Maigret (TV Series) The Dirty House (1962) User Reviews

More family secrets

[Tony-Holmes · 8/10 · 21 August 2022]

Saw this on Talking Pictures channel (UK - old films and TV) who are running all 4 of the original Maigret series (BBC, early 60s). It is another story involving a well-to-do family, which has some dark secrets they'd rather not have people know about -- a theme Simenon did several books on.

In this one the grandmother travels a long way to interrupt Maigret's holiday, and get him to come and investigate a mysterious death of a young girl. One of the sons-in-law - now running the family firm - was at school with Maigret (just a bit of a coincidence?!) and he had been a cheat and liar then, so Maigret is suitably intrigued.

The supporting cast are all excellent, between them must have racked up hundreds of appearances in assorted dramas and comedies. A nice comic turn is done by Dermot Kelly, an animal trainer at a circus, Maigret needs him to help control a fierce dog guarding a prisoner. Things begin to unravel in the family, as Maigret - with some fringe background info supplied by trusty Lucas - ferrets out the secret they're trying to conceal. And there's a dark ending, as one of the family decides to mete out suitable justice.

I enjoyed the episode, despite the couple of helpful coincidences which got the tale told in about an hour. And we never heard if Madame Maigret got her hubby back for the rest of her disturbed holiday?!

So that was Beatrix Lehmann...

[lucyrfisher · 9/10 · 20 August 2022]

Playing the old lady. She is rather buried under makeup and a very stiff walk. She seemed much younger when she offered Dr Who a sausage sandwich in The Stones of Blood.

It's always good to see Rosalie Crutchley, here looking darkly glamorous. Also the ageless Olive Sloan puts in an appearance as an alcoholic innkeeper. And I liked her one employee, Raymonde.

I guessed the central mystery, and enjoyed the scenes at the circus, where the cast are guests of "Mimile" the animal wrangler.

"It's a grandmothers job to clean it up"

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 11 October 2022]

Inspector and Madame Maigret are on their holiday with Jules tending the gardens, when his repose is interrupted by a visitor an elderly lady by the name of Bernadette Amorelle.

She has a case that she wants him to investigate that of the 'accidental' death of a young member of her family, she seriously suspects that all is not as it seems and that only Maigret can have any hope of getting to the bottom of it.

When Inspector Maigret decides to humour the old woman and investigate her suspicions, he can have absolutely no idea of what he may unearth, all he really knows, for certain is one member of the family concerned in the matter.

This personage is non other than an old school companion one Ernest Malik, that even at the tender age of eight years young was practicing in deceit in swindling the young Jules Maigret.

Well may the now Inspector Maigret speculate what had become of this potential scoundrel, his investigations into this 'accidental death' unearthed deeply buried family intrigue and skulduggery.

I really love revisiting these Maigret episodes after all these long years on from their original broadcast, I can't possibly judge them in comparison to modern detective shows.

Apart from being a futile endeavour for me these have something that no 'modern show' can ever hope to encapsulate, because it's really impossible to fully put my finger on it properly.

It's an almost intangible quality that's intrinsically entwined with my adolescent memories, but in reality that is merely an added bonus, for the essence is really in the story and it's telling.

Inspector Maigret is a truly original creation by a true storyteller Georges Simenon, brought to life by the authors favourite interpreter of his literary creation Rupert Davies.

Beatrix Lehmann guest-stars

[psmulkern · 6/10 · 21 January 2022]

Despite the presence of class actors such as Beatrix Lehmann (playing a forthright grandmother almost 20 years older than she was) and Rosalie Crutchley, this is an overwrought drama about family secrets and lies, less engaging than some other episodes of this run. Gorgeous filming, though, at a French weir and the house when the Maigrets are supposedly en vacances. PM.

The Dirty House

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 21 August 2022]

Maigret goes on holiday that is once again interrupted by a suspicious death.

Georges Simenon was ahead of the curve more than Jessica Fletcher!

An elderly woman seeks out Maigret after a young woman's body was found in a weir.

Maigret is familiar with the lady's son in law Ernest Malik. An old disreputable school acquaintance of Maigret and now doing well running the family firm.

It is another episode where you think it might have worked better on a novel form.

This adaptation had dark family secrets and infidelity. The key is a missing son.

The elderly woman realises that at the end. She got Maigret to air the dirty family laundry.