Maigret Sets a Trap (2016)

Chief Inspector Jules Maigret hunts for a serial killer.

Director:

Ashley Pearce

Writers:

Stewart Harcourt (screenplay), Georges Simenon (novel)

Stars:

Rowan Atkinson, Leo Staar, Shaun Dingwall

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rowan Atkinson	...	Chief Inspector Jules Maigret
Leo Staar	...	Inspector LaPointe
Shaun Dingwall	...	Inspector Janvier
Alexander Campbell	...	Dennis Lecoin
Beth Cooke	...	Georgette Lecoin
Zsófia Rea	...	Nicole Lecoin
Colin Mace	...	Inspector Lognon
Hugh Simon	...	Dr. Paul
Leo Hatton	...	Michelle
Ian Bartholomew	...	The Baron
Katie Lyons	...	Madame Maguy
Jack Johns	...	Rougin
Matt Devere	...	Police Inspector
Aidan McArdle	...	Judge Comeliau
Rufus Wright	...	Minister Morel

Storyline

Over a five month period in 1955 four women are stabbed to death in Montmartre after dark, a prostitute and a midwife among them - women with nothing in common beyond being brunette. Justice minister Morel leans on chief Inspector Maigret to catch the murderer and Maigret sets a trap, using policewoman Marthe Jusserard as a decoy. She survives an attack, sartorial evidence leading to married mother's boy Marcel Moncin, whom Maigret arrests. However whilst Moncin is in custody there is a further murder and Maigret looks to Moncin's family to help solve the murders.

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | brunette | murder of a prostitute | policewoman decoy | knife | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK Hungary

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 2016 (UK)

Also Known As:

Komisario Maigret: Maigret virittää ansan

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fragile Films,Ealing Studios,Maigret Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the end of the film, Maigret walks past a man who is pasting up a poster for a film at a kiosk; the film is Max Ophuls' last film, "Lola Montes". However, there is an acute accent over the 'e' in "Montes", and it should be a grave accent.

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Goofs

The story is supposedly set in 1955 but one of the street scenes has a black Simca Aronde P60 going by. This model was not released until October 1958.

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Connections

Version of Maigret: Maigret Sets a Trap (1992)

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Soundtracks

Maigret Sets A Trap
by Samuel Sim

User Reviews

Not great, but good enough. Welcome back, M. Maigret!

Well, I have seen the film. And I liked it. It's not a masterpiece and certainly not the best adaptation of Simenon I've seen, but it's good enough to entertain and satisfy those who missed watching Maigret. It succeeds in recreating the claustrophobic atmosphere of Simenon's novels, and even if the screenplay is a bit uneven at times, the overall result is very good. The production design is great, and Budapest looks perfect as Paris.

The performances by the cast are all above average, but it's Rowan Atkinson who steals the screen every time he's on it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: his casting came as an absolute surprise to me, as I would never have thought of him as a possible Maigret. But the truth is he made the part his own. So much so that at a certain point I forgot the actor and saw only the character. Very, very good performance by Atkinson, proving he's much more than just a great comedian, he's a great actor.

If you are looking for the best adaptation of this story, I suggest you get your hands on a copy of the 1958 french version "Maigret tend un piège", directed by Jean Delannoy and with the great Jean Gabin as Maigret (to me the best of them all, but that's me). But if all you want is to spend 90 minutes with Maigret and watch a well told and even better played story, then you could do worse than watch this one.

I will certainly be looking forward for the next film in the series, "Maigret's Dead Man". Welcome back, M. Maigret!