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Maigret - ITV


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Old 29-03-2016, 23:10
Faust
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I read some of the comments on this thread before watching the programme this evening so I wasn't actually prepared for what followed.

This was a beautifully filmed old school slow burn detective drama - loved every minute of it.

Not once did I think RA was miscast in the role, I didn't expect him to smile and never once did the image of Mr Bean come into my head. I very much liked the way he played Maigret. I just think this sort of drama is totally wasted on many of you. I would suggest you stick to things like 'Die Hard' etc.

I can remember Rupert Davies in the original so this brought back memories for me. Perhaps someone will revive Harry Lime and make The Third Man next.
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Old 29-03-2016, 23:21
seejay63
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Not once did I think RA was miscast in the role, I didn't expect him to smile and never once did the image of Mr Bean come into my head.
Me neither I thought he was excellent.
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Old 29-03-2016, 23:59
duncann
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I have just watched it. I thought it was very atmospheric and beautifully lit, shot, costumed, sets etc.

It was old-fashioned in the sense that the serial killer did not leave endless bizarre intellectual clues, there was no political conspiracy or jaded cynicism, everyone in it was - shock horror - white, the role and place of women was not updated with ahistorical feminism, there was not a massive cast of suspects and it was not filmed on wobbly cam with no shot longer than a nanosecond.

What was brilliant about it was the moment Maigret uncovered the killer by saying something like 'you have only now asked why we are here' - a simple but devastating plot device, and the 1950s period psychology. Some of this may have made it seem dated but Simenon started writing Maigret over 80 years ago and it is the genre of those times. I also thought Atkinson and Cohu were really well paired. I think it will work well as a replacement for Poirot on Sunday nights.
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Old 30-03-2016, 08:38
enna_g
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Boring and bland but I did enjoy the fashions of the era and the look of Paris in the 1950's. This was the main reason I stuck with it. I felt Maigret was too underplayed and could not really get into it at all, I felt like saying for goodness sake wake up man at least have a little impact. I recorded it and watched about half and then the other half last night and it was a bit of a struggle to get through.
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Old 30-03-2016, 09:38
fenlander
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In the Rupert Davies series, Maigret's sidekick Lucas played an important role as a foil for the boss. I don't remember the Michael Gambon series so clearly, so I'm not sure if the same applied. In this version Maigret came across as a loner with nobody to share his thoughts with. This left him looking wooden.

The car - and the 50s cityscapes, whether Paris or Budapest - was the star.
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Old 30-03-2016, 09:44
alan29
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The Rupert Davies original TV series managed to fit a story into less than 60 minutes.
This latest one was turgid and bloated at twice the length.
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Old 30-03-2016, 09:50
gomezz
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TBH when they copped the suspect only halfway in I thought they must have got the wrong man and that maybe he was keeping schtum to protect his wife who was the real perp. I got that the wrong way round then.
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Old 30-03-2016, 14:31
Britt_Ishrael
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I know it was filmed in Budapest but I thought it captured the feel of post-war Paris well. I could almost smell the Gauloise.

I also thought Rowan A did a good job and played it just right, and as I'd imagined the character to be from the books - he was Maigret, not Dirty Harry
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Old 30-03-2016, 15:03
Tiggywink
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I was too tired to watch the end. Can someone tell me, was the killer the architect-decorator guy? I switched off after the mother/prison scene.
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Old 30-03-2016, 15:28
prehensile
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I was too tired to watch the end. Can someone tell me, was the killer the architect-decorator guy? I switched off after the mother/prison scene.
Spoiler
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Old 30-03-2016, 16:39
JezR
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The Rupert Davies original TV series managed to fit a story into less than 60 minutes.
It was 'international length' for the day at around 50 minutes.

They also didn't tackle this story until towards the end of the third series.
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Old 30-03-2016, 17:05
REVUpminster
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Simenon wrote some of Rupert Davies episodes. His last Maigret story was in 1972

Rupert Davies's Maigret was also contemporary and not set in the past.
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Old 30-03-2016, 18:07
tallulahula
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was prepared not to like it as I loved the Gambon version, and I hated the trailer, but I really enjoyed it and hope it becomes a regular thing.
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Old 30-03-2016, 18:38
Horza's Drone
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I thought it was total shit even by ITV's low standards. Atkinson was woefully miscast and the story was just dull.
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Old 30-03-2016, 19:25
JezR
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Simenon wrote some of Rupert Davies episodes. His last Maigret story was in 1972

Rupert Davies's Maigret was also contemporary and not set in the past.
I don't consider myself that much of an expert, but I think Trap was written in the mid 1950s, so before but not too much the Davies series.

