The Mystery of the Eiffel Tower

The huge fortune inherited by circus comedian Saturnin will become the apple of discord between his partner and the Ku Klux Eiffel international crime ring, as they both have their eye on the inheritance. The chase scenes that ensue culminate in the spectacular showdown between Saturnin and the leader of the gang, which is the highlight of the film: against the backdrop of Paris, the protagonists are almost suspended from the metal structure.The visual composition and technical flawlessness of the scenes, the elements of social drama and slapstick comedy, as well as the well-chosen historical allusions, underscore the talent and skill of one of the most significant and prolific French directors, in one of his lesser known silent films which, despite its international distribution, survived in a single nitric oxide print at the Netherlands Cinematheque, which proceeded to restore it.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Script: Alfred Machard
Cinematography: Rene Guychard, Armand Thirard
Actors: Felicien Tramel (Achille Saturnin/Les freres Mironton), Regine Bouet (Sylvanie), Gaston Jacquet (Sir William Dewitt), Jimmy Gaillard (Reginald), Francois Viguier (Li-Ha-Ho, Dewitt’s private secretary)
Production: Le Film d’Art
Producers: Charles Delac, Marcel Vandal
Art Direction: Marcel Vandal
Sets: Fernand Delattre
Format: 35mm B&W
Production Country: France
Production Year: 1928
Duration: 129
Contact: Nederlands Filmmuseum, The Netherlandswww.filmmuseum.nl

Julien Duvivier

He was born in Lille in 1896. After a brief stint at the Theatre de l’Odeon as an actor, he was hired by the Gaumont filmproduction company in 1919. With 22 silent films to his credit, the transition to talkies made him one of the major French directors of the 30s and 40s. In 1938, the international success of his film "Pepe le Moko" led him to the United States, where he worked with some of the great stars of the time. He died in Paris in 1967, having directed a total of 67 films, which stand out for their technical perfection. As Jean Renoir aptly put it: “If I was an architect and had to build a monument to cinema, I would place Duvivier’s statue above the entrance. That great, unyielding technician was a poet.”

Filmography

(Selected)
1919 Haceldama
1925 Poil de carotte
1928 Le mystere de la Tour Eiffel
1936 They Were Five
1937 Pepe le Moko
1937 Life Dances On
1938 The Great Waltz
1942 Tales of Manhattan
1948 Anna Karenina
1951 Under the Paris Sky
1956 Twelve Hours to Live
1967 Diabolically Yours