Why is there a cult in the Eiffel Tower? My thoughts on Duvivier’s 1928 flick.

You should probably watch this if you like old silent movies that feel like they're making up the rules as they go. It's great for a Sunday afternoon when you want something weird and don't want to think too hard.

If you hate black and white or can't stand plots that don't make sense, just skip it. Honestly, I went into this expecting a boring documentary about construction or something. Instead, I got a guy from a circus and a secret cult wearing hoods. 🤡

The movie is called The Mystery of the Eiffel Tower, but the tower doesn't even show up for a long time. Most of it happens in a big fancy house or at the circus.

Tramel plays both twins, and you can tell he's having a lot of fun being the 'evil' one. He has this look in his eyes like he just stole your lunch money and knows he won't get caught. It's a bit like the energy in All Wrong where things are just slightly off-beat.

The plot is about an inheritance, which is the most common thing in movies from 1920s. One twin is a nice circus guy who just wants to do his job, and the other is a total jerk who takes his place. I got confused once or twice about who was who because they look identical, obviously.

The editing is a bit jumpy, maybe because the film is old or the copy I found was missing some bits. Then there is this group called the 'Companions of Intelligence.' They wear these pointy black hoods that look way too much like something else, which is a bit uncomfortable to watch now.

They have this secret base where they do... well, I'm not actually sure what they do. They just look cool and menacing while they sit around a table. It reminded me a bit of the vibe in The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu with the secret society stuff.

Julien Duvivier directed this, and you can see him practicing his camera angles. Some of the shots in the chateau are really pretty with the way the light hits the floor. But then the movie goes back to being a silly adventure with people falling over.

There’s a scene with a car chase that feels like it’s in fast-forward. I laughed a little bit because the cars look like toy boxes on wheels. The stunt work is actually impressive though, especially for 1928.

No CGI back then, obviously. Just people jumping onto moving things and hoping they don't break a leg. The main guy, the 'good' twin, spends a lot of time looking very worried. I would be worried too if my brother was trying to ruin my life and take my house.

The 'evil' twin has a better mustache, I think. Or maybe it's just the way he sneers at the camera. The middle of the movie drags a little bit, and I found myself checking the time. But then they finally get to Paris and the movie wakes up.

The Eiffel Tower looks massive in this. They climb all over the iron beams like they're at a playground. It made my feet tingle a bit just watching it. It’s not like Avatar where everything is fake and colorful.

You can feel the wind and the height in these shots. There is a part where someone is hanging off the side and it looks genuinely dangerous. I wonder if they had any safety ropes at all or if they just didn't care back then.

The ending is a bit of a rush, like they realized they were running out of film. Everything gets solved very quickly and the bad guys get what’s coming to them. I wish we saw more of the circus at the start because those scenes were fun.

Circus scenes in silent movies always have a strange, creepy energy. Like the extras don't know where to look or they're just staring at the camera. It’s a bit messy, and it’s definitely a bit silly in places. But it's never boring once the hoods show up and the climbing starts.

I’m still thinking about those hoods. Why pointy? It’s such a specific choice that makes them look like a cult from a nightmare. Anyway, it's a solid watch if you're in the right mood for some old-school chaos.

Maybe a 4 out of 10 if you're tired and want something fast-paced, but more like a 7 if you appreciate the history. I liked it more than I thought I would. Duvivier really knew how to frame a face, even if the plot is basically a soap opera with more iron beams.

Check it out if you can find a good copy that isn't too blurry. Just don't expect it to make total sense the whole way through. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the view from the top of the tower. 🗼