User Reviews

Another gorgeously played episode, Gambon is perfect as Maigret, gradually fathoming out the uneasy relationship between the chief suspect, his mother, and his wife. Did one of them become a killer to try and save him?

Lucas is as ever world-weary, only getting disturbed when he has to try and delay the odious Comeliau, the examining magistrate (another terrific performance).

This one fits into just over an hour a nice tale, with a forensic discovery taking less time than in the book, and it pays little heed to the suspect's claim that he had "given the suit to a tramp". The Rowan Atkinson version pads the story out to closer to 2 hours, some of it in pursuit of the suit!

THIS Maigret is cut from a different cloth though . . .

The four maigret stories made with rowan atkinson in the title role are simply superb. Both the casting and the direction are excellent, as we are transported back in time to 1950's Paris. The acting is of the highest order with atkinson outstanding as the unruffable jules maigret, who cuts a sympathetic almost avuncular figure as he solves grizzly murder cases. Also standout are shaun dingwall as maigret's no 2, janvier and aidan mcardle as cormeliau, the supervising judge. The director captures the atmosphere of Paris with excellent filmography and locations. I always think good productions need good music and these maigret stories don't disappoint. The title song for 'maigret sets a trap' 'là bas le chat sur le toit' is utterly haunting. Unmissable television at its best, these films are eminently rewatchable. I'm now on my fourth way round!

Maigret is under pressure from the press and his superiors with a serial killer on the loose. His victims are young women of Paris.

Maigret decides to deploy huge numbers of policemen and policewomen around the streets where the crimes took place. When an undercover policewoman is attacked, the killer gets away but she managed to grab a button from his coat.

Forensics is certain that the button was from a new type of cloth from England. Only few of it has so far been sold in Paris.

Marcel Moncin becomes a suspect. He is a young man dominated by two women, his wife and his mother. Moncin he gave his coat to a tramp something Maigret does not believe.

However when another murder occurs while Moncin is in custody. Maigret is under pressure from the Magistrate to release Moncin.

Only Maigret is sure that one of the women killed in order to save their son or husband.

I recently saw the Rupert Davies version and did not think this version was as good. This was sumptuous but I felt that the actor playing Moncin did not catch his character's psychological vulnerabilities.