THE MAN ON THE EIFFEL TOWER

US, 1949, 97 minutes, Colour.
Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone, Burgess Meredith, Robert Hutton, Jean Wallace, Patricia Roc, Belita, Wilfred Hyde White.
Directed by Burgess Meredith.


While this film has an excellent cast and features the city of Paris is one of the cast, it is something of a lame duck interpretation of the Georges Simenon story.

Certainly, Paris looks very good, especially the Eiffel Tower with the preposterous chase, the villain climbing the exteriors of the tower, a character with poor eyesight following him, a melodramatic ending which might work better in the imagination then on the screen.

The film features Charles Laughton as the inspector, Laughton bringing his engaging idiosyncrasies to an unexpected police Inspector, satisfied with observing his prey rather than a great deal of exertion. Because his prey is a vain man, a psychopath who has made himself available for a price to murder a playboy’s aunt so that he can get an inheritance and who flaunts his guilt in the face of everyone, it is a matter of watching till the man gives himself away and can be arrested. He is played by a considerably older-looking Franchot Tone, different from his films and debonair roles of the 1930s.

Irwin Allen began work as director but Burgess Meredith took over – allowing himself to give quite a hammy performance as market seller with poor eyesight who gets entangled with the murder, threats from the murderer, going to prison, set up to escape so that the inspector can follow him. British actress, Belita, plays his wife. The other women in the cast are Patricia Roc as the playboy’s wife and Jean Wallace as his mistress. He is played by Robert Hutton. There is also a guest role from Wilfrid Hyde White as an expert interviewed by the inspector.

Definitely a curiosity item – along with The Man Who Watched Trains go By, another Simenon story from the same year featuring Claude Rains.


1. The popularity of the detective story by Georges Simenon, Inspector Maigret? Crime, French settings? an English version?

2. The strong cast, international? Burgess Meredith directing?

3. The city of Paris as a member of the cast? The tourist views, the range? The climax on the Eiffel Tower?

4. The situation, Bill Kirby, playboy, meeting his wife, his relationship with her, his mistress turning up, the friendship between the two women? The
discussion in the bar, waiting for his inheritance from his aunt, his being overheard, the note on the floor?

5. Radek, sitting in the bar? His character, Czech background, the war? In Paris? Self-assured? The note, following it up, the murder of the aunt and the
maid? Heurtin and his presence, the glasses are not able to see, Radek treading on them? The threats, allowing Heurtin to go to prison, arranging an escape? His reputation, appearances, taunting Heurtin, taunting Maigret, vanity, in full view?

6. Heurtiin, his wife, the work at the market, his eyes and his glasses? At the scene of the murder? Fear, the deal, going to prison? Interrogated by Maigret? Maigret organising his escape, following him? Eluding him? The confrontation with Radek, the threats? The role of his wife?

7. Bill Kirby, his wife and her being hurt, his mistress and her interest in his money?

8. Maigret as a character, Charles Laughton and his style, his persistence, the methods, the authorities? Following Radek, searching for Heurtin? Using
the mistress to help solve the case? The setup?

9. Radek, in the trap, leaping to escape, with Heurtin, on the Eiffel Tower, the melodrama of the chase, his claim, fall? Maigret watching? His being arrested?

10. Maigret satisfied? Radek going to his execution – and the quip that Maigret could not follow him there?

11. How interesting an interpretation of a Simenon story?