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We rarely spend much time watching early German sound films, but Criterion has just brought one of the very finest to Blu-ray. One of the very finest films, not just the very finest early German sound films. Fritz Lang's M [Criterion], and if you've never seen it you really ought to see it now! This is a 1931 tale of the search for a serial killer of young girls, suggested by a 1929 case in Dusseldorf. Lang brings pure, unflinching terror to the screen; not the terror of the victim, but the terror of the criminal. There is a harrowing, and unforgettable, sequence in which the killer — the 26-year-old Peter Lorre — is innocently window shopping. Lang uses reflections in a mirror within the window, and the window pane itself, to watch a young girl approach. Beckert (Lorre), seeing the girl's reflection, is gripped by the most severe terror as he is transformed — against his will — from a meek, small mouse of a man into a serial killer unable to control himself. What a display of acting, one which you will want to rewind and replay! Equally memorable is the (second) sequence with the balloon seller. Lang, experimenting with the new medium of sound, has Beckert punctuate his actions by whistling "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (from Grieg's incidental music for Peer Gynt). How is this serial killer identified? By a blind man, thanks to Grieg, and then marked by a chalked handprint of the letter "M" on the back of his coat.

The film climaxes with Lorre's bravura speech at his trial before the court of thieves. Among the Criterion bonus materials is a full showing of the long-lost English-language version of the film. In the early sound days, before dubbing was practical, major films both in America and abroad would sometimes prepare multiple language versions; using the same sets, a shot-by-shot duplicate would be filmed. In the case of "M," you have Lorre himself speaking his lines in English. While I generally prefer just watching the original-language version the director created, Lorre's performance of the trial monologue in English is riveting.

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We try to limit our discussion in this column to films with a theatrical connection of sorts. (Lorre was initially a stage actor, working with Brecht and appearing in the original production of the Brecht-Weill Happy End.) Our next film has a stronger theatrical connection. Who was the only person to win the Best Actor (or Actress) in a Musical Tony in a non-singing role? (Other than Natalia Makarova, who danced — but didn't sing — in the 1983 revival of On Your Toes.) And who, for that matter, was the first person to win Tony, Oscar and Emmy (or rather one of the first two, as both he and Helen Hayes got their Emmys the same year)? Thomas Mitchell, that's who. Mitchell was a versatile stage actor for many years before moving on to become one of Hollywood's most valuable character men; his greatest stage performance, apparently, was as replacement for Lee J. Cobb in "Death of a Salesman." (He also headed the national company.)

Criterion has Blu-rayed the thing, and like "M" it looks infinitely better than the scratchy old prints I'm used to seeing. And the film is sure something to look at; Ford took them on location to the Monument Valley, along the Utah/Arizona border — no, not the contentious Arizona border — and it looks quite glorious. Wayne and Mitchell are joined by a fine array of character actors including Andy Devine (driving the coach of the title) and Donald Meek (as Samuel Peacock, the whiskey drummer). Claire Trevor plays the female lead, nine years before winning her Oscar. And we also get John Carradine, as the disgraced Virginian gambler. What Tony Award-winning musical hit did Carradine star in? Trick question: he was Marcus Lycus, the procurer, in the original production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with "also starring" billing. And he also made a memorable contribution to the catastrophic 1981 Frankenstein, at the Palace for one night (plus previews). Continued...