MAIGRET: NIGHT AT THE CROSSROADS
UK, 2017, 88 minutes, Colour.
Rowan Atkinson, Lucy Cohu, Kevin R. Mc Nally, Tom Wlaschiha, Mia Jexen, Shaun Dingwall, Dorothy Atkinson.
Directed by Sarah Harding.
This is the third of the British series of Maigret. Again, he is portrayed by Rowan Atkinson with a style very different from his comic characters in Blackadder and Mr Bean. Here he is quiet, pensive, almost humourless, sure of his authority, shrewd in assessing people’s characters, solving mysteries.
While Maigret is very French, Georges Simenon’s creation, and has been played in film and on television by French actors, there is also a tradition of the British filming his stories. The setting is France with extensions into Belgium, and the atmosphere is that of the 1950s.
There is an interesting opening with the crime being committed and the assailant unidentified. An immediate suspect is a disfigured Danish man who lives with his sister, taciturn – but, eventually Maigret solves the situation and the man has been framed. He is living with his sister – but that is just appearances and there is a long story behind that.
The setting is robbery, Jewish jewellers in Antwerp, a French and Belgian gang. There is also the police work, Maigret and those who assist him as well as the local chief, Grandjean, played by Kevin R. Mc Nally (generally known from the Pirates of the Caribbean series).
With an arresting prologue and the murder, the screenplay unfolds the investigation in a very measured way until there are more and more intricacies and the revelation of plot twists.
1. The popularity of Inspector Maigret, French, settings in previous decades? French versions? British versions? I versions of the 21st-century? The third in the series?
2. The French and Belgian settings, Antwerp and jewellers, country towns, homes and garages, the cornfields? The Paris settings? Offices, restaurants? The musical score?
3. The prologue, the husband and wife, the diamonds, the possibility of going to America, the husband determined, his drive in the night, the meeting, his being shot, the diamonds disappearing, his body found in Andersen’s car, his wife escaping, going to the jewellers shops, going to the police, wanting to see the body, her being killed?
4. Maigret, Rowan Atkinson’s presence and performance, serious and measured? Generally humourless? His presence at the funeral of his colleague, the regrets about his loneliness and death, drinking? The discussions with his wife, at home, her support? His assistant detectives and their work, their loyalties?
5. The Andersens, Karl, serious, the neighbour and her chatter, playing the music, his sister and the relationship? The discovery of the body, his alarm, the two going on the train, their being apprehended, the gun in his pocket, his own collection of guns? The arrest, the interrogation, his not being helpful? His sister, agoraphobic, dealing with Maigret, her being taken home, locking herself in her room? Karl and his return home? The revelation of a stronger relationship between the alleged brother and sister? The neighbour coming in to check that he was back?
6. Grandjean, his authority, his men, interactions with Maigret, their past, friendships, their wives, his being sent from the city? His wanting jurisdiction, interactions with Maigret, his outbursts – and Maigret thinking they were fear? His involvement with the investigations, with Karl, wanting him kept in custody? Apologising to Maigret, the two men and the dinner with their wives, his wife confiding in Maigret’s wife, her fears that he was having an affair, the booking the room every Tuesday? Maigret and his reflections on Grandjean’s behaviour, presence and absence, suspicions, the room, the corrupt police, his relationship with Karl’s wife, the plan to leave together, his being apprehended?
7. Karl, the story of his background, his ambassador father and disowning him and his sister, the revelation of the sister’s death, his praying during the crash, the disfigurement for his face, in Antwerp and his preaching the Bible, the prostitute and marrying her, the pretence that she was his sister, his reading the story of the Prodigal son – and the final message to her about rejoicing in heaven at the return of one sinner? His disappearance, his being shot, coming to shield his sister, the truth about him, that he was framed? His still being devoted to his wife?
8. The locals, the travelling salesman, his concern about Karl’s release, his involvement, distributing stolen goods, in the cornfields with the gun, his intention of shooting Karl’s sister, his running in front of the truck?
9. The other locals, Jojo, Oscar and the garage? The many trucks?
10. The revelation about Else, timid, Karl’s sister, in bed, their running away, being apprehended, her agoraphobia, Maigret helping her, locking herself in the room, later coming out, answering the questions, Karl’s story? The audience knowing about the relationship? The gradual revelation that she was the brains behind the plan, giving Karl sleeping tablets, her going to the group, their meetings, the death of the jeweller and framing Karl, her planning to go away with Grandjean? Apprehension, in prison, her previous flirting with Maigret and his resistance, his talking to her about Karl and his continued love?
11. The background of policemen’s wives, the difficult lives, Grandjean’s wife, his infidelities, her apprehensive this, his hatred of her? Maigret’s wife, their discussions about policemen’s wives, putting up with uncertainties? Maigret inviting her to listen into the briefing with the police?
12. A slow-burn story, seemingly obvious suspects, the intricacies the plot, people not who they seem to be?
13. Karl, in hospital, and his father coming to be reconciled?
