maigret in montmartre production notes · pdf filewhat kind of world does maigret investigate...
TRANSCRIPT
MaigretinMontmartre
Contents
InterviewwithRowanAtkinson 3- 6
FilmSynopsis 7- 8
CastandProductionCredits 9
BackPage 10
WhatkindofworlddoesMaigretinvestigateinMaigretInMontmartre?
“It’sGeorgesSimenon’sfavouritearena,whichistheseedysideofParis.Theclubs,thegirls,theprostitutionandthelowlife.Montmartrewasthecentreofthatsortofthinginthemid-1950s.
“Also,it’sindicativeoftheauthor’sinfatuationwithyoungwomen.Andparticularlyyoungwomenofthestreetsoryoungwomenwhowereforcedtoworkinacertainway.
“ThecharacterofshowgirlArlettereflectsGeorgesSimenon’sinterestinawomanwhoissocompletelyalluring.Extremelylibidinousasateenagerandthen,inevitablyreally,endingupinaclubandbeingusedbyastringofmenindifferentways.
“Butatthesametime,shehasclearlygotcharismaandmagicandsheleavesherstamp.Menfindhercompletelyirresistible.That’swhatthestoryisabout.Someonewho,unsurprisinglygiventhatpowershehasovermen,getsintoalotoftrouble.
“TheownerofthenightclubFredisprettyvillainousbutalsosurprising.It’saveryinterestingstory.IthinkthisisthebestMaigretfilmyet.Withsomeverygoodperformances.”
WhatimpressiondoesArlettemakeonMaigret?
“ThereisasensethatMaigretisdrawnintoherandhervulnerability.Someonewhoisveryattractiveandalluringbutalsoveryvulnerable.Maigretfeelsthatandfeelstheneedtocareforher.”
RowanAtkinsonisChiefInspectorJulesMaigret
HowdoesMaigrethandlethesituationhefindshimselfinandwhatdoeshethinkofClubLePicrattandthatshadypartofParis?
“Weportrayhim,asGeorgesSimenondid,asaverydecentmarriedman.Notsomeone- asI’msurewasprobablycommoninhislineofworkthen- whohasaffairsorgetsseducedinthatway.He’sasurprisinglyuprightanddecentman.AndyetheisconstantlydealinginthemurkofParisianlowlife.It’stheeffectithasonhim.
“Heisdrawntoitbecauseheseeksjusticeandtruth.Butatthesametime,it’snotaworldinwhichyouwouldexpecthimtofeelcomfortable.It’saconstantdichotomy.He’sdrawninandyethedoesn’tfeelcomfortablethere.
“Yousensehisuncertainty.Hecertainlydoesn’trelishthatworld.Hedoesn’tembraceit.Butatthesametimeheknowsyouhaveto,toacertainextent,inordertofindoutwhat’sgoingon.”
DowegettoseemoreofapersonalsideofMaigretinthisfilm?
“Yes,IthinkweseeMaigretandhiswifeattheirmostintimateyet.It’sallverysubtle.Butcertainly,it’sindicativeofthesuccessoftheirrelationship.He’sdefinitelyahappilymarriedman.Maigretandhiswifegetonverywell.
“Andthat’simportantinrelationtohiswork.Becauseit’ssooddforsuchadecentmantohavetodealwithsuchindecentpeopleandworlds.ItisthatcontrastbetweenthedecencyandthesuccessinrelationshiptermsofMaigret’s ownlifecomparedtothecompleteandutterfailureofthepeoplehe’sdealingwithinthisstory.”
WhatwasthebiggestchallengewhilstfilmingMaigretinMontmartre?
“Theweatherwasabsolutelyterrible.WhenIsteppedofftheplanetofilminBudapestinJanuary,itwasminus15.Itwasbitterlycold.TheDanubefrozeover.Irememberlookingoutofmyhotelroomwhenitwas,effectively,completelysolid.Andthenforafewweeksaftertherewerejustthesemassiveiceflowsontheriver.
“TherewasonesceneIwasn’tinwheresomeoneisalmostkilledbyanothercharacter.Theyweredownbyalakewhere,inthescript,itwassupposedtobeanattemptatmurderbydrowning.Butbecauseitwasminus12thatnightthelakewasfrozensolidandwehadtodeviseanewmethodtoalmostdoawaywiththecharacter.”
Asyou’vedevelopedthecharacterofMaigrethaveyoubecomeslightlymoreexpansiveinthewayyouplayhim?
“Yes.IfeelasthoughIstartedtorelaxwiththecharacterabitmoreandhaveabitmorefunwithMaigretandmakehimalittlemorehuman.Ratherthanjustsomeonewhoisratherstern,whichishowIthinkhewasinthefirstcoupleoffilms.Iwasabitbraverwithhim,Isuppose.”
