Saw this on Talking Pictures channel (UK - old films and TV) who are running all 4 of the original Maigret series (BBC, early 60s). This is series 4, and the overall quality has gradually improved (looking back with hindsight -- it was quite a cult series at the time!).
This one has Maigret in a world of high-class hotels, inhabited by millionaires who have lackeys to do all their menial tasks. They also have some women who use them for monetary support . . .a key feature in this story.
One of those millionaires is found dead in the bath, but it seems he had help, and didn't just fall?! He's part of a group of ultra-wealthy men, and assorted wives and ex-wives (the victim was just about to clock up ex-wife number 3 as he expired, though it turned out he had a heart condition anyway). Maigret gets to fly to the Riviera, and then Switzerland (lots of location film, evidence of the bigger budget!) chasing after one ex-wife, who'd been in the victim's hotel, but 'did a bunk' on hearing the news.
He gradually works out how the various millionaires, wives and girl-friends have been inter-reacting, and then discovers a key point, that the victim's trusted aide has been consoling discarded wives and girlfriends for many years (all part of the service?).
This episode works pretty well, though there were still some budget limitations, a scene on a luxury yacht had the sea going up and down, not the yacht, and a luxury hotel had very thin walls (another key plot point!).
I'll also deal with occasional reviewer Sir-Obbolongo-Fittzybollongs and yet another daft comment, that of "gruesome am-dram histrionics" by a key character (an ex-wife). She was by then experienced in TV, went on to do a stint in Corrie, and was in The Bill & Z-Cars on 5 separate occasions for each, (plus many other parts in a wide range of TV shows) - she had to show a histrionic, overprivileged and semi-drunk woman, playing to Maigret but up against a 'mirror wall', so was presumably doing that scene exactly as directed?
This one has Maigret in a world of high-class hotels, inhabited by millionaires who have lackeys to do all their menial tasks. They also have some women who use them for monetary support . . .a key feature in this story.
One of those millionaires is found dead in the bath, but it seems he had help, and didn't just fall?! He's part of a group of ultra-wealthy men, and assorted wives and ex-wives (the victim was just about to clock up ex-wife number 3 as he expired, though it turned out he had a heart condition anyway). Maigret gets to fly to the Riviera, and then Switzerland (lots of location film, evidence of the bigger budget!) chasing after one ex-wife, who'd been in the victim's hotel, but 'did a bunk' on hearing the news.
He gradually works out how the various millionaires, wives and girl-friends have been inter-reacting, and then discovers a key point, that the victim's trusted aide has been consoling discarded wives and girlfriends for many years (all part of the service?).
This episode works pretty well, though there were still some budget limitations, a scene on a luxury yacht had the sea going up and down, not the yacht, and a luxury hotel had very thin walls (another key plot point!).
I'll also deal with occasional reviewer Sir-Obbolongo-Fittzybollongs and yet another daft comment, that of "gruesome am-dram histrionics" by a key character (an ex-wife). She was by then experienced in TV, went on to do a stint in Corrie, and was in The Bill & Z-Cars on 5 separate occasions for each, (plus many other parts in a wide range of TV shows) - she had to show a histrionic, overprivileged and semi-drunk woman, playing to Maigret but up against a 'mirror wall', so was presumably doing that scene exactly as directed?