Maigret - Set 1

Bruno Cremer IS Maigret
When I first saw Maigret - after having read several of the Simenon books - I instantly recognized that the producers had captured the essence of the mysteries and had found in Bruno Cremer the perfect actor to portray the enigmatic French detective. It's a joy to see this series again in a remastered edition, especially when mysteries rely increasingly on forensics, technology & special effects to support the plot. Here, in the tradition of good old-fashioned detective work, the story is revealed through Maigret's masterful comprehension of the facts and manipulation of the people he meets, quietly assessing and judging, seemingly without sympathy. The sympathy comes from the dignity of the writing and directing, which humanely never allow the archetypal characters of post-war France from descending into cartoon representations. The stories are intriguing and the atmospheric productions are full of memorable images evocative of the time period. When Bruno Cremer died about two years...

masterful
Yes, Bruno Cremer IS Maigret. Reading these mystery stories many decades ago, I was struck by the fact that atmosphere was everything. No high speed car chases, no shootouts in the bedroom. Maigret interacts with myriad characters relying on his experience, empathy and intuition. Some relevant history is unearthed and the case is solved. Sometimes a person will end up in jail, sometimes not. Either way justice and the viewer's sense of appropriateness is served. These shows perfectly capture the stories, every character, even the most minor feels correct. One hopes all 4 series which I have seen on Region 2 DVD's are made available in the U.S.
Incidently, the Michael Gambon version is excellent too, but very different, far more English in its sensibility (Gambon takes the ministry stairs two at a time, Cremer seems to take them one half at a time. Cremer speaks on the phone to his wife in each episode but she almost never appears, with Gambon, the wife is often...

an excellent portrayal of Maigret
These episodes are very true to Simenon and what I imagined when I read the books long ago. Bruno Cremer is a very good actor and perfect for the part. What I didn't notice when I bought this series was that it was in French. The English subtitles come on automatically and I couldn't find a way to get rid of them, but I needed them anyway. My high school French classes were also long ago. If you are a Simenon fan you will love these mysteries.

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