RowanAtkinsoninterviewcontinued
Theshowgirlsattheclubputonaperformanceintheirownway.Whendidyoufirstrealisethatyouwantedtoperform?
“Itwasatschool.IseemtorememberwhenIwas11or12standingupinfrontofmyfellowpupilsintheschoolchangingroomanddoingsomekindofperformance.Ican’trememberwhatitwasbutitwasundoubtedlysupposedtobeatleastcomicandaimedatamusingthem.
“Istarteddoingschoolplaysandthencarriedonthroughmyadolescenceinsecondaryschoolandontouniversity.Theageof10,11,12waswhenIrememberdoing,let’ssay,spontaneousperformancesformypeers.”
TVdramaisnowonaglobalstageandcanbeseentorivalthefilmworld.Howdoyoufeelaboutthat?
“Itcertainlyisn’tthepoorrelationcomparedtothefilmandmovieworld.There’snodoubtthatwhenyoulookatthequalityofdramaonTVtherearesomeveryhighproductionvalueswithlotsofmoneyspent.
“Youcanseeitdrawsthetalentin.Directorsfromfilmareseeingthevalueoftelevisiondrama.Thatactuallyitdoesn’thavetobetooobvious,itdoesn’thavetobeovertlycommercial.Itjusthastobegood.Andyoucanhavescenesthatgoonformuchlongerthansceneswouldnormallygoonfor,inmovieseven.Becauseyoudon’thavetotellthewholestoryinanhourandahalf.Youcantellitoverninehours.That’sahugefreedomandahugedifference.”
Dopeoplerecogniseyouwhenyoutravelonpublictransport?
“WhatI’vehadonceortwiceispeoplesaying,‘Oh,hello.Iknowyou.Oh…what’syournameagain?’AndIsay,‘RowanAtkinson.’Andtheysay,‘No,no,no.’Amostpeculiarideawhereyoutellpeopleyournameandtheydon’tbelieveyou.Ortheyassumeyou’rejoking.Thatyou’vemadesomethingup.
“Foryouridentitytobedeniedtoyourfaceispotentiallyquitedisturbing.Itdoeshappen.Inmanyways,youpreferpeopletobesureaboutrecognisingyouratherthanunsure.It’stheunsurepeoplewhotakelongertodealwith,I’dsay.”
MaigretInMontmartrewillbescreenedoverthefestiveperiod.HowdoyoufeelaboutChristmasasafestivaltoday?Hasitbecometoocommercialised?
“Itisdifficult.It’stheshortnessofit,actually.IliketheideaofalongChristmas.IliketheideaofaChristmasthatstartsonChristmasDayandends,infactbychance,onmybirthdayonthe6thofJanuary.Theyarethe12daysofChristmas.
“Whereaswhattendstohappenisthereissuchahugebuildup.ButonceChristmasDayisover,peoplethinkChristmasisover.Forthemajorityofpeoplethat’sit.Andthenit’sintothesalesthenextday.OrthishugeonlinebusinessthatstartslateronChristmasDayandmergesintothefollowingday.
“Andthat’sfine.Butit’saverygoodideaforChristmastobeatimeofrestandconsideritatimewhenyouarequietandfamily-oriented.
RowanAtkinsoninterviewcontinued
“Ofcourse,noteverybodyhasthefacilitytorestandsomepeoplearebacktoworkthedayafterBoxingDay.Butifyouhavethementalspaceandthephysicalcapabilityofswitchingoffandrelaxingthenthatisagoodidea.
“SeeingasthebuilduptoChristmasisalwayssohectic.Onceit’sthere,justenjoyitandrelax.Ratherthanthinking,‘NowwhatIshouldbedoing?’”
RowanAtkinsoninterviewcontinued
Arlette,abeguilingshowgirlfromaseedyclubinMontmartrearrivesattheQuaidesOrfevres lateonenightdrunkandclaimingshehasoverheardtwomendiscussingthemurderofaCountesswhilstshewasperforming.DuringinitialquestioningArletteispricklyandthenovercomewithtiredness,sheinsistsonlyingdowntosleep.Leftalone,sometimelatershesuddenlywakesterrifiedandscreamingthename"Oscar".AsMaigrettriestodigalittledeeperaskingifOscarisoneofthemenintendingtokill.ButArlettebecomesincreasinglydefensiveandsuddenlyrushesfromthebuilding.
ThenextmorningnewsarrivesthatArlettehasbeenfoundmurderedinherapartment.
