Pierre Couchet, owner of a pharmaceutical company, is seen slumped over his office desk. His shadow-his silhouette-is visible in the office window. The office/apartment building's concierge sees him, discovers he's been shot, and calls Maigret to report the murder. And so begins one of the more intricate cases Maigret ever solves.
We've seen these characters before in some form, in some other story, but here in this story and in this plot they all seem new. The murdered man, quite rich, is married, and he has a mistress, and there's his first wife who lives nearby (and she has remarried), and his son, and a business partner. The victim was shot in his office. His safe is open and empty. While this story includes clues and eye witnesses to various actions, it's the characters revealing themselves that leads Maigret to the solution. Greed and its corrosive effect are more evident here, I think, than any other Simenon story. The filmmakers capture that story perfectly.
We've seen these characters before in some form, in some other story, but here in this story and in this plot they all seem new. The murdered man, quite rich, is married, and he has a mistress, and there's his first wife who lives nearby (and she has remarried), and his son, and a business partner. The victim was shot in his office. His safe is open and empty. While this story includes clues and eye witnesses to various actions, it's the characters revealing themselves that leads Maigret to the solution. Greed and its corrosive effect are more evident here, I think, than any other Simenon story. The filmmakers capture that story perfectly.
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