After a man is condemned to execution for the murder of his wife, Maigret instinctively doubts that the man is guilty and continues to pursue his investigation. An unusually structured episode, partly told in flashback, narrated by Maigret. Rupert Davies is at his finest here as the dogged detective determined to save one man, and Philip Madoc is also notable as an edgy, low-life gigolo. PM.
5 Reviews
Another good exercise in detection
Sir_Oblong_Fitzoblong3 February 2022
A small-scale episode with Maigret trying to save a condemned man by reexamining the case at the last minute.
It manages to avoid slipping too far into cliche or pseudo-psychological padding and does present a good piece of tense detection even if, as so often, the clincher comes about as the result of the murderer making a rather silly howler.
It manages to avoid slipping too far into cliche or pseudo-psychological padding and does present a good piece of tense detection even if, as so often, the clincher comes about as the result of the murderer making a rather silly howler.
Maigret ponders a possible miscarriage of justice!
michael_wells_gr16 February 2024
The book version and the TV versions have some obvious differences. While both the book and TV version ponder about a possible miscarriage of justice which it seems is too late to fix, in the book, the convicted man, Adrien Josset, has already been executed whereas in the TV version Maigret races against time to try and prevent the execution of a man Maigret suspects is innocent and who had seemingly got himself easily condemned by just talking too much. The TV version, unfortunately, seems to show the probable killer, a real psychopath, just before the murder takes place, which apparently spoils the mystery as to the whodunit! Nevertheless, the TV plot centers around whether Maigret will discover the truth in time, and, though strongly hinted at, the answer is not definitively given.
The story was published in 1959 and was part of the Presses de la Cité books and at this later stage in writing, Simenon, the book author, uses the technique of 'flashbacks' told by Maigret to his good friend Doctor Pardon while the two men and their wives share one of their monthly dinners together at Maigret's home on this occasion in the TV version, though, in the book it takes place at the Pardon's where Maigret is particularly fond of Mme Pardon's rice pudding which reminds him of his childhood. Dr Pardon is one of the very rare persons whom Maigret ever confides with some of his own thoughts about his own cases. In the book version, Simenon writes more about his own philosophical cogitations on the subject of justice and guilt and whether or not justice can ever truly exist. The story being told switches back and forth between the present and the past as well as different points of view, Maigret's, Josset's, and the narrator, creating multiple and conflicting reflections of the same events.
From my point of view, I have a soft spot for these old black and white TV Maigret detective stories even though the characters portrayed are mostly only two dimensional and lacking the depth and complexity one finds in more modern series. I like them because they hearken back to a simpler time before the Internet and computers had changed the world. The Rupert Davis series is no exception and lacks the complexity as well as the depth of philosophical thought that the author Simenon infuses into his books, but that is to be expected with the different mediums that one works with. Nevertheless, if you want to disconnect for three quarters of an hour and take a trip back in time to this wonderful age, I highly recommend this series.
The story was published in 1959 and was part of the Presses de la Cité books and at this later stage in writing, Simenon, the book author, uses the technique of 'flashbacks' told by Maigret to his good friend Doctor Pardon while the two men and their wives share one of their monthly dinners together at Maigret's home on this occasion in the TV version, though, in the book it takes place at the Pardon's where Maigret is particularly fond of Mme Pardon's rice pudding which reminds him of his childhood. Dr Pardon is one of the very rare persons whom Maigret ever confides with some of his own thoughts about his own cases. In the book version, Simenon writes more about his own philosophical cogitations on the subject of justice and guilt and whether or not justice can ever truly exist. The story being told switches back and forth between the present and the past as well as different points of view, Maigret's, Josset's, and the narrator, creating multiple and conflicting reflections of the same events.
From my point of view, I have a soft spot for these old black and white TV Maigret detective stories even though the characters portrayed are mostly only two dimensional and lacking the depth and complexity one finds in more modern series. I like them because they hearken back to a simpler time before the Internet and computers had changed the world. The Rupert Davis series is no exception and lacks the complexity as well as the depth of philosophical thought that the author Simenon infuses into his books, but that is to be expected with the different mediums that one works with. Nevertheless, if you want to disconnect for three quarters of an hour and take a trip back in time to this wonderful age, I highly recommend this series.
