Change Your Image
Tony-Holmes
Reviews
Hidden Crimes (2009)
Passable afternoon fare -- with a gruesome plot hole!
As other reviews have said, this is a reasonable little film, with an innocent relative having to help her jailed brother to find the loot he hid.
We get assured the brother is a fine decent guy -- shame about the bank robbery -- but I missed the bit that explained why only HE got caught? If they did explain.
We get a hint of family, son missing dad, and then the rest of the gang want to get that loot (20 mill no less!!).
Threats are made, and then a postcard turns up, so sister has to turn sleuth and find that loot, encouraged by the BAD GUYS.
She sets off on the trail, with brother's best friend (and her ex, as it happens). There is a blindingly obvious plot 'twist' to come, but the title HIDDEN CRIMES could have referred to the terrible hole in the plot, (if you watch, you'll see it OK!), which would have meant the loot would have stayed hidden altogether!!
Whitstable Pearl: To Those We Love (2022)
Whatever next?
Well, will fans of this series get to see a series 3?
Hard to say, it's a pleasant enough vehicle, similar to quite a few 'daytime' detective series, not too hard on the brain, 'nice' main characters and generally reasonable storylines.
This final episode (of series 2), had a fair story (!!), a bride murdered on her wedding day, at first a baffling set of suspects, but before too long a big clue emerged to point at the villain.
Woven in was the ongoing puzzle of how the producers (& writers) could progress from the hole they'd dug, super-glum Detective Mike trying to work out his grief and guilt over his wife, while trying to hold off wanting to get down and dirty with Pearl (who acquired dead-end boyfriend Tom to start THIS series). How can they move on?
Perhaps no series 3 will emerge, though far worse shows are on TV. I'd suggest sending Tom off to a new school far away, transferring Mike the Plod back to London - or somewhere - and letting Pearl solve some new mysteries with if needed a new bloke in her life? Perhaps promote the female police presence, she probably deserves a little more air-time.
Whitstable Pearl: Hidden Treasures (2022)
How can the writers & producers move on?
I'm inclined to agree with the other review on here, of this episode, from Dr Strabismus.
How can they progress? I wrote of the previous episode, they dug a hole with this business of the glum policeman and Pearl having these other relationships, both surely doomed, how long can anyone put up with Robert Webb, and the Plod's girlfriend is wildly annoying after just a couple of minutes. Perhaps THEY should get together?
The stories are OK, given the limitations of a one hour less ads runtime, and Kerri Godliman has done OK as an actress, given that she's really (as far as I know) a standup. But she does well with some quite sensitive scenes, and both Frances Barber (her mum) and Detective Glum (Howard Charles) both have some distinguished acting credits to call on.
But if there is a 3rd series, they have to work out if Pearl and Glum are going to get together (again), or - my suggestion -- Detective Glum gets posted to a new location, Pearl carries on detecting in Whitstable, perhaps with a new boyfriend (Robert Webb got offered a headship in Australia and took it -- please).
Whitstable Pearl: The Gumshoe and the Femme Fatale (2022)
Series has a problem?
This episode wasn't bad, though the one hour timespan doesn't allow for much character development, just cyphers.
Interesting to see Stephanie Beacham again, ironically as an old film star largely forgotten by audiences?!
I'd say the producers have put themselves in a hole, after series one, by giving the 2 main characters (who'd been edging towards a hint of romance) other partners, both clearly unsuitable for pretty much anyone sane.
Perhaps Robert Webb's agent is on a permanent lookout with casting agents who have a quest for someone really irritating and a manic laugh?
And all the detective can do now is look permanently miserable, and tell Pearl to "back off, we can't do this"?
This series ha 2 more episodes, IF we get to a third series, I'd guess the producers will need a re-think, as it looks like they're near a dead-end with that plot-line?
I'd suggest getting rid of detective Glum, (back to London?), and promoting his female assistant, let Pearl and her work out some cases, promote Robert Webb to a headmaster in some far-off part of the country (sorry kids and parents), and in passing let Pearl have a romantic dalliance with a new boyfriend that doesn't cause a need for nausea pills?
McDonald & Dodds: Wedding Fever (2024)
Quite good fun, but too many coincidences
This show will probably always defeat some viewers, daytime TV is like that, though the review who needed the plot explained may need a greater degree of help?
