The Societé des Cinéromans has presented a film that must be counted among the most curious and interesting of the season. Differently from what is true in most productions, it is impossible to predict the ending… The viewer, anxious and intrigued, goes through the entire range of emotions, and the drama ends in a laugh… To make this frenetic story by Jean-Louis Bouquet, no one was better qualified than Luitz-Morat. We remember Cinq gentlemen maudit, La Terre du diable and Sang d’Allah, all adventure films which left lasting impressions in the minds of film lovers. La Cité foudroyée however, exceeds them both for its direction and for the beauty of the photography. Among others, the last part portrays the destruction of the Eiffel Tower and devastating fires at the Opéra and the Madeleine in an incredibly realistic manner. Denigrators of cinema and harsh critics may say “just models”… They will feel deeply embarrassed when they note that, behind these fake ruins, people are walking about, they come and go, continuing with their daily routines. So? How did Luitz-Morat succeed in destroying the Eiffel Tower? That is his secret, the secret of an expert filmmaker and of skillful photography.

Jean de Mirbel, Cinémagazine, n. 46, 1924