The Man on the Eiffel Tower Reviews

Georges Simenon's famous sleuth, Inspector Maigret, was never better enacted than by the shrewd, slow, and sure Charles Laughton, who pursues a thrill killer-for-hire in this superb film noir production. The nephew of a rich woman hires Radek (Tone) to kill his aunt, and Maigret investigates. After dismissing a blind knife-grinder (Meredith, who also directed) as too obvious a suspect, Maigret unearths Tone, a psychopathic murderer who enjoys killing and baiting the police. Cop and killer play an intense cat-and-mouse game until one of them finally cracks under the psychological strain, with a superb chase up the Eiffel Tower as the exciting finale. The acting is outstanding in this film, and Franchot Tone actually overcomes Laughton's masterful mannerisms in their scenes together. Burgess Meredith both adroitly performs his red-herring role and directs with a sure hand. The lensing by Stanley Cortez, in rich Ansco color, lovingly shows a majestic Paris while sharply capturing the thrilling story. Michelet's score is also exceptional.