In Paris, a down and out medical student Johann Radek (Franchot Tone) is paid by Bill Kirby (Robert Hutton) to murder his wealthy aunt. A knife grinder (Burgess Meredith) is suspected, but ... See full summary »
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Noble-born cad Dennis (Stapley) has been tricked into a forced stay at the eerie manor of the Sire de Maletroit (Laughton), an evil madman who can't get over the death of his beloved, ... See full summary »
Director:
Joseph Pevney
Stars:
Charles Laughton,
Boris Karloff,
Sally Forrest
Tom Walker,former All-American fullback who gave up football to enter the ministry, returns to his old home town for his first assignment under the church Bishop , an old friend of his ... See full summary »
Director:
Alfred E. Green
Stars:
Dorothy Lamour,
George Montgomery,
Charles Laughton
A religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery.
After borrowing $20 from his employer's cash register, an auto mechanic is plunged into a series of increasingly disastrous circumstances which rapidly spiral out of his control.
Director:
Irving Pichel
Stars:
Mickey Rooney,
Jeanne Cagney,
Barbara Bates
Lamont Cranston (Rod La Rocque), amateur criminologist and detective, with a daily radio program, sponsored by the Daily Classic newspaper, has developed a friendly feud that sometimes ... See full summary »
Director:
Charles Lamont
Stars:
Rod La Rocque,
Astrid Allwyn,
Thomas E. Jackson
Louise Mason is a young widow who fills her empty life with the task of becoming a children's nurse. As the years pass, and the widow tries to find her own place in life, her young charges,... See full summary »
Directors:
Curtis Bernhardt,
Busby Berkeley
Stars:
Jane Wyman,
Charles Laughton,
Joan Blondell
Chronicles the life of queen Elizabeth I, before she became the queen of England. Apart from taking part in the court intrigues, she is unhappily in love with admiral Thomas Seymour, and ... See full summary »
Director:
George Sidney
Stars:
Jean Simmons,
Stewart Granger,
Deborah Kerr
In Paris, a down and out medical student Johann Radek (Franchot Tone) is paid by Bill Kirby (Robert Hutton) to murder his wealthy aunt. A knife grinder (Burgess Meredith) is suspected, but Radek keeps taunting the police until they realize that he is the killer. The police and Maigret (Charles Laughton) are led on chases through the streets and over the rooftops of Paris and finally up the girders of the Eiffel Tower. Written by
Herman Seifer <[email protected]>
Producer Irving Allen was the original director, but after only three days of shooting, Charles Laughton threatened to quit if Burgess Meredith did not take over. Laughton directed the scenes in which Meredith appeared. See more »
Goofs
When Maigret is reading the 'Letter to the Editor' about the escape, the position of his hands on the newspaper change between shots. See more »
Quotes
Inspector Jules Maigret:
[to Johann Radek]
By the way - there's one thing I'd like to know. Am I following you, or are you following me?
See more »
Crazy Credits
In the opening credits, the "City of Paris" is given fifth billing as a star of the film. See more »
While perhaps not all that good, The Man on the Eiffel Tower is nonetheless entertaining and not nearly as bad as some have offered. Yes, the direction is less than inspiring throughout much of the picture. Burgess Meredith doesn't really seem to get a grasp on creating tension but more importantly some kind of depth for his characters. Charles Laughton, the rotund actor who I personally have never seen give a bad performance, plays the legendary Inspector Maigret from the Georges Simenon novels. I have not read them and therefore an ill-equipped to make any comparisons. I do think Laughton gave the best performance in the film even though, yes, you might say if was a bit off-kilter and subdued even for him. Meredith plays his typical milquetoast individual with workmanlike skill, and Franchot Tone gives at sometimes a very creepy, erratic, unnerving performance as the titular man of the film. The city shots of Paris, though my copy had a somewhat grainy color quality, were impressive and the denouement at the Eiffel Tower easily was the film's most noteworthy attribute. This film was just engaging enough to interest me and it is populated with an above-average cast.
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While perhaps not all that good, The Man on the Eiffel Tower is nonetheless entertaining and not nearly as bad as some have offered. Yes, the direction is less than inspiring throughout much of the picture. Burgess Meredith doesn't really seem to get a grasp on creating tension but more importantly some kind of depth for his characters. Charles Laughton, the rotund actor who I personally have never seen give a bad performance, plays the legendary Inspector Maigret from the Georges Simenon novels. I have not read them and therefore an ill-equipped to make any comparisons. I do think Laughton gave the best performance in the film even though, yes, you might say if was a bit off-kilter and subdued even for him. Meredith plays his typical milquetoast individual with workmanlike skill, and Franchot Tone gives at sometimes a very creepy, erratic, unnerving performance as the titular man of the film. The city shots of Paris, though my copy had a somewhat grainy color quality, were impressive and the denouement at the Eiffel Tower easily was the film's most noteworthy attribute. This film was just engaging enough to interest me and it is populated with an above-average cast.