In a rare treat from the legendary 1950s anthology series "Studio One", Georges Simenon's indefatigable Commissaire Maigret (Romney Brent) searches Paris for a deadly Polish crew of gangsters led by a mysterious person known only as Stan, the Killer. But even though this play is based on a Maigret story, the focus is on Ozep (Eli Wallach), a mousy Polish immigrant who begs Maigret to let him help catch Stan but not out of patriotism but because he has a death wish. The final twist of this diverting tale still packs a punch even if it is significantly softened by an overlong runtime and melodramatic performances.
Romney Brent portrays Maigret in a very similar manner as Heinz Rühmann. He is a cold, commanding, and elegant policeman who doesn't suffer fools gladly and who deals with everyone in the same brusque tone. He doesn't even try to embody the warm, wise, and stoic man from Simenon's books nor could he with his slight build and Aryan features. He doesn't leave much of an impression with his limited runtime and uninspired performance. Eli Wallach, on the other hand, does a far more intriguing job even though his performance of the suicidal Pole is a little laughably over-the-top. He never misses an opportunity to mug for the camera or whisper dramatically, but Wallach is an intelligent and sensitive actor and his interpretation is solid even if his performance is a little overpitched. Brent and Wallach play well off each other and their final scene is the most touching moment of the play.
The script by Sumner Locke-Elliot and James P. Cavanagh is sound and well put together but they do have some trouble in stretching Simenon's story into a 50-minute TV play. It certainly drags towards the middle and I could have done without the interminable interludes at the police station and wordy explanations of plot points we've already understood. The story lies with Ozep and it hardly makes a difference whether Maigret sends Janvier to pose as a waiter. Allen Reisner's stilted direction does little to make the pace tighter even though there are two inspired moments in the play, both silent. The first is the opening shot, a lengthy pan across a series of tense faces as Maigret's undercover policemen observe Ozep going on his suicidal mission. The other is a wordless exchange between Ozep and Olga (Lisa Ferraday), a Polish girl living in Paris whom he seems to know from before.
Overall, "Stan, the Killer" is not one of the stronger entries in the "Studio One" series, nor is it a particularly notable Maigret adaptation, but it has its charms. It is after all a good story which even in a lesser adaptation provokes excitement.
Romney Brent portrays Maigret in a very similar manner as Heinz Rühmann. He is a cold, commanding, and elegant policeman who doesn't suffer fools gladly and who deals with everyone in the same brusque tone. He doesn't even try to embody the warm, wise, and stoic man from Simenon's books nor could he with his slight build and Aryan features. He doesn't leave much of an impression with his limited runtime and uninspired performance. Eli Wallach, on the other hand, does a far more intriguing job even though his performance of the suicidal Pole is a little laughably over-the-top. He never misses an opportunity to mug for the camera or whisper dramatically, but Wallach is an intelligent and sensitive actor and his interpretation is solid even if his performance is a little overpitched. Brent and Wallach play well off each other and their final scene is the most touching moment of the play.
The script by Sumner Locke-Elliot and James P. Cavanagh is sound and well put together but they do have some trouble in stretching Simenon's story into a 50-minute TV play. It certainly drags towards the middle and I could have done without the interminable interludes at the police station and wordy explanations of plot points we've already understood. The story lies with Ozep and it hardly makes a difference whether Maigret sends Janvier to pose as a waiter. Allen Reisner's stilted direction does little to make the pace tighter even though there are two inspired moments in the play, both silent. The first is the opening shot, a lengthy pan across a series of tense faces as Maigret's undercover policemen observe Ozep going on his suicidal mission. The other is a wordless exchange between Ozep and Olga (Lisa Ferraday), a Polish girl living in Paris whom he seems to know from before.
Overall, "Stan, the Killer" is not one of the stronger entries in the "Studio One" series, nor is it a particularly notable Maigret adaptation, but it has its charms. It is after all a good story which even in a lesser adaptation provokes excitement.
