I enjoyed this episode. I really did. The filmmakers, for reasons I can guess but don't know, decided to deliver a (somewhat) lighthearted story-a murder occurs in the same hotel in which Maigret is enjoying a few days of vacation. An employee of the hotel asks his friend Maigret to help find out what has happened, and (no surprise) Maigret protests and explains he's resting, enjoying a short holiday, doing nothing. But of course, Maigret can't resist and soon joins the effort to find who murdered who and why. Or maybe it's that he can't resist the charm of Mylene Turner (played by Arielle Dombasle, who reminds me of Mylene Demongeot with a touch of Brigitte Bardot), an actress caught up in this mysterious hotel murder.
George Simenon's short story "The Improbable Monsieur Owen," upon which this film is based, is not a good one. It reads more like an outline of a novel-and maybe that's how it started-than as a solid short story. It includes some characters and plot points and Maigret quickly resolving the mystery but it's quite boring and unconvincing. (I likely just made the Simenon fans angry. But I'm one too and I do feel this short story is bad writing.) The filmmakers, I guess, decided to use the basic plot of the story and turn it into something fuller . . . And also decided to have a bit of fun while doing so. Again, a guess: This episode looks-and I mean really looks and plays out-like one of the David Suchet "Poirot" episodes from the 90s. (Yes, I know the Suchet "Poirot" series ran through 2013 but I'm specifically remembering the early years of that series.) Maybe they were parodying that, but if not, it doesn't change my enjoyment of this film.
If you've been working your way through the Bruno Cremer "Maigret" episodes then consider this a slight detour, a little respite from the typical Maigret story. And smile along with Bruno Cremer as he smiles throughout this episode at the improbability of his character Maigret at a beach resort, ensconced in dress shirt and jacket, pipe in hand, solving the mystery of a murder of a man who wore grey gloves in the summer heat.
George Simenon's short story "The Improbable Monsieur Owen," upon which this film is based, is not a good one. It reads more like an outline of a novel-and maybe that's how it started-than as a solid short story. It includes some characters and plot points and Maigret quickly resolving the mystery but it's quite boring and unconvincing. (I likely just made the Simenon fans angry. But I'm one too and I do feel this short story is bad writing.) The filmmakers, I guess, decided to use the basic plot of the story and turn it into something fuller . . . And also decided to have a bit of fun while doing so. Again, a guess: This episode looks-and I mean really looks and plays out-like one of the David Suchet "Poirot" episodes from the 90s. (Yes, I know the Suchet "Poirot" series ran through 2013 but I'm specifically remembering the early years of that series.) Maybe they were parodying that, but if not, it doesn't change my enjoyment of this film.
If you've been working your way through the Bruno Cremer "Maigret" episodes then consider this a slight detour, a little respite from the typical Maigret story. And smile along with Bruno Cremer as he smiles throughout this episode at the improbability of his character Maigret at a beach resort, ensconced in dress shirt and jacket, pipe in hand, solving the mystery of a murder of a man who wore grey gloves in the summer heat.
