The Lost Life (1963) User Reviews (4)

Back to Paris and back to proper detection

[Sir_Oblong_Fitzoblong · 8/10 · 1 February 2022]

After the low standards of the previous episode (Fontenay Murders) this one is refreshingly interesting.

The good episodes are the ones in which the drama hangs on the momentum of the investigation; things fall apart when we have to rely on atmosphere or ( heaven preserve us) in-depth character portrayal by principal suspects in the hands of those whose creative talents are not up to it.

In this one, Maigret's shadowing of the inferior local district inspector lets us see clearly the workings of the superior detective's approach. This device has been used in many a detective drama and can often lead to a clumsy mess but it is well-handled here and Maigret's famed ability to understand character being nicely integrated into his methodical process adds to the dramatic impetus whereas in some other episodes it becomes a replacement for the latter, with dire consequences for the drama. Because of all this, Maigret's final clinching explanation of the case based on his understanding of the victim rather than detailed hard evidence, feels quite acceptable and reasonable.

An intriguing feature of the series as a whole is the extraordinary amount of alcohol consumed by the police and associated officials during working hours. Such consumption was of course endemic in 60s TV drama, for various reasons, and was often ludicrous in the extreme since if anyone in real life drank the way that TV characters put it away they would be unable to walk, let alone work. But in Maigret it does take on more of an air of authenticity, partly because the consumption, though frequent, is usually in small glasses (rather than near half-pints of whisky as in, for example, The Power Game) but also because such behaviour is believable in a French context (I have myself seen the wine flowing in a French police station). Hence in this episode, serving cognac at the mortuary first thing in the morning does not seem so implausible as would Dr Laura Hobson cracking open an 8am bottle of Talisker at the John Radcliffe.

A lonely girl is murdered

[wjspears · 9/10 · 3 October 2023]

Having read maybe half of Georges Simenon"s Maigret novels, and watched all of the French 1990s Maigret series starring Bruno Cremer, I have my opinion on what I like about the character of Maigret, as portrayed in the novels and on television.

Maigret explains several times in different stories that his preferred method for solving murders is to get to know the victim, as intimately as possible.

To my mind, showing this method of detection on television generally requires that the episodes be of a longer length than one hour--most have been in the hour and a half range. The longer format allows for a more leisurely pace, where Maigret is among witnesses and possible suspects, and simply talking and observing, seemingly in a random manner--but that never actually being the case (a style Peter Falk perfected in Colombo).

This BBC production is only an hour, and does not generally have a leisurely style to their episodes. For me, what makes up for the more rushed nature of the stories is the cast. Rupert Davies (Chief Inspector Maigret) is wonderful, playing the older wiser Maigret. He has no intention of running after fleeing suspects (in one episode he watches a suspect running down the road and mutters "imbecile!"). But from his office, Maigret is not averse to pulling "all-nighters" that will leave him disheveled, which Davies plays beautifully.

I especially like Ewen Solon (Sergeant Lucas) He is intelligent, extremely respectful and admiring of "patron" (Inspector Maigret). As written for this show, Lucas is a multifaceted character that I often find to be the most interesting character in an episode. Always interesting to watch. But really, all the regulars in the cast were brilliantly chosen, as far as I am concerned.

This episode, "The Lost Life", did an especially good job of capturing the Maigret style of detection I mentioned earlier.

The producers did so, I believe, by contrasting Maigret's slower meditative style with the hurried maneuverings of Inspector Lognon, (Henry Oscar), who has been in several episodes previously.

In the past Inspector Lognon has generally been portrayed as bungling, and uncomfortable, maybe even resentful of Maigret, who Lognon seems to feel is looking to interfere with him

In this episode though,, the producers tone down the ineptness, and play up more the resentful, secretive side of Lognon, which I thought was an improvement.

Lognon rarely seems to share with Maigret the leads he is following up on, as if it was a competition they were engaged in.

By the end of the episode, Inspector Lognon is in Brussels following up on a lead, as Maigret is in his office wrapping up the case and rounding up the murderer--who is in Paris!!

Maigret on the trail - of a killer, and Inspector Lognon!

[Tony-Holmes · 10/10 · 23 October 2022]

Saw this on Talking Pictures channel (UK - old films and TV) who are running all 4 of the original Maigret series (BBC, early 60s). What a terrific episode, accurately (for once!) summed up by the earlier review, from Sir Obolong Fitzybongs.

A young woman is found murdered, chucked out of a car in a backstreet. Permanently snuffling Insp Lognon (the body was in his district) tries to hide his dislike of playing 2nd fiddle to Maigret, but plods around Paris like a bloodhound, and does find some useful information, before believing a criminal, and rushing off to Brussels on a wild-goose chase!

Maigret and Lucas (who gets a trip to Nice - and flying!) start off with one little clue to the girl's identity, a dress with a label and address in it (the frock had been hired). From there they find out who she was, her address, that she'd come from the South to work (but had recently lost her job), and was a shy lonely girl.

This was all told at a nice pace, for a one hour show, and with some nice comic or human interest touches - Lucas trying to interrogate her mother (who is more interested in Roulette), Maigret sampling some soup being made by a witness, and Lognon coughing and sneezing everywhere he goes. They have to enlist Interpol - to find a couple of witnesses whose wedding the girl had attended - and talk to a senior man at the FBI (whose office looked strangely drab, like all the 'French' ones)!

They discover that her dad was a con-man (by then, was a dead con-man!) in America, and had apparently been trying to contact his daughter. The trail leads to a bar, run by and used by criminals, that had been keeping a letter for the dead girl, with some good news. But - had she ever read it, and who else had tried to take advantage? Finally they get a sort of justice for the victim, but it was due to Maigret's complex gathering of evidence, and his i'views which had gained him essential knowledge of the girl's character. And all told in an hour, a triumph.

The Lost Life

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 7 November 2022]

Both Lognon and Maigret try to find the identity of the a young woman who was killed and then thrown out of a car.

Was she a hostess or just a shy girl? Login who does not want to usurp by Maigret rushes around to solve the case.

Maigret prefers to build a picture of the victim and get to know the girl.

A contrasting approach but Maigret always seems to be a step behind the sniffling Lognon.

Another story that deals with the seamy side of life. Lucas finds the girl's estranged mother who prefers to play roulette rather than grieve for her dead daughter.

Her father was an American con man who went out for cigarettes one evening and never came back.

A possible inheritance might have led to her demise. Only it is Maigret who figures out that one person's story does not add up from what he has learnt about the dead girl.