The Man on the Eiffel Tower by Burgess Meredith (1949)

CHARLES LAUGHTON,FRANCHOT TONE, BURGESS MEREDITH

The Man on The Eiffel Tower

Based on a novel by acclaimed writer Georges Simenon, THE MAN ON THE EIFFEL TOWER is a gleefully sinister romp through the City of Lights climaxing in a spectacular scene on the city¹s most famous landmark. The film follows Inspector Maigret (Charles Laughton) as he investigates a brutal killing that implicates a ne¹er-do-well playboy (Robert Hutton), a psychotic medical student (Franchot Tone), and a humble knife-sharpener (Burgess Meredith).

Featuring a dark, droll script by journeyman screenwriter Harry Brown (A Place in the Sun), THE MAN ON THE EIFFEL TOWER is livened by cinematography by Stanley Cortez (Night of the Hunter) that captures late '40s Paris in the dark, moody palette of the Ansco Color process.

The film was begun under the direction of producer Irving Allen. Laughton was so dissatisfied with Allen¹s work that‹three days into the shoot‹he threatened to quit unless Meredith (Rocky) be permitted to take control. Thus did the seasoned character actor land the most unexpected role of his career: director.

THE MAN ON THE EIFFEL TOWER was photographed on Ansco Reversal film, an early single strip color process, and no original elements exist today. The film has been preserved from two nitrate projection prints, the only 35mm color copies known to survive.

UK/France 1949 Color 97 Min.
Not Rated Full-Frame (1.33:1)

An RKO Radio Picture

Directed by Burgess Meredith
Produced by Irving Allen
Screenplay by Harry Brown
Based on the novel A Battle of
Nerves by Georges Simenon
Director of Photography:
Stanley Cortez
Music by Michel Michelet
Photographed in Ansco Color
With Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone, Burgess Meredith, Robert Hutton, Jean Wallace, Patricia Roc, Belita