This last episode of the series had a pretty good plot (compared to some), with 3 murders on the same day, all at weddings in Bath, with the culprit trying to conceal one targeted murder in what apparently was a maniac serial killer's work (this plot device isn't uncommon -- Midsomer must have had it dozens of times?). This one mixed in an unusual twist, a jet-lagged detective having flashbacks of a dream in which the main suspect had a leading role? Bizarre.
But the story flowed along for the best part of 2 hours, police running around in circles until they started to work out what the key facts were.
And it was helped by a strong cast, for the genre, with a former Midsomer detective having a key role (and what seemed his new hair?!), and Victoria Hamilton (famous for having been Victoria and the Queen Mother!) providing a mysterious presence at the weddings, and getting up close and personal to Dodds ("have you got time for sex"?).
When you settled down and reviewed what happened, there were just too many coincidences, but that's hardly uncommon in detective fiction, Agatha Christie had loads, and after all, this isn't Shakespeare.
Whitstable Pearl: Babylon (2022)
The actual story was good, but the sideshow??
Just caught up with this first episode of series two. We quickly gathered that the 'would they' budding romance between Pearl and proper detective Mike had been flushed down the producers' toilet, as they exchanged glum looks on the Whitstable beach.
The ACTUAL story was quite good, with an estranged couple having to shepherd their boy (12-y-o?) between them on weekly visits between England and France. On one such trip, his dad comes back into Dover on the ferry, but soon crashes his car, distracted by hearing his son in the boot.
The boy goes missing, and much of the episode is concerned with trying to find him, and why he went missing, had his dad kidnapped him to seize custody? Keen plot-watchers might wonder if cross-Channel trips were significant?
Pearl's son actually does best of those searching for him, and order is restored by the end with a nice twist. However, as with series one, time constraints mean that viewers have to be told about certain plot developments, not see them being done.
The show is mostly 'feel-good', but this episode introduced an horrific element. Pearl and Mike are no longer edging towards some tentative romance -- each sheltering demons. NOW Pearl has gained a boyfriend, the wildly irritating Robert Webb, with a face made to be slapped with something heavy, and Mike has gained a girlfriend (at 'Grief counselling'), one that looks about 17 and even he clearly has doubts every time he looks at her.
As another reviewer says, can they last, neither relationship looks remotely credible, Pearl is a down-to-earth, let's get on and do it sort of woman, Webb is annoying even before he speaks (he and Pearl's mum will likely have some sparky moments), as for the other two, Mike's eternal gloom will drive that girl to suicide or at least back to grief counselling?!
Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975)
Don't get your hopes up -- and not much will either?!
Read the broad section of reviews, you should get the picture. One of a Confessions series, opinions differ about best, worst, etc, from memory Driving Instructor wasn't bad (had a vague story), and similar with Holiday Camp? It was after all aimed at Friday and Sat night lads who'd been in the pub, and for whom tits and female pubic hair were quite a novelty. Don't expect Hamlet!
This one has a set of reliable English acting talent doing their best with a pretty feeble script, and a director who spent much of his time looking at job ads?
But the girls are lovely, Jill Gascoine who went on to better things shows off her body - hopefully well paid -- as does Carol Hawkins. The funniest scenes are arguably with old pro Bill Maynard, and in the 'Royal Box' with a hint of ER2, the Duke of Ed, and a Corgi!
The Carry On films were generally much funnier though.
McDonald & Dodds: Jinxy Sings The Blues (2024)
Very disappointing turn in the series?
I've seen this show before, and though it was pleasant enough, a distraction, not too serious, Midsomer Murders moved west perhaps (?), it was far too long and the police weren't believable even for a light-hearted show.
But I saw the first episode of the latest series, hidden identities, some better acting and a much better script, and I assumed things had taken a big upswing.
Sadly, this episode was a disaster. I see some mixed reviews, some based on the inaccuracy of the Blues Music references -- well, I couldn't care less who started the Blues, just sorry that wretched depressing tripe didn't die out decades ago.
I'd be more concerned with some glaring holes in the plot (I don't THINK I nodded off, but I suppose it's possible?!), with a map (all important) that appeared from somewhere, Dodds of the police having such a very old friend that he . . .knew bugg*r all about him (!), and one of the 2 murders having an enormous amount of trouble taken for it to happen, on a bus, with that bus specially diverted through a tunnel, and the murderer having sabotaged the bus's internal lighting in the garage -- jolly good guess which bus would be used on exactly that journey (the one the victim took every day).
