Maigret is asked to investigate a death in a Normandy village. A maid has died in the home of the widow Besson. Poisoning. And that poisoning appears to have been intended for the widow and not the maid. To celebrate the Madame Besson's birthday her family (daughter and step-sons) had gathered at the house earlier on the day of the maid's death. Sounds like the opening of an Agatha Christie mystery, but Simenon, author of the Maigret mysteries, does what he does so well: He delves into the past, describes the nuances of the places, and examines not just the suspects but also those on the periphery. He provides an atmosphere of sights, sounds, and smells. In this episode the filmmakers deliver a perfect story capturing the cadence, the very feel of the novel.
The film follows the novel quite closely with only minor and unimportant deviations. The characters' relations to each other and their feelings toward each other are well scripted and acted. The pacing is excellent, especially considering that this story (as with many Maigret mysteries) is driven by dialogue. Dialogue can get boring, but that doesn't happen here because of the superb casting and the change of locations around this village. (Kudos to Odette Laure who plays the widow in what is a difficult role.)
As in the novel Maigret works outside in, talking to people about the widow and her family. Then he moves from one family member to another until the real story begins to reveal itself and the fake one collapses. I've read the book twice and seen this episode three times and consider it one of the best of the series.
The film follows the novel quite closely with only minor and unimportant deviations. The characters' relations to each other and their feelings toward each other are well scripted and acted. The pacing is excellent, especially considering that this story (as with many Maigret mysteries) is driven by dialogue. Dialogue can get boring, but that doesn't happen here because of the superb casting and the change of locations around this village. (Kudos to Odette Laure who plays the widow in what is a difficult role.)
As in the novel Maigret works outside in, talking to people about the widow and her family. Then he moves from one family member to another until the real story begins to reveal itself and the fake one collapses. I've read the book twice and seen this episode three times and consider it one of the best of the series.
