Il commissario Maigret

Belgian-born writer Georges Simenon created the quiet pipe-smoking Jules Maigret, and wrote no less than 75 novels featuring the Parisian inspector, always with the background of the Quai des Orfevres police station, and his team of assistants who sift through all types of clues and evidence in the streets of the French capital, redolent with dark atmosphere.

The Quai des Orfevres office often provides the ideal setting for psychological interrogation, and this film takes full advantage of the Spartan simplicity of the station's interiors.

Director Jean Delannoy does a creditable job with the material at hand. He certainly gets Jean Gabin to reproduce many of the mannerisms that emerge in the character of Maigret in those 75 novels, but I do not rate MAIGRET TEND UN PIÈGE one of the famous detective's better showpieces. Gabin does particularly well when he keeps silent, and just conveys quiet menace, determination, or love for his homely wife with his eyes.

The beautiful and young Annie Girardot suddenly appears among the inquisitive crowd surrounding a dead female, and attracts the attention of one of Maigret's aides. Why exactly I could not fathom, as it was clear that the killer was a male, and witnesses correctly identified him as such.

The movie takes on another dimension with Girardot's presence but the finest piece of acting comes courtesy of Jean Desailly, Girardot's impotent, jealous, and hysterical husband, who has not managed to sever the umbilical cord with his domineering mother, played with considerable verve and venom by Lueienne Bogaert.

The young Lino Ventura keeps appearing in the background, and speaks but a few lines, but cuts a convincing Detective Torrence.

Maigret applies massive psychological pressure on all whom he interrogates and finally comes up with the results, but Gabin sometimes takes his Maigret to shouting and emotional levels that rather exceed the character emanating from Simenon's novels. Not that it reduces believability, but having read some of those novels I felt that this Maigret had a touch of the excessive... perhaps to stay in tune with Desailly?

Wonderful photography of the dark streets of Paris. Good adaptation of the novel to the screen by the irrepressible Michel Audiard and Director Delannoy himself.

Certainly worth watching.

This year was devoted to deepening my appreciation of Simenon's works; this is the best film version of his novels. From the first scene, with a nervous Insp. Lagrume trying to keep abreast of a violent confrontation in the Place des Vosges--the fourth killing by a sadistic serial killer--to the ending with Lagrume again trying to curry favour with an exasperated Maigret, this film held me spellbound. The acting is superb: Gabin has his best role since the glory days with Renoir in the 30's, Desailly is extraordinary as the wretched Maurin, pulled by mother and wife both and hating it, Annie Girardot is wonderfully sensual and determined as the young wife, and Lucienne Bogaert plays the mother from Hell with the greatest skill. The hatred the two women have for each other is palpable. All the supporting players turn in fine work, especially Gerard Sety as Jojo the gigolo who manages to stir the emotions of Yvonne Maurin, for a while at least.

It seems there is no general Region 1 release for this film; that's a real shame. I found a cheap knockoff without special features in a cutout bin in Montreal. Please let's have a proper reissue.

Among the less famous movies made by Gabin in his 50s,there are two I love most:Maigret Lays a Trap and The Baron of the Locks;the two have 4 things in common:Gabin,Delannoy,a Simenon adaptation,and Desailly in a supporting role.Maigret Lays a Trap serves also as an access,an introduction to the young Mrs. Girardot's charm and womanhood.

Gabin seems in high spirits and very willing to act and to mold a splendor of an ample role:that of a mammoth police inspector.

The atmosphere is very adequate and fitting.The pace is good,alert,nimbly done.This movie is concise,sharp,practical,each actor is cut out for the part.

Mrs. Girardot was fresh,appetizing,lustful and extremely sexual,she shows finesse and goes far.(Delannoy tasted the womanhood and knew how to make such portraits of women:in The Baron of the Locks,there is the delicious Blanchette Brunoy.It is obvious he had a taste for portraying women.)

"Maigret ..." takes pride in its quartet of actors:Gabin,Mrs. Girardot,Desailly (the director Delannoy would use Desailly again in another Simenon adaptation featuring Gabin:"The Baron of the Locks ") and Ventura in a bit,unimportant part.Hussenot is interesting as "Lagrume". Desailly plays an adipose,slippery, faint-hearted youngster with a psychotic air,a queer customer. Mrs. Girardot is very noticeable and lucent, lurid, luminous.

Maigret tend Un Piège (1958) is the first of the Gabin's "Maigrets",and a relish.Gabin was 54 years when he made this role.Gabin should have made many more such "Maigret" movies,and less trucker roles.The crime movies were seldom honored with an acting so classy.

Jean Delannoy was a very competent,efficient,very pragmatic, intelligent, capable director,and he made some very pleasing Simenon adaptations with Gabin.Delannoy showed up to be a clear-sighted director.(Contrary to what is said by a few,Gabin worked with many good directors,such as Renoir ,Carné,Duvivier,Ophuls,Becker,some of them now despised by nerds.)

I don't seek the Gabin's "Maigrets" for the joys only Simenon's novels can offer;the flicks provide joys of their own.The novels' Maigret is a very different one;Gabin's is tough,brusque,authoritarian,sometimes irascible,gives everybody the ha-ha.This movies are on their own.

Maigret was one of the best Gabin roles,and it is fair that all 3 "Maigret" movies are included in the list of Gabin's 17 "Incontournables". Gabin made one of the best policemen in cinema's history.

I delight in a good detective story and have seen numerous Film & TV versions of the same stories. In this case we're speaking of cases, which are for me; fantastic versions of Maigret. Gabin plays the character in such a vibrantly nuanced manner, as that of a man who is measured, but very engaged in walking the streets and getting into the nitty gritty of each case. The relationship with his wife has less to do with smiles and more to do with a woman who bursts any notional bubble he's caught in, with unpretentious aplomb. And the cases themselves are so much more detailed, complex and true to Simenon's originals than some other adaptations; especially shorter length episodes for TV. Of course, Simenon himself preferred Rupert Davies portrayal over the dozen or so other attempts. But for me this was thoroughly enjoyable!

This is the first of three films in which Georges Simenon's marvellous creation Jules Maigret is played by Jean Gabin. Rather plodding initially and resembling a standard 'policier', it takes on a new dimension and becomes totally absorbing with the appearance of Annie Girardot, Jean Desailly and Lucienne Bogaert all of whom are fantastic. In the title role Gabin's screen presence is undeniable but he is far more effective in his quieter moments than when called upon to emote. The ubiquitous Michel Audiard contributes dialogue which is always a plus whilst Louis Page is behind the camera as he was for the two subsequent films. Excellent score by Paul Misraki. At almost two hours it is a wee bit long for a whodunnit but one's interest is sustained by a brilliant cast and superb editing by Henri Taverna. Director Jean Delannoy has served Simenon well by concentrating on the psychological complexity of the characters.. The same director teamed up with Gabin the following year for 'Maigret et L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre' in which Gabin's portrayal is mellower and is ably supported by Valentine Tessier and Michel Auclair. The rest of the cast however is strictly 'B'. Five years were to elapse before 'Maigret voit Rouge' for director Gilles Grangier with whom Gabin made no less than twelve films! Despite some interesting 'types' this is basically one Maigret too far and nothing more than a mediocre gangster movie. We all have our favourite Maigret of course and mine happens to be Harry Bauer. Apparently Simenon himself favoured Rupert Davis!? Oh well, fools give you reasons, wise men never try'!