Oh, and apparently the closing song, for a New Orleans style funeral (a rather good version of House of the Rising Sun) was completely wrong! I think I've been kind giving 4 for the episode.
Maigret: Maigret et la demoiselle de compagnie (2004)
Maigret traps a murderer DESPITE "le juge"!
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 some have been great. THIS one however is WONDERFUL, though I expect it may upset some fans a little, the way this director chose to show it?
For hints re the plot, do see the review, as ever most informed, by Whalen.
The story shows Maigret being hindered by the examining magistrate (le juge) who naturally sides with the aristocratic family (his wife knows them).
Maigret, as ever, ferrets away at the principal characters, and derives significant snippets from the minor ones too, as the account being told by the main suspect has one or two inconsistencies.
Even the complainant is shown to have -- apparently - something to hide. WHO is telling which version of the truth, who can be trusted?!
We get a hint of a clue when Maigret talks to an embalmer (a great cameo performance) about how to pull off a perfect murder. And another with questions about what times things happened, and in which room the body was found. Why did they summon a doctor who was new to the family? Suddenly, when the case looks hopeless, we get a surprise piece of evidence, then another.
Eventually, against all the odds, the judge has to admit the evidence is persuasive, that indeed the routine heart attack was NOT what it seemed.
Trad fans may well howl that the evidence suddenly appeared, we had not seen Maigret direct his team to go and look for it, explicitly. But as a dramatic presentation, well done to the director, as the revelations were merely what detectives would look for, once they had a clue where to look.
As Whalen says, this episode was a little longer, BUT the time just raced by, a sure sign that the story was well told in this style.
Some of the episodes have been like watching paint dry, slowly, but NOT THIS ONE!
Sadly, we're in the last few episodes now, and Cremer actually only had a few more years to live, but his legacy lives on in these films, doubtless his family are proud.
Maigret: Maigret en meublé (2004)
Abig cast, who was where -- almost a Christie??
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is VERY GOOD. Frequent reviewer Whalen is as usual most accurate with his comments, so check that for the plot.
Maigret is disturbed by an assistant being shot, (serious, but not fatal), so he goes to stay at the 'serviced apartments' which seem to be involved (they'd been looking for a robber thought to be hiding in the building).
A large and disparate cast, everyone seems to have an alibi, and the landlady is determined to issue sweetness and night at all times (and on one night, a communal dinner).
As ever, Maigret ferrets away at the accounts of all concerned trying to work out the actual truth. However, they seemed to be unaware of the precise angle of the shot (it had come from one or two floors up), and when the inspector had recovered enough to speak, his memory of a face from the past doesn't seem to get put to best use?
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!), though I have to add that the old BBC series did just this story, pretty much exactly like this one, in HALF the time!
I'll add on a further moan, why does this series invent new inspectors in Maigret's team??? Archambaud and Christiani here, I don't recall them in the books, and the BBC series (52 episodes) had Lucas in most, with Lapointe and Torrence in a subset as needed. And that's faithful to the books, as far as I recall?!
Maigret: Maigret et l'ombre chinoise (2004)
Maigret sees through the window
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is EXCELLENT. Frequent reviewer Whalen is as usual most accurate with his comments, so check that for the plot.
Maigret here is confronted with at first a number of possible culprits, connected to the victim, and he swiftly dismisses the chance of it being an opportune robbery, gone wrong.
But, a tangled set of relatives, and a mistress, lead to a variety of motives.
We gradually learn of Maigret's distaste for most of those concerned, apart from his sympathy with the victim's young mistress (the only one who really liked him!), who now has to find work again.
I only recently read the book this story is based on, and there is a surprising difference, in that text the dead body obstructs the safe door -- making it clear the robbery happened first, and possibly as a separate event.
One surprise is the lack of interest in finding the gun -- who might have had one, and why?
But, as ever, he ferrets away at the accounts of all concerned trying to work out the actual truth. A rather bizarre will emerges, the victim planned to divide his money amongst the 3 women in his life. But -- did any of them know?
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!).
Maigret: Maigret et le clochard (2004)
Maigret & the Tramp
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is EXCELLENT. Frequent reviewer Whalen is as usual most accurate with his comments, so check that for the plot.
