Jules Maigret
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Jules Maigret, known as (Commissaire) Maigret to most people, including his wife, is a fictional police detective, created by writer Georges Simenon.
Some of his trademark features are his pipes, his mixed approach to detecting (at times relying on pure intuition, at times on method), and his fondness for alcohol. Often during an investigation, he will stop into a small cafe or bar for a drink and possibly a light lunch. His drink of choice is beer or cider, though he has also been known to drink Pastis as well as wine at dinner or when it is the only thing available. This is not to say that he is a drunk, as it is a matter of personal pride that he can hold his liquor, and would be deeply embarrassed if he allowed himself to get intoxicated. Maigret often wears a heavy overcoat, even when traveling to the Riviera -- a fact which leads people unfamiliar with him to mark him instantly as a policeman.
Maigret was supposedly born 1884 in Saint-Fiacre, although different birth dates can be concluded from different books. He is married to Louise, who is almost exclusively referred to as Madame Maigret in the books. They had a daughter who died at birth [1].
As with most protagonists in detective fiction, he is usually successful. His sidekicks are not portrayed as mindless puppets only there to contrast with the brilliance of Maigret as is often the case; instead, that role is reserved for the public prosecutor or more frequently the Juge d'instruction or Examining Magistrate.
Seventy-five novels and twenty-eight short stories about Maigret were published between 1931 and 1972, starting with Pietr-le-Leton (The Case of Peter the Lett) and concluding with Maigret et Monsieur Charles (Maigret and Monsieur Charles).
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[edit] Television adaptations
There have been numerous incarnations of Maigret on the small screen all around the world. He has been portrayed by French, British, Irish, Austrian, Dutch, German, Italian, and Japanese actors.
In France, Jean Gabin played the part in three films and is seen by many as the best Maigret. Arguably, the most celebrated French version is Bruno Cremer, who has played him in more than 40 adaptations, though Jean Richard had an earlier long-running series playing the character on French television. However, Simenon himself is said to have disliked Richard's Maigret, since he would not take his hat off when entering a room.
The Italian actor Gino Cervi played the character on Italian television, starting from 1964 up to 1972, Simenon itself considered the Cervi one possibly the best interpretation of the character.
The version of the Chief Inspector with the most episodes was played by Rupert Davies who made his debut on October 31, 1960. Davies took over the part after Basil Sydney who appeared as Maigret in the original transmitted pilot proved unavailable due to ill-health. Davies went on to star in more than 50 adaptations for BBC TV in the 1960s. His portrayal won two of the highest accolades: his versions were dubbed into French and played across the Channel; and Simenon himself presented Davies with a novel inscribed to his "perfect Maigret".
The British television channel ITV produced an adaptation of Maigret in 1992, in which Michael Gambon starred as Maigret. A less successful earlier version on ITV cast Richard Harris in the lead role, with a somewhat idiosyncratic reading of the character. Harris and Gambon would also later both play Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films.
[edit] List of novels
List of Maigret novels by date of publication.
| Title | Date | English Title(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Pietr-le-Letton | 1931 | The Strange Case of Peter the Lett The Case of Peter the Lett Maigret and the Enigmatic Lett |
| Le Charretier de la Providence | 1931 | The Crime at Lock 14 Maigret Meets a Milord Lock 14 |
| M. Gallet décédé | 1931 | The Death of Monsieur Gallet Maigret Stonewalled |
| Le Pendu de Saint-Pholien | 1931 | The Crime of Inspector Maigret Maigret and the Hundred Gibbets |
| La Tête d'un homme (L'Homme de la Tour Eiffel) |
1931 | A Battle of Nerves Maigret's War of Nerves A Man's Head |
| Liberty Bar | 1931 | - |
| Le Chien jaune | 1932 | A Face for a Clue Maigret and the Concarneau Murders Maigret and the Yellow Dog The Yellow Dog |
| La Nuit du carrefour | 1931 | Maigret at the Crossroads |
| Un Crime en Hollande | 1931 | A Crime in Holland Maigret in Holland |
| Au Rendez-vous des Terre-Neuves | 1931 | The Sailor's Rendezvous Maigret Answers a Plea |
| La Danseuse du Gai-Moulin | 1931 | At the "Gai Moulin Maigret at the "Gai Moulin |
| La Guinguette à deux sous | 1932 | Guinguette by the Seine Maigret and the Tavern by the Seine Maigret to the Rescue A Spot by the Seine The Bar on the Seine |
| L'Ombre chinoise | 1932 | The Shadow in the Courtyard Maigret Mystified |
| L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre | 1932 | Maigret and the Countess The Saint-Fiacre Affair Maigret Goes Home Maigret on Home Ground |
