Every Letter Hides A Secret In French Murder Mystery ‘Maigret And The Dead Lover’

Moviegoers who enjoy reading or watching whodunnit murder mysteries should be enthralled by France’s latest cinematic offering Maigret And The Dead Lover.

Murder mysteries have immersed audiences from the birth of cinema, transforming them into armchair detectives as they attempt to assemble all the clues and puzzles, avoiding any misdirections to analyse and solve the murder before it’s revealed in the finale.

They’re fun to watch with an abundance of surprises and twists, resulting in audiences feeling overwhelmed and accomplished if they finally solve the murder themselves.

Based on the novel by Georges Simenon and directed by Pascal Bonitzer the story surrounds a murder mystery assigned to Parisian detective Inspector Maigret.

He’s to solve the murder of a former ambassador who had been writing secret love letters for 50 years to a princess whose husband had also recently died. Maigret interrogates family members and a female housekeeper who seems to be a prime suspect after announcing that she found the body.

She was the ambassador’s only employee. Was she his mistress? Was she guilty of the crime or was it her nephew who was described as a sadist by his ex-wife? More importantly could the letters lead to the murderer?

Maigret is portrayed by Denis Posalydes who embodies the character perfectly as the detective who is patient, calm and stubborn, watching people whilst smoking his pipe. He won’t stop investigating until he unravels the case. The stellar supporting cast includes Anne Alvaro, Manuel Guillol and Dominique Reymond.

This murder mystery ticks all the right boxes for a satisfying cinematic experience – suspects with secrets, false leads, and a likeable, astute detective who attempts to solve the case.

However, what may be a distraction for non-French speaking audiences are the extremely fast paced dialogue-driven sub-titles during the to-and-fro interrogations. In murder mysteries there is always much to absorb and it’s essential for optimum comprehension and enjoyment of the narrative that not a word of dialogue is  missed, hence attentiveness is of paramount importance.

What may infuriate some audiences who expect a tidy conclusion in these style of films is the ambiguity of the finale – it’s deliberately left open-ended. It’s for the  audience to decide which would be the rightful conclusion and should doubtlessly provide an interesting after-film discussion for people who actually enjoy unresolved conclusions.

Ultimately, Maigret And The Dead Lover is a compelling mystery with themes relating to hidden love, loyalty and the deception of appearances, which should be savoured by discerning lovers of world arthouse cinema.

***1/2

Now In Cinemas