Maigret is intrigued by the case, his team think it's a waste of time, but he wonders why the victim is keeping so quiet, whether his family are hiding something, and why a witness statement (2 guys throwing a dead dog into the river) doesn't quite agree with that of one of the key characters ??
That, as ever, sets his nose twitching, and he ferrets away at the accounts of all concerned trying to work out the actual truth.
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!).
Maigret: Les petits cochons sans queue (2004)
Maigret gets a Present
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is EXCELLENT. Unusually, frequent reviewer Whalen (usually most accurate) hasn't placed one for this episode, so I'll have to outline the plot a little bit.
Maigret is somewhere down South, on a case, but before he returns, gets asked to help someone whose husband (of only a month) has gone missing. The girl doesn't trust him, (a regional dislike of cops), but he shows her that he can help.
The young man - a sports journalist - seems to have been trying to get a sum of money to buy a dance studio, so his wife can do the job ( a teacher) she loves. Where would he get a large sum quickly?
The local police chief thinks he's a crook, and resents Maigret trying to help (he'd made fun of an attempted arrest of an old petty thief with no record of violence).
Maigret gradually unravels what must have happened, by using the petty thief to follow the girl as SHE tries to find what happened. The story involves art thefts, and the death a couple of years before of one of the local crime family.
Once again, Maigret upsets the local chief, and if the story has a flaw, it's that the chap is so stupid he could be shoe leather, and how did he get promoted to that job?!
As ever, the acting is extremely good, and in this one, the time flies by (not always the case!).
At the end, Maigret does indeed receive a present. His friend the petty thief (now driving a taxi) had supplied a picture to interest a local 'fence'. That picture - a copy of a Cezanne - came from the wife of the pickpocket. As a thank you for helping to stop the arrest of the old chap (as if he'd kill someone?!) he is given the picture to take home for the long-suffering Mme Maigret.
Maigret: Les scrupules de Maigret (2004)
A visit to Belgium, but no awards for this episode?!
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 Maigret 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 some have been WONDERFUL. SADLY, this one is one of the worst of the entire series, taking 2 hours to tell the same story that the old BBC version did in one.
The other present reviews refer to the plot, and as usual Whalen is quite accurate in those details, except that he seems overly taken by the style the story was delivered in?
The story as portrayed was frankly quite ludicrous, starts with Maigret in Brussels for an awards ceremony, then he gets accosted quite easily by both halves of a married couple, each frightened the other will kill them? Yeah, right.
He gradually finds out why they are having problems, basically they've drifted apart, and should separate, but apparently he cannot advise this? The wife's sister (widowed, but not old and in fact rather attractive) lives with them as a kind of unpaid housekeeper, she resents her status, and rather likes the husband. Meanwhile, wifey is much more impressed with her handsome boss, who is putting her in charge of a planned new Paris shop.
So, simple advice would be to tell the wife to go and enjoy Paris, leave hubby to stay with his trains shop and the sister-in-law. Simple.
But instead we get bogged down -- and frankly bored to tears, with Maigret talking to all parties and getting 2 lesser lights of the Brussels police to follow the participants. On the way, the director gives us some silly jokes based on one of the detectives getting his name muddled up by all who talk to him. Laugh -- I nearly started.
Eventually there is a death, who did it? Well, not many characters to choose from, and by the end of almost 2 hours, I was beyond caring. It was well enough done, the players did their best with a poor script, but this was way down the list of this Cremer version. Style, yes. In this case, substance was crucially missing!!
Maigret: L'ami d'enfance de Maigret (2003)
Maigret's friend from school - is a despicable rogue!
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is EXCELLENT. As Whalen (usually accurate reviews) points out, this involves Maigret gradually unravelling the lies and half-truths told by his childhood'friend' Florentin, who may even be a murderer.
The review by Tobias, however, suggests that he got distracted, as his "actress who plays the mistress is especially good" apparently missed that the mistress is merely found as a dead body, right at the start, and never says a word?!
This story was also done in the terrific portrayal by Micheal Gambon, though that one had an extra lover to consider as the murderer, this Cremer version cut one out, despite lasting half an hour longer!
As usual, the acting is really good, but my main quibble is with the rest of Maigret's team -- in this one Lucas actually appears, but says nothing (he's Maigret's main assistant in all the books I read). The rest of the team are portrayed as pretty much nitwits, needing lots of prodding to make pretty basic investigations -- and that is NOT as per the books, or the British versions!