| Chez les Flamands | 1932 | The Flemish Shop Maigret and the Flemish Shop |
| Le Port des brumes | 1932 | Death of a Harbour Master Maigret and the Death of a Harbor Master |
| Le Fou de Bergerac | 1932 | The Madman of Bergerac |
| L'Écluse no. 1 | 1933 | The Lock at Charenton Maigret Sits It Out Lock No. 1 |
| Maigret | 1934 | Maigret Returns |
| Liberty Bar | 1937 | Liberty Bar Maigret on the Riviera |
| La Maison du juge | 1940 | Maigret in Exile |
| Les Caves du Majestic | 1942 | Maigret and the Hotel Majestic The Hotel Majestic |
| Cécile est morte | 1942 | Maigret and the Spinster |
| Signé Picpus | 1944 | To Any Lengths Maigret and the Fortuneteller |
| Félicie est là | 1944 | Maigret and the Toy Village |
| L'Inspecteur Cadavre | 1944 | Maigret's Rival Inspector Cadaver |
| Maigret se fâche | August 1945 | Maigret in Retirement |
| Maigret à New York | March 1946 | Maigret in New York Inspector Maigret in New York's Underworld Maigret in New York's Underworld |
| Les Vacances de Maigret | November 1947 | A Summer Holiday No Vacation for Maigret Maigret on Holiday |
| Maigret et son mort | January 1948 | Maigret's Dead Man Maigret's Special Murder |
| La Première enquête de Maigret, 1913 | October 1948 | Maigret's First Case |
| Mon ami Maigret | February 1949 | My Friend Maigret The Methods of Maigret |
| Maigret chez le coroner | July 1949 | Maigret at the Coroner's |
| L'Amie de Mme Maigret | December 1949 | Madame Maigret's Own Case Madame Maigret's Friend The Friend of Madame Maigret |
| Les Mémoires de Maigret | September 1950 | Maigret's Memoirs |
| Maigret et la vieille dame | December 1950 | Maigret and the Old Lady |
| Maigret au "Picratt's" | December 1950 | Maigret and the Strangled Stripper Maigret in Montmartre Inspector Maigret and the Strangled Stripper |
| Maigret en meublé | February 1951 | Maigret Takes a Room Maigret Rents a Room |
| Maigret et la grande perche | May 1951 | Inspector Maigret and the Burglar's Wife Maigret and the Burglar's Wife |
| Maigret, Lognon et les gangsters | September 1951 | Inspector Maigret and the Killers Maigret and the Gangsters |
| Le Revolver de Maigret | June 1952 | Maigret's Revolver |
| Maigret et l'homme du banc | 1953 | Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard Maigret and the Man on the Bench The Man on the Boulevard |
| Maigret a peur | March 1953 | Maigret Afraid |
| Maigret se trompe | August 1953 | Maigret's Mistake |
| Maigret à l'école | December 1953 | Maigret Goes to School |
| Maigret et la jeune morte | January 1954 | Inspector Maigret and the Dead Girl Maigret and the Young Girl |
| Maigret chez le ministre | August 1954 | Maigret and the Minister Maigret and the Calame Report |
| Maigret et le corps sans tête | January 1955 | Maigret and the Headless Corpse |
| Maigret tend un piège | July 1955 | Maigret Sets a Trap |
| Un Échec de Maigret | March 1955 | Maigret's Failure |
| Maigret s'amuse | September 1956 | Maigret's Little Joke None of Maigret's Business |
| Maigret voyage | August 1957 | Maigret and the Millionaires |
| Les Scrupules de Maigret | December 1957 | Maigret Has scruples |
| Maigret et les témoins récalcitrants | October 1958 | Maigret and the Reluctant Witnesses |
| Une Confidence de Maigret | May 1959 | Maigret Has Doubts |
| Maigret aux assises | November 1959 | Maigret In Court |
| Maigret et les vieillards | June 1960 | Maigret in Society |
| Maigret et le voleur paresseux | January 1961 | Maigret and the Lazy Burglar Maigret and the Idle Burglar |
| Maigret et les braves gens | September 1961 | Maigret and the Black Sheep |
| Maigret et le client du samedi | February 1962 | Maigret and the Saturday Caller |
| Maigret et le clochard | May 1962 | Maigret and the Dosser Maigret and the Bum |
| La Colère de Maigret | June 1962 | Maigret Loses His Temper |
| Maigret et le fantôme | June 1963 | Maigret and the Ghost Maigret and the Apparition |
| Maigret se défend | July 1964 | Maigret on the Defensive |
| La Patience de Maigret | March 1965 | The Patience of Maigret Maigret Bides His Time |
| Maigret et l'affaire Nahour | February 1966 | Maigret and the Nahour Case |
| Le Voleur de Maigret | November 1966 | Maigret's Pickpocket Maigret and the Pickpocket |
| Maigret à Vichy | September 1967 | Maigret Takes the Waters Maigret in Vichy |
| Maigret hésite | January 1968 | Maigret Hesitates |
| L'Ami d'enfance de Maigret | June 1968 | Maigret's Boyhood Friend |
| Maigret et le tueur | April 1969 | Maigret and the Killer |
| Maigret et le marchand de vin | September 1969 | Maigret and the Wine Merchant |
| La Folle de Maigret | May 1970 | Maigret and the Madwoman |
| Maigret et l'homme tout seul | February 1971 | Maigret and the Loner |
| Maigret et l'indicateur | June 1971 | Maigret and the Flea Maigret and the Informer |
| Maigret et Monsieur Charles | February 1972 | Maigret and Monsieur Charles |
[edit] List of short stories
List of Maigret short stories by date of publication.
