Maigret et l'enfant de choeur

The "elusive witness" is an alter boy who claims that while going to early Mass sees a body on the sidewalk. Did he? The time window is very narrow based upon when the boy says he was on the street and when others passing by claim to have seen nothing. Maigret is tasked with deciding if the boy is telling the truth and if he did then what did happen.

Maigret's time with the boy provides insight into Maigret's past. He had been an alter boy in a small town so he knows the schedule and actions this boy would take most every day. Maigret becomes convinced the boy is telling the truth but maybe not the whole truth. Encounters with the boy's mother, a retired judge, a jeweler, two old ladies, and others will lead Maigret to grasping what did happen.

This film is based, not on a novel, but on a short story ("The Evidence of the Alter Boy" in Maigret's Christmas) and aligns closely with that story. In his review wjspears provides an excellent explanation of what makes this a solid episode in this series. I much agree that this one is "enjoyable to watch."

Saw this on the Talking Pictures channel (UK, old films and TV). They had previously shown the 1960s series (50+ episodes, BBC, B&W) featuring Rupert Davies, a generally acclaimed Maigret.

This Cremer version is of course French, with subtitles, but they are not too wordy, so fairly easy to follow. Also very French, lots of atmosphere, meaningful looks, thoughtful silences.

I see some reviews refer to how faithful this version is to the books, a ludicrous statement in one respect, as Lucas, his main assistant in all the books I've seen, has almost completely disappeared!

I haven't liked all the episodes so far of this Cremer version, but THIS one (based on a short story it seems) is EXCELLENT! The review by WJSpears details much of what happens, but I'd add that the acting is terrific, a range of disparate characters in a small nondescript village. Some comedy notes too, as one pair of possible witnesses are ancient sisters, one very deaf (& bonkers!), the other can only see right in front of her. Another is a retired judge, quite sure the boy is telling lies (but admits he hates him) - the old boy is gay, so could he be trying to conceal a crime by someone in his 'circle'? Another couple are married, an older man with a younger philandering wife, and her latest boyfriend has disappeared, scope for a murder there?!

The boy who saw the body (or did he?!) is nicely played, and his mother gets a gorgeous performance from Anne Roussel, one of a long line of 'sex-on-legs' actresses that the French seem to have in abundance; she effortlessly conveys the loneliness of a single mother, whilst existing in a small gossippy village, manages to flirt a little with a Maigret old enough to be her dad, and she herself would like to believe her son, but has to admit he can be naughty -- even for an altar boy!

Then the boy confesses he has been telling lies, so saddening his mother. Maigret on a whim follows him, and discovers that someone has promised to buy for him the racing bike he's been admiring in the local shop -- why would someone do that?!

The acting and atmosphere are spot-on throughout -- though the locations in this series are usually Hungary, or what was Czechoslovakia, in this film the village is likely in France, perhaps with an ancient tram (it plays an important part!) brought from a museum to trundle up and down a short stretch of rails in front of the shops and church that are involved?!

Cremer and the cast looked like they had fun doing this film, and rightly so. Maigret has to give up his lunch to avert a tragedy, and close the net on the killer. The only flaw I can find is that we never heard how the body had apppeared and then been hidden in just a couple of minutes, but I'll excuse that as the rest of it was just so good, almost 2 hours just flashed by!

Oh, and at the end, a funny twist, Maigret again invoking his lost youth!