I watched the first Atkinson Maigret and thought it...okay.
I'm now finally catching up on the Maigret series with Rowan Atkinson, and I'm watching them in order. I like the Parisian atmosphere projected, even though it was filmed in Hungary.
Very well written and surprisingly - remembering "Mr Bean" - very well acted. The period is mid 1950's, so modern police niceties don't exist yet.
Unfortunately we cannot see Maigret, his wife, his police top manager, his methods, Maigret's food and drinks, Maigret's social and low-class attitude, the reverence toward him from his colleagues, the French Code of Criminal Procedure and police organization and so on and so forth. Nothing is left here of Simenon's new way of writing crime stories, the so-called "European detective stories" as opposed to the American and British wave (Poe, Conan Doyle, Christie).
The first entry in this new TV-film series that I watched, "Maigret Sets a Trap", had of course the advantageous / surprise element of seeing comedy actor Rowan Atkinson in one of his first and only dead-serious roles. That alone made the film worth watching, but on top of that it was also a tense and atmospheric adaptation of Georges Simenon's terrific novel centered on Chief-Inspector Jules Maigret.
This is a way better instalment than Maigret Sets A Trap, which was so predictable as to be barely held up by some of the cream of English acting talent. Maigret is an interesting idea.
Very good movie with awesome filming , acting and story. High recommended move to see in this genre.
Mystery, suspense, intrigue with terrific performance by Rowan Atkinson-Maigret investigating the identity of some ruthless and mean murderers , while plunging into the bloody Parisian underworld. As always, this film occurs in Paris, and surroundings , in Picardy , there happening a murder series.
Well-written, beautifully filmed and excellent acting.
