Born to Kill - DVD

Peter Lorre (1904-1964) first came to audiences' attention playing a serial killer in Fritz Lang's masterpiece M (1931). Immigrating to America as Hitler came to power, the actor made an impression playing similarly demented roles in Mad Love and Crime and Punishment (1935). Signing with Warner Brothers in 1941, Lorre carved out a career as a supporting player, lending his unforgettable presence to such classics as The Maltese Falcon (1

Based on an original novel by Erle Stanley Gardner (creator of Perry Mason), They Call it Murder, a made-for-TV pilot that unfortunately never led to the series it deserved, is an intense ''who-dunn-it'' murder mystery with many twists and turns, that manages to put the pieces amazingly together with full summation at the end. Featuring Jim Hutton (ala Timothy) in an excellent performance as the relentless DA, he investigates a murder that soon leads to even more homicides. A contemporary not to the Film Noir movies of the 1940's, They Call it Murder demands the viewer's concentration to follow the plot development from beginning to end. Also featuring Edward Asner and Leslie Nielsen.

Helen Brent knows Sam Wild is more than a social climber who married her wealthy foster sister. He's a remorseless killer. And yet she finds his brash confidence, square-shouldered good looks and constant aura of menace completely irresistible. Versatile director Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, West Side Story) shows his film-noir chops with this dark gem, whose mix of heiress sisters, stone-hearted men,