John Simenon seems as happy with Atkinson playing Maigret as his father was with Davies, if you believe the interviews.
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Old 30-03-2016, 19:52
vauxhall1964
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it was hard to banish Blackadder from my mind but on the whole I enjoyed it and will watch the next one. Two hours was luxury... why do some people want it all over in 50 minutes, for heaven's sake? It was a worthy follow up to Poirot - if not quite in that league
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Old 31-03-2016, 12:23
Tourista
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Approached this with trepidation if I am honest, as I was a fan of the Rupert Davies version. Well, I admit that I was wrong and RA played Maigret brilliantly.

Pacing and atmosphere felt right, the dialogue was sharp, and the camera work was easy on the eye. The first thing that I felt was that this had a very similar pacing and direction to Foyle's War which is a favourite of mine.

Only downer is that we will have to wait months for the next one.
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Old 31-03-2016, 13:41
thomscn
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I have just watched it. I thought it was very atmospheric and beautifully lit, shot, costumed, sets etc.

It was old-fashioned in the sense that the serial killer did not leave endless bizarre intellectual clues, there was no political conspiracy or jaded cynicism, everyone in it was - shock horror - white, the role and place of women was not updated with ahistorical feminism, there was not a massive cast of suspects and it was not filmed on wobbly cam with no shot longer than a nanosecond.

What was brilliant about it was the moment Maigret uncovered the killer by saying something like 'you have only now asked why we are here' - a simple but devastating plot device, and the 1950s period psychology. Some of this may have made it seem dated but Simenon started writing Maigret over 80 years ago and it is the genre of those times. I also thought Atkinson and Cohu were really well paired. I think it will work well as a replacement for Poirot on Sunday nights.

You should watch the same story with Michael Gambon playing Maigret, it is an hour long episode and is done much better.
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Old 31-03-2016, 13:55
kampffenhoff
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We had never read any Maigret and I hadn't even heard of Rupert Davies and didn't like Blackadder so we came to this with fresh eyes. We thought it was excellent and are now eager for more.
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Old 31-03-2016, 14:44
Faust
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I thought it was total shit even by ITV's low standards. Atkinson was woefully miscast and the story was just dull.
And yet you've set aside the time to come on here and share your experience with us?
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Old 31-03-2016, 14:46
Faust
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You should watch the same story with Michael Gambon playing Maigret, it is an hour long episode and is done much better.
I have and totally disagree - sorry.
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Old 31-03-2016, 14:51
Faust
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it was hard to banish Blackadder from my mind but on the whole I enjoyed it and will watch the next one. Two hours was luxury... why do some people want it all over in 50 minutes, for heaven's sake? It was a worthy follow up to Poirot - if not quite in that league
Sadly we live in a world of instant gratification. Younger people find it very difficult to have to sit and think, they want it all laid out for them in 15 minutes with no thought involved.

What they would make of radio drama goodness only knows. I love radio drama as I find the scripts have through necessity to be more descriptive and yet leave ones mind to conjure up the scene.
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Old 31-03-2016, 15:00
roddydogs
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So the wife tried to get mum to take the rap? why did he hate his wife? was he really gay?
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Old 31-03-2016, 15:38
Tourista
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So the wife tried to get mum to take the rap? why did he hate his wife? was he really gay?
(in order)

1..No, the mother WANTED to take the "blame" for the last murder as in her twisted mind it would prove to the son how much she cared for him.

2...Because she like his mother controlled him, he couldn't live his own life as he was told all the time that he was special, when in truth he knew he was a failure.

3...You had the same notion my OH had in that he was a repressed gay who was unable to live their "real" life, and were smothered under the so called love of both women so struck out against those he could easily attack. Whether or not the character was actually gay is unknowable except for George Simenon who created the story.
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Old 31-03-2016, 16:33
thomscn
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I have and totally disagree - sorry.
Difference of opinion it is then, arhh well!, onward and upwords
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