Dead Gorgeous (2002)
Good British murder mystery -- with a flawed end?
Other reviewers have covered the broad plot, flight money mad Antonia (McCrory -- RIP) wants to shed her boring husband Hector, but without shedding all his money too!
Dowdy vicar's daughter Rose has got fed up with her ex-fighter pilot hubby, who goes out drinking, beats her up and keeps her short of money.
They're old friends, and accidentally meet -- with Antonia soon hatching a plan to get rid of both husbands, so she can swan off with her boyfriend AND keep the cash on tap!
The support cast nicely portray the degree of suspicion around the first death -- how could a pilot just fall off a Tube platform? -- but can shy Rose carry off her part of the bargain and get rid of Hector?
That gets more complicated when they meet, and get on well together -- could there be another way that Antonia can escape with the wealth she adores?
You can watch this and may think the actual ending is quite clever, and there are some nice comic touches. I'm afraid I marked the film down a little just because I thought the ending was frankly daft, if you check the details, hopefully you'll see why!
But the 2 female leads are excellent, and Ron Cook, who's been in masses of support roles, does well in his unglamorous part.
Maigret: Un échec de Maigret (2003)
Maigret meets a childhood 'friend' - who dies
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is EXCELLENT, a man is murdered who'd come to the Police for help (after getting threatening letters), who'd known Maigret at school, and claimed him to be a friend (but wasn't!).
The review by Whalen details much of what happens, and we both enjoyed the way that Maigret gradually gets to understand the substantial number in the dead man's family, and staff, plus some business rivals, just about all of whom hated the guy, and with good reason!
However, the old BBC series (60s), told the same story in half the time, quite effectively too! The much slower pace in this version allows for the characters to be drawn out more, but I'd add that the acting is terrific, as usually the case with this series. Especially good was Isabelle Candelier, the PA/secretary to the victim, who despises her tycoon boss, and with good reason.
There are some nice lighter touches throughout, Maigret's expression on hearing the victim regarded him a a friend at school, and that their fathers had been chummy, also the exchange when his wife wasn't coming down to see the victim (she lived on the first floor) as she wanted to be sure he really was dead first.
And as Whalen says, the ending is a nice touch, why bother too much WHO killed the overbearing brute, just be grateful someone did?
Maigret: Signé Picpus (2003)
Maigret has trouble - with the producer & director!
Saw this on the Talking Pictures channel, UK older films and TV. They showed the entire collection of the Rupert Davies Maigret episodes (BBC, early 60s) and are now showing this quirky, slow-paced French one (90s) with subtitles. We've also seen the ITV versions with Gambon in the lead (12 episodes, excellent, 1990s), and the less successful Rowan Atkinson attempts (2014, 15, or so?).
The atmosphere is very French, lots of slow thoughtful looks, and Maigret wastes few words, which fits with the books, as does the actor's rather lumbering figure. And there are subtitles, doubtless annoying for some, but done quite well.
No real complaints re the lead portrayal, except that in the books he does crack the odd joke, and has some repartee with faithful R-H man Lucas. In this however, Lucas hardly ever appears, not even mentioned in most episodes, which is STRANGE - I cannot recall a book without him featuring in some way!
This story is quite complex, with a variety of characters, some mysterious behaviour, and some incompetent members of Maigret's team.
As reviewer Whalen states (accurate as ever) this story is let down by the ending.
The Davies version covered it in HALF the time, and told the tale much better, without any sudden surprise revelations that the director was in too much of a hurry to show properly!
Here the acting is good (as usual), but I see no reason for a leisurely stroll through the first 70% of the episode, then a frantic disjointed sprint the rest of the way?!
Gradually Maigret, as usual, plods about and eventually discerns what happened, even though his belated seeing the light was largely kept from us!
I find it especially irritating that his team is radically different from the books I've read. It's a grating annoyance that Lucas, almost a constant in the books, hardly ever appears in this version -- WHAT did he do?!
Dead Man Running (2009)
Nicely paced Gangsta drivel
See the other reviews for the plot details, and the cast, I'd broadly agree with those details.
The film does have quite a good pace, and I suppose the script is about what you'd expect from such things, not that I've seen many.
