Jules Maigret

"Maigret" redirects here. For other uses, see Maigret (disambiguation).

Maigret statue by Pieter d'Hont in Delfzijl. The unveiling was made by Simenon himself on September 3, 1966, at the place where he had written the first Maigret novel, and was attended by Maigret actors from various countries.^[1]

Jules Maigret memorial plaque

Jules Maigret, (titled Commissaire) Maigret to most people, including his wife, is a fictional police detective, actually a commissaire or commissioner of the Paris "Brigade Criminelle" (Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris), created by writer Georges Simenon.

Seventy-five novels and twenty-eight short stories about Maigret were published between 1931 and 1972, starting with Pietr-le-Leton (Latvian Pete) and concluding with Maigret et Monsieur Charles (Maigret and Monsieur Charles). The Maigret stories were also adapted for television and radio.

Character

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 step 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.

In the books he is described as a stocky man of average height, slightly overweight but not obese. He dislikes climbing stairs, and usually uses a police driver or cab to travel around during his investigations, though he has been known to walk occasionally.

Maigret was supposedly born in 1884 at Saint-Fiacre in the Allier department (where there is no such village), 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.^[2]

While not having any children of his own, Maigret has shown himself to be fond of children, treating them with kindness and patience, and often indulging them. He is shown as living with his wife at 132 Boulevard Richard-Lenoir in most books but, in Maigret in Retirement, he is said to have retained his apartment on the Place des Vosges in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.

He is usually successful. His relationship with his sidekicks, usually junior Metropolitan officers or the local constabulary (when he is away from Paris), is most often portrayed as a mentor-pupil relationship. Maigret is genuinely proud and happy when one of his junior officers meets with some professional success. The role of mindless puppet, only there to contrast with the brilliance of Maigret, is reserved for the public prosecutor or more frequently the Juge d'instruction or Examining Magistrate.

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 stars Bruno Cremer, who has played him in 54 adaptations from 1991-2005. 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 because he would not take his hat off when entering a room.

Actor Rupert Davies as Maigret in Murder on Monday

The Italian actor Gino Cervi played the character on Italian television, starting from 1964 up to 1972; Simenon himself considered Cervi's interpretation of the character to be possibly the best.

In Japan, Kinya Aikawa played Megure, a Japanese-born equivalent to the French Maigret, reinvented in a modern Japanese setting, in Tōkyō Megure Keishi^[3], a 25-episode TV Series aired from April 14 to May 29, 1978 on Asahi TV. Megure/Maigret's wife was played by Tomomi Sato, who earned the praises of Simenon himself: "The best 'Madame Maigret' in my opinion, even including the French ones, was the 'Madame Maigret' on Japanese television. She was exactly right"^[4].

One of the most popular versions of the Chief Inspector was that played by British actor 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 52 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 and 1993, in which Michael Gambon starred as Maigret. A less successful earlier version (1988) on ITV cast Richard Harris in the lead role, with a somewhat idiosyncratic reading of the character.

Radio adaptations

Maurice Denham played Chief Inspector Maigret in a series of half-hour dramatizations of the novels on BBC Radio 4 from 1992 to 2002, with Michael Gough playing Georges Simenon.

The format of each play would begin with Maigret and Simenon sitting together discussing some fact or event which would then lead into Maigret's recounting a particular case, with Simenon asking questions or commenting from time to time.

After Denham's death, the series was continued in 2003 with Nicholas Le Prevost playing a gruffer, more earthy Maigret and Julian Barnes playing Simenon.

Other appearances

Maigret, as he appeared in volume 5 of Case Closed

Inspector Joseph Meguire/Jozo Megure from Case Closed is loosely based on Maigret, in both appearance and name. Both are police inspectors, and are known for wearing hats and overcoats. The rendering in the Japanese syllabry for Megure and Maigret is the same (me-gu-re, in other words, the names are pronounced the same in Japanese).

Maigret himself was also highlighted in volume 5 of the Case Closed manga's edition of "Gosho Aoyoma's Mystery Library, a section of the graphic novels (usually the last page) where the author introduces a different detective (or occasionally, a villain) from mystery literature, television, or other media.

List of novels

List of Maigret novels by date of French-language publication.

Title	Date	English title(s)
Train de nuit	1930	Night Train
La maison d'inquiétude	1930	The House of Unease
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
Le Chien jaune	1931	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
Liberty Bar	1932	Liberty Bar Maigret on the Riviera
L'Écluse no. 1	1933	The Lock at Charenton Maigret Sits It Out Lock No. 1
La femme rousse	1933	The Redhead
Maigret	1934	Maigret Returns
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 1956	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

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
Un Noël de Maigret	May 1950	Maigret's Christmas

References

1. ^ The Maigret Statue at Delfzijl
2. ^ Simenon, Maigret et l'homme du banc (Hamish Hamilton 1975), trans. Eileen Ellenbogen from Maigret et l'Homme du Banc (1953), p69.
3. ^ Tôkyo Megure Keishi Japanese wiki page (Japanese)
4. ^ A picture of Kinya Aikawa as Maigret/Megure, and Simenon's quote from La Revue du Cinéma n° 454, November, 1989. Article retrieved on Trussel.com

External links

• Simenon's Maigret (bibliography, statistics, online texts, links)
• Maigret at the Internet Movie Database