he arranges a bogus prison escape so he can be followed. Unfortunately for Maigret, the scheme backfires, and Heurtin becomes lost. At a bar where he finds the Kirby trio, Maigret spots Heurtin, who is clearly looking for his accomplice. When a patron of the restaurant refuses to pay his bill and police are called, Maigret suspects this is a ruse to frighten away Heurtin. Further investigation reveals that the diner, Radek (Franchot Tone), is a brilliant and educated young man who is also bipolar. A cat and mouse game follows in which Radek taunts Maigret. In the process, Kirby shoots himself after being chased by Maigret in his aunt's house, but before dying he gives up the letters MV. Redek then tries to implicate Mrs Kirby and Edna in the murders. Eventually, owing to a clever ruse by Maigret, Radek is exposed and, after a car chase, dashes up the Eiffel Tower, pursued by an angry Heurtin, whom Radek dodges. Radek is clearly keen to die spectacularly, but his low mood takes over and he is arrested. Maigret meets Radek one last time at the guillotine, but declines to watch. In the street outside Maigret watches the sight of Parisian lovers enjoying themselves, and spots Heurtin with his partner. Heurtin is now wearing proper spectacles. Maigret in happy mood returns to police headquarters. Cast Charles Laughton as Inspector Jules Maigret Franchot Tone as Johann Radek Burgess Meredith as Joseph Heurtin Robert Hutton as Bill Kirby Jean Wallace as Edna Wallace Patricia Roc as Helen Kirby Belita as Gisella Heurtin George Thorpe as Comelieu William Phipps as Janvier William Cottrell as Moers Chaz Chase as Waiter Wilfrid Hyde-White as Professor Grollet References External links 1950 films American mystery films 1950s French-language films Maigret films American police detective films Films directed by Charles Laughton Films directed by Burgess Meredith Films directed by Irving Allen Films scored by Michel Michelet 1950s crime thriller films Films with screenplays by Harry Brown (writer) French black-and-white films English-language French films 1950s police procedural films RKO Pictures films 1950 directorial debut films American black-and-white films Eiffel Tower in fiction 1950s American films