, the 1951 version of M has considerable merit and does justice to the original.
Well worth watching…I always like Luther Adler's acting.
As dark and sinister as a soda pop.
Martin Gabel , who played the leader of the crime syndicate, was married to Arlene Francis, and he was a regular guest on What's my Line in the 1950's…
Thank you for the upload. This is the second time I’ve seen this fantastic film. Despite a dark theme it is an excellent film and superb acting throughout.
excellent by a terrific director Joseph Losey
1:26:34 Yeah Fing right. Would be better if we saw that
1:00:25 finally something happens
Scene at 41:00 ~ extraordinary portrait of one particular killer.
The sign at the very end of the film – 'Keep to right': prescient re: US ironic proximity to fascism almost 75 years later.
YT delivers.
This film was great. The only thing that was missing was an explanation about why the killer took the shoes. Otherwise five stars. Excellent.
i have only seen the original 1931 with Peter Lorre which was excellent. i am looking forward to watching this remake it should prove interesting. thank you 🎥🥂
edit, an interesting take on the 31 film. the social underpinnings were quite interesting here. it has its merits yet i hold Fritz Langs work as superior. but i enjoyed this too, thanks again for showing it 🎥👍
I never, ever saw this shown; was it censored into a vault? In the old German version, Peter lorre was a plain jane Jew, but this version the child killer is a fairly attractive Christian anglo. Omg, the other suspects with motuve! Good remake.
A lot of talented people work on this film, I noticed additional dialogue was by Waldo salt, academy award for Midnight Cowboy and coming home of course Joseph losey, and the cinematographer was Ernest Laszlo. All these guys have quite a body of work ahead of them, I think they'd cut their teeth on this phone
Losey was a gifted director and a keen observer of man's darkest mental states and deeds. There is much to admire about this film that borrows from the expressionism of Fritz Lang's M, a German film done 20 years earlier, featuring Peter Lorre. I had difficulty swallowing the part about a criminal gang taking on the duties of policemen, but the mob madness that ensues clearly reflects a crime situation that already began to spiral beyond control in 1950. Sadly, it is much worse today, 70+ years on: children are more and more the targets of crime, criminals have become more stealthy and lethal, police can only do so much.
to see this in 2023 and then see the countless news accounts and pictures of maimed babies and children by parents and daycares abusing children verbally/psychol and physically like what is being described here at 1:19: 20 is …..prophetic.
Back inna day when you could bash people in the face without getting sued and gouvernment buildings had ashtrays everywhere.
Well, that was quite an interesting plot. I wouldn’t say great acting, but it had a lot of GREAT actors in it. It had potential. I’ll have to watch the original with Peter Lorre. Maybe he would be more believable . Overall, worth watching for the timepiece. Thanks for sharing and the restoration.
This was one of my first films long before starring with Annie [the late Annette Funicello] on the original "Mickey Mouse Club" 1955-59 – reran 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s into this century. There were 2 later copies: 70s did not last; 90s better show lasted — over 40 countries, 5 languages. Not a big role but for a 6 year old pro actor but work was work. Mr. [Mouseketeer Lonnie] Lonnie Burr. PS It was not as disturbing as the one that was made in Europe earlier but it is an EARLY one on what is STILL a more unsettling, disturbing felony. The restoration is terrific.
Pale by comparison to the classic Fritz Lang original with twisted tiny Peter Lorre in the title role.
I have been to LA a few times but I never got to explore Bunker Hill before the old Victorian houses were torn down and most of the Hill completely redeveloped. This gem of a film is a fantastic view of it in 1951.
The Restoration is absolutely 💯 Magnificent!!!!!! I had never seen the film so crisp and clean!!!!!!
Really great version. Everything is immaculately done and Losey has lots of fun showing the moral ambiguity of American life every chance he gets – very much in tune with the German original. Why did I want so long to see this? Losey doing 'M'!!!!!
ein absolut unnötiges remake.
un remake absolutamente innecesario y malo de un pelicula clásico
an absolutely unnecessary and bad remake of a classic movie
un remake absulement inutele et mauvais d'un film classique
hm, no indication of a bullet hole in the last dead guy's back.
Not bad,but watch the original with Peter Lorie, much better fuller story…..still, this is a good watch, thanks for upload
Fun fact: Joseph Losey was born in La Crosse, WI, and Losey Blvd. is named after his family. He's buried in the cemetery across the street from UW-La Crosse, where I used to teach.