Maigret - Set 4

Superb collection of "Maigret" mysteries; six feature-length adaptations of Georges Simenon's classic novels featuring his canny French police inspector.Faithful to the original material and starring the peerless Bruno Cremer as Maigret, these stories are psychologically penetrating studies of crime and its protagonists.Series four continues the high standard set by the previous issues.A brief background to the novels:- No Vacation for Maigret (Les Vacances de Maigret) was written in 1947 when Simenon was living in Tucson, Arizona.- Maigret is Afraid (Maigret a peur) was penned by the author while at his Lakeside, Connecticut residence.- Maigret Goes Home (L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre) and - Maigret and the Death of a Harbor Master (Le Port des Brumes) are both early Maigret's (1932) and have been updated to the 1950's, the time frame for all in this series.- Maigret Sets a Trap (Maigret fend un piege) was published in 1955 when Simenon was back in France.- Maigret in Finland. This title had me mystified as I cannot recall any Maigret set here. I presume it is an adaptation of a French story set in Finland to take advantage of the Finnish television network which assisted in the production. It is filmed there and features mainly Finnish actors.Interesting to note that only two of the six episodes in this series are set in Paris.Maigret fans will be delighted with these French-language productions. Viewers unfamiliar with Simenon may find them a bit slow at first but will find them a richly rewarding experience by the end.

The discovery of the Bruno Cremer Maigrets is for me the great event of the last several years in terms of filmed "policiers", and this applies to all four sets issued to date by MHZ. One should not go to them for gore (there is none) or violence (there is very little, and what there is, is tame by modern standards). What does reward the viewer are fascinating, original plots (thanks to author Georges Simenon and those who so expertly adapted his novels for television); a wonderfully engaging and consistent undertaking of the title role by Bruno Cremer (who has a normal, loving and low-key relationship with his infrequently appearing spouse, so there is none of the soap-operatic personal angst which so greatly mars many other policiers); consistently strong acting across the board, with occasional standout performances by guest actors from the French stage and cinema; and, most importantly for me, wonderful and entirely credible depictions of how the French interacted with each other, including issues of provincialism, class and education, in the 1950s.These first 24 episodes are to be cherished, and one earnestly hopes that MHZ will soon issue the remainder of the oeuvre, which was filmed in a total of 54 episodes from 1991 to 2005 (MHZ's set 4 takes it up to 1996). In short, a series that for me unequivocally ranks with, although quite different from (after all, Maigret is French!), Inspector Morse, Prime Suspect and Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes.

Maigret, as played by Bruno Cremer, is a great detective and the stories hold your interest, although some of the tales and characters are grim and dreary.

I love the french version of Maigret, the story takes its time to evolve and it is so studied. Bruno Cremer is wonderful. I would like to see him in another role to enjoy his very unique style of acting.

The content was good but not in English and subtitles detracted from overall enjoyment and I will not purchase any new ones with subtitles

A much needed version of Georges Simenon in the vernacular, so to speak. Subtitles are a little odd but then you'll be speaking French by the end anyway so who needs 'em?

Maigret Set 4. I discovered a number of defective discs within this set. Episodes 19, 20 would not play continuously once these programs started. They would stop momentarily and restart within seconds or minutes several times through the program. Or as in Episode 21 the program would stop abruptly and would not restart. In Episode 24, the program stopped abruptly approximately 3/4 through the program and would not restart. I was unable to successfully find the "Help" link in order to request a "Return and Replacement". Please advise.

My wife has been a great fan of the series since watching it on the Mhz network. This was a big hit as a Christmas gift.

Da storie molto verre e intriganti, un gigantesco Bruno Cremer dà a Maigret il tocco più corretto. da vedere assolutamente in lingua originale !!

Mélange d'humour, de ténacité, nuance de cynisme parfois mais intransigeance teintée d'humanité pour arriver à percer le mystère des énigmes criminelles ! Voilà Maigret dans des enquêtes variées avec cette belle pellicule rendant le Passé des années de l'entre deux guerres.... et avant tout ; comme Bruno Crémer a su si bien rendre vivant le Fameux personnage de Simenon !

An excellent mystery series in French dialogue with English subtitles. If you like mysteries, purchase this series

J’adore Bruno Crémer comme le commissaire Maigret.Je suis désolée qu’il n’y a plus d’autres aventures. Je crois j’ai vue tout....

Les personnages sont vrais, j'apprécie beaucoup ce genre de film et aussi la simplicité des personnages.C'était cela la France de l'époque.