MaigretlearnsfromCoronerDr PaulthatArlettewasstrangledbyastrongman.HeridentitypapersareforgedandMaigretsuspectsArlettehadareasontohideherpast.Arrivingatthescene,younginspectorLaPointeisrenderedunaccountablyspeechlessatthesightofthegirl.Hehurriedlyexcuseshimselfandleavestheapartment.AnnoyedwithhimselfforfailingtoappreciatethedepthofArlette'stroubles,backattheQuaiMaigretvowstocatchthekiller.ButheisinterruptedbynewsthataCountesshasalsobeenfoundstrangledinasimilarmanner.
It'sasqualidsceneandcleartheCountesswasheavilydependentonmorphine.Butwhat'sleftoftheCountess'svaluableshavebeenleftuntouchedandatiarafoundonthestairssuggestthatthekillerwasn'tafterhermoney.MaigretalsofindsabundleofloveletterswhichtelloftheCountess'spassionaterelationshipwithherhusband.
Filmsynopsis
Filmsynopsiscontinued
Later,MoerschecksnewspaperrecordsanddiscoversthattheCountapparentlycommittedsuicidewhenhejumpedfromthebalconyoftheir10thfloorapartment.GatheringthattherelationshiphadsouredMaigretwonderswhether"theoldboywaspushed?"butthere'snoevidencetosuggestit.TheConciergeattheCountess’sapartmenttellsMaigretthattheonlypeopletovisittheCountessregularlywereherdoctor,whomshe'salreadysummonedandapatheticrentboywhowasmostcertainlytherethenightbeforebutwhosenameshecan'trecall.Maigretwondersiftheboywitnessedthemurder.AsheleavesthebuildingMaigretmeetsDoctorBlochwho’sjustarrivedtoattendhispatient.DiscoveringtheCountessisdeadBlochisinahurrytoleavebutMaigretinsistsheattendstheQuaiwherehe’squestionedaboutthesupplyofmorphine.Maigretalsolearnstheidentityandaddressoftherent-boylivinginagarretabovetheCountess.HisnameisPhilippeMartinot andtogetherwithJanvier,Maigretvisitstheloftbutthere’snosignoftheboy.
Maigretobsessesovertheconnectionbetweenthetwowomen,andMadameMaigretbecomesincreasinglyfrustratedthathisinvestigationistakingovertheirlives.InthemiddleofthenightMme Maigretdiscoversherhusbandre-stagingArlette'smurderinhisdiningroomtogethertheyimaginethescenarioandworkoutanexplanationforthetwotypesofbloodfoundatthecrimescene.Maigretisconvincedthekillerhasunfinishedbusinessandwillkillagain.
AtClubPicratt MaigretmeetsFred,theownerandhiswifeRosa.Rosaisveryupsetbutdefensiveaboutthegirls.ShetellsMaigretthatearlierintheeveningbeforeshedied,Arlettewaskeepingclosecompanywithayoungman.Couldhebethekiller?LaterMaigretreturnstotheclubtoquestionshowgirlsTaniaandBettyandlearnsthatArlette'srealnamewasMarieLeFevre.
MaigretdiscoversfurtherrelativeinformationwhichleadshisteamtoLisieux andNiceanddiscoversthestoryofArlette’searlyupbringingwhichledhertomeettheCountesswhereshebecamehermaidandfindsoutaboutachauffeurnamedOscarBonvoison.
ConvincedthatPhilippecanidentifyOscar,MaigrettasksJanvier tofindtheboyandheiseventuallycornerednearapissoir inMontmartre.Indesperateneedofafix,PhilippeisreleasedinthehopethathewillactasbaitforOscarandlurehimout.
Maigretcontinuesonajourneyofdiscoverytounveilthetruthbehindthemurders.
CastCredits
Maigret ROWANATKINSON
MadameMaigret LUCYCOHU
Janvier SHAUNDINGWALL
Lapointe LEOSTAAR
Moers MARKHEAP
Rosa LORRAINEASHBOURNE
Fred DOUGLASHODGE
Philippe SEBASTIANDESOUZA
Lognon COLINMACE
DrPaul HUGHSIMON
DrBloch ADRIANSCARBOROUGH
Arlette OLIVIAVINALL
TheGrasshopper SIMONGREGOR
MadameDussardier SARAKESTELMAN
Nathalie TILLYVOSBURGH
Madama Aubain JANEWOOD
TheCountess NICOLASLOANE
Oscar ADRIANRAWLINS
Tania CASSIECLARE
Betty NIKÉ KURTA
ProductionCredits
ExecutiveProducer/Producer JEREMYGWILT
ExecutiveProducer JOHNSIMENON
ExecutiveProducer BARNABYTHOMPSON
Writer GUYANDREWS
Director THADDEUSO’SULLIVAN
ProductionDesigner DOMINICHYMAN
CostumeDesigner LUCINDAWRIGHT
CastingDirector JULIADUFF
Composer SAMSIM
DirectorofPhotography DIRKNEL
CastandProductionCredits
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