MAIGRET: MAIGRET SETS A TRAP

UK, 2016, 87 minutes, Colour.
Rowan Atkinson, Lucy Cohu, Rebecca Night, David Dawson, Fiona Shaw, Shaun Dingwall.
Directed by Ashley Pearce.

The novels of George Simenon have been popular over many decades. And there have been quite a number of film and television versions. This particular story was filmed in 1958 with Jean Gabin as the inspector and directed by the prestigious Jean Delannoy.

For most audiences coming across this BBC production, the surprise will be to find Rowan Atkinson in the title role. How could he make a transition from Black Adder, from Mr Bean, from Johnny English to this most serious performance? But, he does. always serious, rather world-weary, with the compensation of a loving and supportive wife, but fairly inexpressive, especially facially inexpressive for Rowan Atkinson.

This means that the audience can concentrate on the plot, the 1950s Paris settings filmed actually in Budapest, the complications of five women being murdered, the slow investigation, the dissatisfaction of the people, of the media (with photos on the front page of Le Monde which a number of people have noted did not have photos on the front page until 1980!), and of the police chiefs and government ministers.

The screenplay focuses on aspect of the psychology of a serial killer, humiliation and being anti-women, with Maigret setting a trap, taunting the murderer in his vanity and need to make himself known.

In some ways, the identity of the killer is easily revealed by some following up of clues – but there is interest in his interrogations, his relationship with his wife and, especially, with his mother, who is played by Fiona Shaw.

This is the first in a series of Inspector Maigret films made for BBC television.

1. The long popularity of inspector Maigret, Simenon novels, the variety of film versions, television series? 21st-century version?

2. The impact of casting Rowan Atkinson as the inspector? His reputation for comedy? His very serious performance as the inspector?

3. The Paris settings, the 1950s? Costumes, men with coats and hats? Decor, smoking, the city, the landmarks, police precincts, affluent homes, poor neighbourhoods, Montmartre? The musical score?

4. The inspector, introverted, the touch of the recluse, his relationship with his wife, the scenes at home, confiding in her? Her support? The case, the many murders, his office, the photos on the wall? His not making progress? His superiors, the minister and his criticism? The loyal associates? His methods, thinking through the mentality of the killer?

5. The murders, the wife at home, going to the shop, husband and children, her being killed? The family grief? The inspector going to see them?

6. The police, the various visits, the nightclub, the girls wanting protection? The comments about Jack the Ripper and the differences?

7. The party, the experts speaking, mental condition, references to Freud? A man in his 30s, humiliated? Attack on women?

8. The inspector, his ploy, the false arrest, the media pack and their questions, theories? Waiting for the media to respond? The plan, the women officers and their going out to
walk the streets, the plainclothes police? The attack, the policewoman and her fighting back, rescued, the report?

9. Having the coat cloth, the button, the visits to the tailor, the address of the customer, going to his apartment, his wife, his being an artist, alibi, his receiving the inspector, taken to the precinct, in the cell, interrogation? The inspector sure that he was correct? The story of the suit given away, the police finding it, the expertise on when the burn was made?

10. The inspector and his visit to the accused’s mother, a dominant woman, her abrupt behaviour, coming to see her son, his reaction to her? The back story, his father, marrying at 18, having to live with his mother, getting away from her? His wife and his mother spoiling him?

11. The next murder, differences in method, the finding of his knives?

12. The authorities, replacing the inspector? The final interrogation, bringing the wife and the mother? Audiences assuming that the mother did it to cover the son? The protestations that she would do anything for her son? The irony that it was the wife who did the murder?

13. A rather quiet film about police methods, investigations, crime and solutions?