Maigret races against time, and the guillotine's blade!
Tony-Holmes6 November 2022
Saw this on the UK Talking Pictures channel, who are showing all 4 series of Maigret, originally early 60s BBC. We're in the 4th series now, and the quality has generally improved, this one no exception.
A rather unusual episode, told partly in flashback, but it was very well done. Maigret is hosting his friend (a doctor) at a small dinner party, and they discuss each other's problems, a patient soon to die, and a condemned man facing the guillotine. The doctor leaves early, to make a further visit to the hospital, just in case. Maigret determines to try and help the accused, even if though most of the case he was little help to himself.
His team reviews the case file, could one of the murdered wife's other lovers have done it, even though they apparently had alibis? And Maigret wonders if the eye-witness, living opposite the house of the murder, had actually seen the accused at the time he was adamant about in his court testimony?
They find that one of the other lovers has just been released from a short jail sentence, for assaulting a wealthy woman (soon after the murder). Mmm, so he has a violent streak? And the eye-witness, Maigret finds that he has a girlfriend, not realised at the trial, could he have been, well, distracted that night???
Also unusually, Maigret voices over the flashbacks, to help the viewer with his thought process at the time, a device that works well. Keen eyed viewers will see that the doctor friend is played by Ballard Berkeley, who later played the dotty major in cult comedy Fawlty Towers, and the sleazy bully-boy was Philip Madoc, who went on to be in, well, hundreds of things, but notably in another cult comedy, Dad's Army, specifically the "Don't tell him, Pike" episode!
A rather unusual episode, told partly in flashback, but it was very well done. Maigret is hosting his friend (a doctor) at a small dinner party, and they discuss each other's problems, a patient soon to die, and a condemned man facing the guillotine. The doctor leaves early, to make a further visit to the hospital, just in case. Maigret determines to try and help the accused, even if though most of the case he was little help to himself.
His team reviews the case file, could one of the murdered wife's other lovers have done it, even though they apparently had alibis? And Maigret wonders if the eye-witness, living opposite the house of the murder, had actually seen the accused at the time he was adamant about in his court testimony?
They find that one of the other lovers has just been released from a short jail sentence, for assaulting a wealthy woman (soon after the murder). Mmm, so he has a violent streak? And the eye-witness, Maigret finds that he has a girlfriend, not realised at the trial, could he have been, well, distracted that night???
Also unusually, Maigret voices over the flashbacks, to help the viewer with his thought process at the time, a device that works well. Keen eyed viewers will see that the doctor friend is played by Ballard Berkeley, who later played the dotty major in cult comedy Fawlty Towers, and the sleazy bully-boy was Philip Madoc, who went on to be in, well, hundreds of things, but notably in another cult comedy, Dad's Army, specifically the "Don't tell him, Pike" episode!
A Man Condemned
Prismark104 December 2022
A doctor with a patient who is dying spurs Maigret to save a man from the gallows.
Adrien Josset (Trader Faulkner) has had his final attempt for clemency turned down. He will soon be executed for murdering his wife.
Maigret investigated the murder and felt that Josset's habit of incessant chatting condemned him more than the evidence.
Still Maigret is not convinced of Josset's guilt. However he needs to demolish the damning eyewitness evidence of neighbour Colonel Lalinde.
I think this flashback episode would have helped that the opening scene had not shown the baddie. I think it would have been better when the person was bought in for questioning and the viewer could see them being unravelled.
Adrien Josset (Trader Faulkner) has had his final attempt for clemency turned down. He will soon be executed for murdering his wife.
Maigret investigated the murder and felt that Josset's habit of incessant chatting condemned him more than the evidence.
Still Maigret is not convinced of Josset's guilt. However he needs to demolish the damning eyewitness evidence of neighbour Colonel Lalinde.
I think this flashback episode would have helped that the opening scene had not shown the baddie. I think it would have been better when the person was bought in for questioning and the viewer could see them being unravelled.
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