But Get Carter it certainly isn't, and it falls miles short. Of The Bank Job too.
It has a couple of funny lines, as such films often do, but the plot is beyond ludicrous, relies on umpteen daft coincidences, has a glaring continuity error, and the logistics are weird too, involving a trip up north, and a train ride, all unlikely in the limited time-frame of the plot.
Oh, and at the end, it relies on someone getting paid out with a windfall at a dog track, when he belatedly discovers his lucky choice won at massive odds. If the producers can tell us when a greyhound last won at THOSE odds, well, they can buy me a Lottery ticket for thee weekend too!
Brenda Blethyn was OK, but the whole thing gets 2 from 10 from me.
Her Pen Pal (2021)
A pleasant enough romance for afternoon TV?
My title I think sums it up, a pleasant enough romance for afternoon TV?
Made by Hallmark, apparently, that I associate with greetings cards, but it seems they've branched into rather syrupy films too?
Other reviews have stated the broad plot, wedding planner comes to Paris to arrange her friend's wedding, and meets her old pen pal from some years back. Goodness, and he's French, and soooooo dishy (I thought he was gorgeous, and I'm not gay!). Plus it turns out he's inherited a Chateau, and runs his own property business. Wow, not too bad a catch then!
They start to rekindle those former feelings, and the audience can see where things are leading. There's a slight hiccup with an old boy friend at the wedding, but that doesn't deflect too much from the two leads finding true love in the closing shots. I also didn't think the actual wedding couple looked that credible, but this isn't a movie for any really deep thoughts?!
I have to take issue with a few of the other reviews, it seems that this film summoned thoughts of Audrey Hepburn, and 'Sabrina'? Well, in that film Hepburn went to Paris, matured as a woman, and returned to New York. But lots of films have Paris as a backdrop, and there is not the slightest chance of confusing Jansen with Hepburn. Jansen is passably attractive, but maybe a 4 out of 10 on a combination of looks and acting ability, on an avg scale for actresses? Hepburn lit up the screen in every film she did, and out of 10 on that scale would be about a 47.
Someone else, maybe a couple of people, quibbled that the leads were an American, pairing up with a French guy, but actually Jansen is Canadian, and Josh Sasse is English? Well, many Canadian actors have played Americans, did Donald Sutherland constantly get moans for doing that? No.
Sasse is English, but his ancestry contains umpteen nationalities, and he can speak English with a French accent perfectly well. It's called Acting. Rod Steiger once played Napoleon, it's called acting. Leonard Nimoy played an alien with pointy ears in Star Trek, but he didn't have to be fired into space, it's called acting. And Anthony Hopkins was wonderful as Lector (Silence of the Lambs), but nobody has suggested he actually ripped out any liver or kidneys to cook and eat them -- it's called acting.
Maigret: Maigret et la princesse (2003)
Maigret struggles to understand the 'upper crust'
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 is pretty good, a mysterious murder of a former diplomat, and also a man who conducted a platonic love affair with a Princess for many years.
The review by Whalen details much of what happens, but I'd add that the acting is terrific, as usually the case with this series.
However, the old BBC series (60s), told the same story in half the time, quite effectively too!
Darby and Joan (2022)
Like a comfy pair of slippers?
I've seen some of this series, just caught up with the last but one, maybe tomorrow the ending.
Lots of reviewers like the easy pace, and the 'mystery' in each episode gets solved without car chases or shootouts, plus the 2 leads are experienced actors who can do this easy daytime show in their sleep, but unfortunately at times they pretty much do.
One or 2 less impressed viewers have mentioned the scripts, which at times have dialogue which is almost an insult to sane people.
As you've likely read in other reviews, Joan (Scacchi) is there because her hubby turned up dead, when he should have been in Spain. She met Jack (Darby -- lucky with those names, eh?!) by accident, and equally luckily, he's a retired (& disgraced!) cop who can help her quest, as they wander round Queensland.
As someone else said, the show is like Father Brown, or Midsomer Murders perhaps, a gentle watch without bad language. It won't win any Oscars (or whatever the TV awards are ?!), and I'd recommend recording it so you can at times fast forward, but it's an OK watch for probably the more mature audience. Hopefully the last episode tells us what happened to Hubby?!
