M, the movie

At first listen, M presents a sparse soundscape. Sound effects are rare, and dialogue comprises the majority of the sound. Many scenes show an odd (to the modern viewer) absence of sound; lacking the sounds of footsteps, constant clicks of guns, and roar of vehicles we're accustomed to. This isn't really surprising considering that the film was made during the infancy of cinema. In an era where films with sound were still called "talkies" it's to be expected that mere dialogue itself was enough to keep the viewers interested. However, instead of being a distraction, I found myself focused on the narrative of the movie instead. And of course, the distinctive whistling (one could almost call it a leitmotif) contrasts the dialogue and draws our attention immediately. I think it would be interesting if a filmmaker decided to make a movie using as sparse a soundscape as we see here. Would the modern audience have the patience to watch it?