On of my abiding passions is reading crime stories, and amongst my favourites are those written by Georges Simenon about the Parisian detective, Jules Maigret.
I first became aware of the Maigret stories as a child, when I watched Rupert Davies portraying the character on BBC TV from 1960 to 1963.
... and Rowan Atkinson.
Jules Amedée François Maigret is a Commissaire (Commissioner or Chief Inspector) of the Brigade Criminelle (Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris). As such, he investigates major crimes in and around Paris (and sometimes outside that region) under the direction of an Examining Magistrate. He is married to Louise Maigret (who is usually just referred to in the books as Madame Maigret), and was born in the village of Saint-Fiacre in the Allier Department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, where his father (Evariste Maigret) was the bailiff and land agent for the local landowner.
In 2013 Penguin Books announced that they were going to re-publish new translations of all the Maigret novels, a task that was completed in January this year. Over the past few years I have been reading (or in some cases, re-reading) the novels in no particular order, and so far, I have finished those shown in bold below:
I first became aware of the Maigret stories as a child, when I watched Rupert Davies portraying the character on BBC TV from 1960 to 1963.
Since then he has been portrayed on UK TV by Sir Michael Gambon ...Rupert Davies as Maigret.
... and Rowan Atkinson.
Jules Amedée François Maigret is a Commissaire (Commissioner or Chief Inspector) of the Brigade Criminelle (Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris). As such, he investigates major crimes in and around Paris (and sometimes outside that region) under the direction of an Examining Magistrate. He is married to Louise Maigret (who is usually just referred to in the books as Madame Maigret), and was born in the village of Saint-Fiacre in the Allier Department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, where his father (Evariste Maigret) was the bailiff and land agent for the local landowner.
In 2013 Penguin Books announced that they were going to re-publish new translations of all the Maigret novels, a task that was completed in January this year. Over the past few years I have been reading (or in some cases, re-reading) the novels in no particular order, and so far, I have finished those shown in bold below:
- Pietr the Latvian
- The Late Monsieur Gallet
- The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien
- The Carter of La Providence
- The Yellow Dog
- Night at the Crossroads
- A Crime in Holland
- The Grand Banks Cafe
- A Man's Head
- The Dancer at the Gai Moulin
- The Two-Penny Bar
- The Shadow Puppet
- The Saint-Fiacre Affair
- The Flemish Shop
- The Madman of Bergerac
- The Misty Harbour
- Liberty Bar
- Lock No. 1
- Maigret
- Cecile is Dead
- The Cellars of the Majestic
- The Judge's House
- Signed, Picpus
- Inspector Cadaver
- Félicie
- Maigret Gets Angry
- Maigret in New York
- Maigret's Holiday
- Maigret's Dead Man
- Maigret's First Case
- My Friend Maigret
- Maigret at the Coroner's
- Maigret and the Old Lady
- Madame Maigret's Friend
- Maigret's Memoirs
- Maigret at Picratt's
- Maigret Takes a Room
- Maigret and the Tall Woman
- Maigret, Lognon and the Gangsters
- Maigret's Revolver
- Maigret and the Man on the Bench
- Maigret is Afraid
- Maigret's Mistake
- Maigret Goes to School
- Maigret and the Dead Girl
- Maigret and the Minister
- Maigret and the Headless Corpse
- Maigret Sets a Trap
- Maigret's Failure
- Maigret Enjoys Himself
- Maigret Travels
- Maigret's Doubts
- Maigret and the Reluctant Witnesses
- Maigret's Secret
- Maigret in Court
- Maigret and the Old People
- Maigret and the Lazy Burglar
- Maigret and the Good People of Montparnasse
- Maigret and the Saturday Caller
- Maigret and the Tramp
- Maigret's Anger
- Maigret and the Ghost
- Maigret Defends Himself
- Maigret's Patience
- Maigret and the Nahour Case
- Maigret's Pickpocket
- Maigret Hesitates
- Maigret in Vichy
- Maigret's Childhood Friend
- Maigret and the Killer
- Maigret and the Wine Merchant
- Maigret's Madwoman
- Maigret and the Loner
- Maigret and the Informer
- Maigret and Monsieur Charles
- Maigret's Pipe
- Maigret's Christmas
- Seven Little Crosses in a Notebook
- The Little Restaurant in Les Ternes
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I remember the old black and white version - striking a match on the wall to light his pipe - many many years ago .
ReplyDeleteThe Good Soldier Svjek,
DeleteThe opening motif of striking a match against a wall to light his pipe set the tone for the programme that followed ... rather like the naked swinging lightbulb did some years later for CALLAN.
All the best,
Bob
Prolific writer. I never cottoned to the Rupert Davies shows back in the day, probably because I was too young to appreciate them in the 1960s, but have been very impressed with the more recent Rowan Atkinson stories. Never saw the Michael Gambon ones.
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteI think that most of the episodes featuring Rupert Davies are now ‘lost’, but I understand that the Michael Gambon ones are available on DVD.
I like the way Rowan Atkinson portrays Maigret’s personality, but he seems to lack Maigret’s physical presences. (Maigret is often described as being tall and heavily-built, with peasant features.)
All the best,
Bob
Maigret is an utter joy... I discovered him last year (Christmas of 2018 actually) when I was in Bath and just happened to pick up Maigret's Christmas, as I wanted something to read while I was in the pub waiting for my wife.. absolutely hooked, and am very much enjoying collecting the new versions which have beautiful covers.. currently up to and reading at the moment #13.... for interest, which is your favourite TV portrayal...?
ReplyDeleteSteve-the-Wargamer,
DeleteI find the books addictive ... and MAIGRET’S CHRISTMAS is a great book to start with. The writing is so good that I can almost smell the Gauloise cigarettes and Pernod whilst I am reading!
For me, Sir Michael Gambon looks like I imagine Maigret would look, but Rowan Atkinson’s portrayal captures the personality of the man. He doesn’t just want to catch the criminal; he wants to understand why the crime was committed and to explore its effects on everyone who is touched by it.
All the best,
Bob