As others have commented, it is interesting to compare a French version of Maigret with the better known English-speaking ones. The story involves fading prostitute Ernestine advising Maigret that her burglar husband Alf discovered a body whilst on a job at a dentist's house in Neuilly. When the Chief investigates, the dentist M. Serre and his mother, state that no burglary has taken place. However, it is revealed that the dentist's wife did leave acrimoniously on the evening the burglary apparently occurred. Replaced window panes suggest that the Serres are not telling the truth but, they both refuse to answer questions. As time goes on it becomes clear that Madame Serre is obsessed with money and social status, both of which were thrown away by her profligate husband but then regained by her son's two marriages to rich, connected women.
To be honest, I was not overly impressed by this production. The pace is far too slow and it seems to have been made on the cheap. The action rarely moves beyond the confines of the dentist's house or the police station. Even the dragging of the river for the body is simply reported to Maigret without any location shots. There is little attempt at period atmosphere apart from the ubiquitous police Citroen and the fact that everybody smokes! The final third of the episode consists simply of interminable interviews of Serre and his mother in the hope that one of them will crack. The Rupert Davies version of this episode was nowhere near as tedious and the flushing out of the truth was very well done. I wouldn't call Davies dynamic but, he makes Cremer look like a waxwork!