| Title | Date | English Title(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Une erreur de Maigret | 1938 | Maigret's Mistake |
| L'amoureux de Madame Maigret | 1938 | The Stronger Vessel Madame Maigret's Admirer |
| Stan le tueur | 1938 | Stan the Killer |
| L'Auberge aux noyés | 1938 | The Inn of the Drowned The Drowned Men's Inn |
| La péniche aux deux pendus | 1938 | The Barge with Two Hanging Bodies Inspector Maigret Thinks Dead Man's Barge Two Bodies on a Barge |
| L'affaire du Boulevard Beaumarchais | 1938 | The Affair of the Boulevard Beaumarchais The Mysterious Affair in the Boulevard Beaumarchais |
| Monsieur Lundi | 1938 | Mr. Monday Inspector Maigret Hesitates |
| Jeumont, 51 minutes d'arrêt | 1938 | Jeumont, 51 Minutes Wait! Inspector Maigret Deduces Jeumont, 51 Minutes Stop |
| Les larmes de bougie | 1938 | Journey Into Time Journey Backward Into Time Death of a Woodlander |
| Rue Pigalle | 1938 | Rue Pigalle Inspector Maigret Investigates In the Rue Pigalle |
| La vieille dame de Bayeux | 1938 | The Old Lady of Bayeux |
| L'Étoile du Nord | 1938 | At the Étoile du Nord |
| Tempête sur la Manche | 1938 | Storm in the Channel Storm over the Channel |
| Mademoiselle Berthe et son amant | 1938 | Maigret and the Frightened Dressmaker Mademoiselle Berthe and her Lover |
| L'improbable Monsieur Owen | 1938 | The Unlikely Monsieur Owen |
| Ceux du Grand Café | 1938 | The Group at the Grand-Café |
| Le Notaire du Châteauneuf | 1938 | Inspector Maigret and the Missing Miniatures The Three Daughters of the Lawyer |
| La fenêtre ouverte | 1938 | The Open Window Inspector Maigret Smokes His Pipe |
| L'Homme dans la rue | 1939 | The Man on the Run Inspector Maigret Pursues The Man in the Street |
| Vente à la bougie | 1939 | Under the Hammer Inspector Maigret Directs Sale by Auction |
| Menaces de mort | 1942 | Death Threats |
| La pipe de Maigret | June 1945 | Maigret's Pipe |
| Le témoinage de l'enfant de choeur | 1946 | Elusive Witness According to the Altar Boy Crime in the Rue Sainte-Catherine The Evidence of the Altar-Boy |
| Le client le plus obstiné du monde | May 1946 | The Most Obstinate Man in Paris The Most Obstinate Customer in the World The Most Obstinate Man in the World |
| Maigret et l'inspecteur malgracieux | May 1946 | Maigret and the Surly Inspector |
| On ne tue pas les pauvres types | August 1946 | Death of a Nobody |
| Sous peine de mort | November 1946 | Inspector Maigret's War of Nerves Death Penalty |
| Les petits cochons sans queue | November 1946 | ' |
| Un Noël de Maigret | May 1950 | Maigret's Christmas |
[edit] References
- ^ Simenon, Maigret and the Man on the Boulevard (Hamish Hamilton 1975), trans. Eileen Ellenbogen from Maigret et l'Homme du Banc (1953), p69.
[edit] External links
- Simenon's Maigret (bibliography, statistics, online texts, links)
- Maigret at the Internet Movie Database