Maigret: La maison de Félicie (2002)
Maigret meets Felicie
Saw this on the Talking Pictures channel, UK older films and TV. They showed the entire collection of the Rupert Davies Maigret episodes (BBC, early 60s) and are now showing this quirky, slow-paced French one (90s) with subtitles. We've also seen the ITV versions with Gambon in the lead (12 episodes, excellent, 1990s), and the less successful Rowan Atkinson attempts (2014, 15, or so?).
The atmosphere is very French, lots of slow thoughtful looks, and Maigret wastes few words, which fits with the books, as does the actor's rather lumbering figure. And there are subtitles, doubtless annoying for some, but done quite well.
No real complaints re the lead portrayal, except that in the books he does crack the odd joke, and has some repartee with faithful R-H man Lucas. In this however, Lucas hardly ever appears, not even mentioned in most episodes, which is STRANGE - I cannot recall a book without him featuring in some way!
This story is well known to TV viewers, both the Davies and Gambon versions covered it. This one extends the running time to almost 2 hours, and to no great effect, the other ones managed the tale in an hour, or about 85 minutes, and were just as good if not better.
Here the acting is good, the actress playing Felicie is in many scenes, and has to compete with Maigret, she has to convey her own innocence in the murder (other reviews have outlined the story) and also try to conceal what SHE believes is the likely involvement of her boyfriend and lover. Gradually Maigret, as usual, plods about and eventually discerns what happened.
One oddity is that he uses Janvier for some help (one of his team at HQ), however Janvier is played by a different actor to the chap who appeared a number of times in previous series! AND -- as I've said, a grating annoyance is that Lucas, almost a constant in the books, hardly ever appears in this version -- WHAT did he do?!
Machete (2010)
A Ballet for Guns? Stylish Drivel for folk needing mental help?
Saw this by accident, changing channels, and I think it's probably THE worst film I've ever seen, at least, of those I saw at least 10 minutes of.
It has, bizarrely, Don Johnson, and De Niro, I presume because they got a fat fee for little actual work.
Seagal was in it too, at least it could have been him, as he was made up with what looked like a ton of plasticine on his face, and some strange new hair that may have at some point belonged to someone else.
I hadn't seen the star before, and it was the sort of movie that didn't need him to play Hamlet, likely just as well.
Oh, and some very attractive girls appeared now and then.
The plot? Um, gibberish. BUT -- the bits I saw did have a sort of modern ballet theme, worshipping various guns & missiles, that might work for some viewers,
Oh, and near the end, there was another odd scene, a parade of some weird bouncing cars, one reared up, like a bronco, squashing a bad guy when it came down. Like I said, gibberish. I presume the target audience would be young guys needing some extra brain cells?
Maigret: Maigret à l'école (2002)
Who'd murder a horrible old woman that everyone hated?!
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.
We've also seen the excellent 12 episodes (2 series) that ITV did (90s) with Michael Gambon as Maigret (terrific portrayal) and the less successful later efforts with Rowan Atkinson in the lead.
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 Maigret 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 some have been WONDERFUL, this one is OK, well acted, but was also done in the old BBC series, and the later Gambon episodes. I'd say both of them were superior to this one -- and they tell the story perfectly well in far less time.
The other present reviews (inc Spears and Whalen) have outlined the story, and the assorted characters, very well (though La Rochelle isn't a "village" - sorry Spears! - and this story is NOT set there, just nearby).
Maigret gradually finds out why the victim was detested by everyone, a crabby old woman who opened or stole mail, spread rumours and openly insulted almost everyone. She'd even disinherited her daughter, didn't like the husband or child. How did she last so long?!
He senses that the 'outsider' teacher has been framed as a handy scapegoat, but was the 'murder' actually an accident? Who ACTUALLY saw something, and what has been invented.
As Whalen recalls, he comes out with a great line, after the local policeman (who IS from nearby La Rochelle!) asks if he knew what happened, does he have a "lead"? Well, "not a lead, but a scent" - and likens such cases to being near the sea, you can smell wen you're getting close. Great line -- and sums up how Maigret operates, by talking, or at least prodding others to talk, and listening and watching very carefully.
This version differs from the previous we've seen, in that the teacher was never shown, stayed in custody (a salary saved I suppose?!). It also didn't make very much of the sub-plot, a dodgy insurance claim after a boy had been injured in the street, that boy not being in school and so could he be a witness - he can walk to his window - or is he actually the culprit?