A train from Berlin to Paris stops for 50 minutes at the town of Jeumont. In that time, a passenger is murdered. The first-class carriages are locked; no one can get on or off. The local police inspector, Paul Lachenal, calls in his famous uncle, Jules Maigret, for assistance. Maigret goes about his investigation in his usual methodical manner. "I like to listen to people," he says. And he promises the passengers he'll have the murderer caught by 9:00 PM.
In this story, set in the long hot summer of 1953, Maigret's investigation and bits of character business between the passengers occupy almost equal portions of screen time. Both, to me, were quite enjoyable. Lachenal, only recently out of the police academy, is eager to make a good impression on his uncle. The passengers are keeping secrets from Maigret, and from each other. Impatiently he tells Miss Frankel, "You and your boyfriend are getting on my wick!" Which may not have been meant to be funny, but was, in subtitled translation. It's been a long time since French class, but I think Maigret's actual words were "courir sur le haricot," which can be literally rendered, "running on the bean." Your mileage may vary.
There's even a little gun play in this installment. My favorite scene, though, was of Maigret, sitting alone in the compartment where the murder occurred, reasoning it out. If you like quiet mysteries, and don't mind subtitles, give this one a try.
In this story, set in the long hot summer of 1953, Maigret's investigation and bits of character business between the passengers occupy almost equal portions of screen time. Both, to me, were quite enjoyable. Lachenal, only recently out of the police academy, is eager to make a good impression on his uncle. The passengers are keeping secrets from Maigret, and from each other. Impatiently he tells Miss Frankel, "You and your boyfriend are getting on my wick!" Which may not have been meant to be funny, but was, in subtitled translation. It's been a long time since French class, but I think Maigret's actual words were "courir sur le haricot," which can be literally rendered, "running on the bean." Your mileage may vary.
There's even a little gun play in this installment. My favorite scene, though, was of Maigret, sitting alone in the compartment where the murder occurred, reasoning it out. If you like quiet mysteries, and don't mind subtitles, give this one a try.