The Walls Came Tumbling Down

19461946
ApprovedApproved
1h 22m

Gilbert Archer, a Broadway gossip-columnist for a newspaper, learns that his best friend,a priest, has been murdered and one of the suspects is a pretty girl, Patricia Foster. In one of the ... Read allGilbert Archer, a Broadway gossip-columnist for a newspaper, learns that his best friend,a priest, has been murdered and one of the suspects is a pretty girl, Patricia Foster. In one of the bibles belonging to the murdered-priest, Archer discovers a code which leads him to the hi... Read allGilbert Archer, a Broadway gossip-columnist for a newspaper, learns that his best friend,a priest, has been murdered and one of the suspects is a pretty girl, Patricia Foster. In one of the bibles belonging to the murdered-priest, Archer discovers a code which leads him to the hiding place of a valuable painting. presumed to be the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Archer al... Read all

6.4/10

Director
- Lothar Mendes
Writers
- Jo Eisinger(novel)
- Wilfrid H. Pettitt(screenplay)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Add image

Director
- Lothar Mendes
Writers
- Jo Eisinger(novel)
- Wilfrid H. Pettitt(screenplay)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

Gilbert Archer, a Broadway gossip-columnist for a newspaper, learns that his best friend,a priest, has been murdered and one of the suspects is a pretty girl, Patricia Foster. In one of the bibles belonging to the murdered-priest, Archer discovers a code which leads him to the hiding place of a valuable painting. presumed to be the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Archer also learns that the murder was committed by persons anxious to get the painting, and he and Patricia are in danger. —Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>

painting valuable painting gossip columnist code murder 54 more

Taglines
- "LISTEN, BEAUTIFUL, THIS IS NO PARLOR GAME...YOU'RE PLAYING WITH MURDER! " (original poster - all caps)
Genres
Certificate
- Approved
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Goofs
When the body and Bible are disinterred, the Bible is in remarkably good condition for a book which has been buried with a corpse for several years. Archer then proceeds to leaf through this valuable item in the pouring rain and in [presumably] very poor light, seemingly for the sole purpose of revealing his doings to the villains of the piece.

Quotes
Matthew Stoker: Mr. Archer, I must ask you to forgive this early call, but it's most urgent that we speak with you at once.
Gilbert Archer: What do you want?
Matthew Stoker: I'm sorry, but we must talk to you. It's about some rare Bibles.
Gilbert Archer: Come in. How'd you get past the clerk at the desk?
Matthew Stoker: We didn't, Mr. Archer. The freight elevator was dirty but convenient.
Gilbert Archer: [Looking warily at the man's ministerial collar] You're not a clergyman.
Matthew Stoker: We are missionaries, Mr. Archer.
Gilbert Archer: Did somebody recommend me as a prospect?

Connections
Referenced in Shivering Sherlocks (1948)

Top review

6/10

Two Maguffins Lead To A Third

Columnist Lee Bowman goes to visit his friend the priest in his rectory, to discover that the man has apparently hanged himself. It soon develops that he was murdered, and the apparent motive was to recover two bibles leading a lost Da Vinci painting illustrating Joshua before the walls of Jericho. Other people looking for it include Marguerite Chapman, who is lying about her name and origin; George Macready as a missionary with a gun and a thug to beat information out of people; Edgar Buchanan as a nosy lawyer; and J. Edward Bromberg as a twitchy, psychotic bookseller.

It's very clearly a gloss on THE MALTESE FALCON; Bowman's character is named "Archer", the same as Bogart's murdered partner in the classic film and the book it is based on. The mystery aspects, from a novel by Jo Eisinger are nicely tangled, and while most of the performances are straightforward, the movie moves along at a good clip, and Bromberg is a delight in his eccentric performance.

It's Lothar Mendes' last credit as a director. He was born in Germany in 1894, and moved from acting to directing in 1921. His best remembered movies are 1929's THE FOUR FEATHERS and 1936's THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES. He died in 1974.

helpful•1