Georges Simenon created French Inspector Maigret, hard-boiled hero of many medium-length detective novels (usually under 200 pages). He is called to a country village to solve the murder of a well-to-do middle-aged bachelor, shot at close range in his own house. From costume and cars it appears to be the late 1930s. The only other resident is Felice, a pretty, dark-haired young woman (played by Susie Lindeman, who pretty much steals the show). Questioned by Maigret, feisty Felice engages him in snappy and seemingly evasive repartee. The dead man's relatives include a married brother who dislikes the girl, and a young nephew, a sax-playing jazz musician, who comes down from Paris for the funeral. Most of the locals dislike her, though the shop lady backs up her alibi to Maigret. Of course, she could be involved even if she was not present when the man was shot. The scene shifts to Paris, the Metro, a jazz club, some action, and a hospital. There's also the matter of the dead man's Last Will and Testament, which adds more possible motives. Eventually the cast broadens out to include more suspects, but who are the red herrings? Even a lobster figures in the story. Maigret, tough and jaded, also reveals his warmer side.
I liked this show, which appears to be an episode in a made-for-TV series (British, but shot in France). It moves along briskly. Though you may notice a few plot devices, and one or two unanswered questions, I believe they can be attributed to Simenon. The show scores high on atmosphere (the funeral and scenes in the Paris jazz club and in a village restaurant are pretty good set pieces) and Susie Lindeman is a treat as an independent but romantic woman in the post-flapper era. I am surprised she has not done better than TV roles and small parts in a few feature films (see her listing here on IMDb, which lacks a biography -- is she Australian?). She's attractive but not voluptuous, intelligent and vivacious.
I liked this show, which appears to be an episode in a made-for-TV series (British, but shot in France). It moves along briskly. Though you may notice a few plot devices, and one or two unanswered questions, I believe they can be attributed to Simenon. The show scores high on atmosphere (the funeral and scenes in the Paris jazz club and in a village restaurant are pretty good set pieces) and Susie Lindeman is a treat as an independent but romantic woman in the post-flapper era. I am surprised she has not done better than TV roles and small parts in a few feature films (see her listing here on IMDb, which lacks a biography -- is she Australian?). She's attractive but not voluptuous, intelligent and vivacious.
