The Man on the Eiffel Tower

I recently heard about a movie called the "Man On The Eiffel Tower." The title alone would have gotten me interested but it was the choice of director that intrigued me. It was directed by Burgess Meredith.
I read somewhere that the first director quit over creative differences. Normally that is a phrase that is used to hide the real reasons but after seeing this movie I believe it. Young Mr. Meredith got the job when his new friend, Charles Laughton, had such faith in him that he suggested that he take over as director.
The story is really about a down and out medical student, played by Franchot Tone, is hired to kill a woman. Mr. Meredith is set up as the killer. The majority of the film is a cat and mouse game between
Mr. Tone and Mr. Laughton. The ending takes place on the Eiffel Tower where Laughton and Meredith corner Mr. Tone and he contemplates suicide in order to escape prison.
There are huge plot holes in the film. The biggest is why Burgess Meredith's character is at the scene of the murder in the first place. Late in the movie it is explained he was there to borrow money but I don't recall anytime that they told how he knew the murder victim.
The film needs a major restoration. It was filmed in color. However, for most of the film it looked almost in black and white. The poster for the film above has more color then the film now does.
This movie was a Hitchcock style film but it failed to do it's "homage" to the director justice. With a major re-write of the script that would fill in the plot holes this film could fair well with a re-make. It has a decent story if told well. I can see George Clooney in the part of Franchot Tone.