Saw this on the Talking Pictures channel (UK, old films and TV). They had previously shown the 1960s series (50+ episodes, BBC, B&W) featuring Rupert Davies, a generally acclaimed Maigret.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
This Cremer version is of course French, with subtitles, but they are not too wordy, so fairly easy to follow. Also very French, lots of atmosphere, meaningful looks, thoughtful silences.
I see some reviews refer to how faithful this version is to the books, a ludicrous statement in one respect, as Lucas, his main assistant in all the books I've seen, has almost completely disappeared!
I haven't liked all the episodes so far of this Cremer version, but THIS one is EXCELLENT. Unusually, frequent reviewer Whalen (usually most accurate) hasn't placed one for this episode, so I'll have to outline the plot a little bit.
Maigret is somewhere down South, on a case, but before he returns, gets asked to help someone whose husband (of only a month) has gone missing. The girl doesn't trust him, (a regional dislike of cops), but he shows her that he can help.
The young man - a sports journalist - seems to have been trying to get a sum of money to buy a dance studio, so his wife can do the job ( a teacher) she loves. Where would he get a large sum quickly?
The local police chief thinks he's a crook, and resents Maigret trying to help (he'd made fun of an attempted arrest of an old petty thief with no record of violence).
Maigret gradually unravels what must have happened, by using the petty thief to follow the girl as SHE tries to find what happened. The story involves art thefts, and the death a couple of years before of one of the local crime family.
Once again, Maigret upsets the local chief, and if the story has a flaw, it's that the chap is so stupid he could be shoe leather, and how did he get promoted to that job?!
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!).
At the end, Maigret does indeed receive a present. His friend the petty thief (now driving a taxi) had supplied a picture to interest a local 'fence'. That picture - a copy of a Cezanne - came from the wife of the pickpocket. As a thank you for helping to stop the arrest of the old chap (as if he'd kill someone?!) he is given the picture to take home for the long-suffering Mme Maigret.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
This Cremer version is of course French, with subtitles, but they are not too wordy, so fairly easy to follow. Also very French, lots of atmosphere, meaningful looks, thoughtful silences.
I see some reviews refer to how faithful this version is to the books, a ludicrous statement in one respect, as Lucas, his main assistant in all the books I've seen, has almost completely disappeared!
I haven't liked all the episodes so far of this Cremer version, but THIS one is EXCELLENT. Unusually, frequent reviewer Whalen (usually most accurate) hasn't placed one for this episode, so I'll have to outline the plot a little bit.
Maigret is somewhere down South, on a case, but before he returns, gets asked to help someone whose husband (of only a month) has gone missing. The girl doesn't trust him, (a regional dislike of cops), but he shows her that he can help.
The young man - a sports journalist - seems to have been trying to get a sum of money to buy a dance studio, so his wife can do the job ( a teacher) she loves. Where would he get a large sum quickly?
The local police chief thinks he's a crook, and resents Maigret trying to help (he'd made fun of an attempted arrest of an old petty thief with no record of violence).
Maigret gradually unravels what must have happened, by using the petty thief to follow the girl as SHE tries to find what happened. The story involves art thefts, and the death a couple of years before of one of the local crime family.
Once again, Maigret upsets the local chief, and if the story has a flaw, it's that the chap is so stupid he could be shoe leather, and how did he get promoted to that job?!
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!).
At the end, Maigret does indeed receive a present. His friend the petty thief (now driving a taxi) had supplied a picture to interest a local 'fence'. That picture - a copy of a Cezanne - came from the wife of the pickpocket. As a thank you for helping to stop the arrest of the old chap (as if he'd kill someone?!) he is given the picture to take home for the long-suffering Mme Maigret.
