Maigret and the man on the 1981 bench Famous literary detectives more than once received the embodiment on the screen, and if we know the perfect Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, a variety of pretty Miss Marple, then Commissioner Maigret was less fortunate, there were many attempts, but the perfect Magray was not found. However, Soviet filmmakers were never embarrassed by the difficulties, especially since Simenon’s intricate investigations were often anti-bourgeois. There were several Soviet Maigrets, and the detective Maigret and the Man on the Bench was filmed twice, in 1973 on Moscow TV, and in 1981 on Leningrad.
In the center of the plot is the search for the murderer of a certain Monsieur Louis Touré, complicated by the fact that the deceased led a double life. The screen adaptation of 1973 is black and white and is included in the television cycle based on the novels of Simenon, with Boris Tenin. The film turned out gloomy, with a slow pace and a mandatory boring morale. A tedious string of ladies of Balzac age, aching and shawling in a shawl, is torn by the image of the “ungrateful” daughter of Louis Touré – Monique, perfectly played by the smart beauty Natalia Varley. Monique-Varley is a cynical nihilist, a girl morally disfigured by her own relatives. Also knocked out of the monotonous acting ensemble unusually hulking Roland Bykov, in a small episode. Maigret-Tenin is elderly, predictable over the fight, but likes to straighten her brains, and sometimes even vulgarly rude. In a word, the TV show leaves a oppressive impression, however, there is a heavy sediment in the novels of Georges Simenon.
Leningraders in 1981 interpreted the same plot much more dynamically and seasoned the detective intrigue with bright acting performances. The conditional space of the TV studio is not hidden, but emphasized - a little furniture, photo banners, and here is the commissar's office, cafe, street or apartment. They tried to convey the notorious French charm (in the Soviet sense), for some reason completely emasculated in films with Tenin. Maigret - Mikhail Danilov gallant, light (despite the size), not inclined to judge anyone, only a sad grin will be the answer to the abominations of being. Further in the actor's kaleidoscope: the neurotic assistant commissioner - Al. Romantsov, the witness in the case of Touré - the charmingly confused Olga Volkova, the lover of Louis Touré the cheerful Antonina Shuranova (funny, Muscovite Vera Vasilyeva in the same role pours tears, and Shuranova flirtatiously laughs, destroying the image of a righteous mistress tearing her hair from grief, losing her benefactor). Also in the episodes is a very young Anfan Terrible Sergey Migitsko, and ice blonde Elena Popova. But the main actor’s lure of this production is the young Irina Mazurkevych in the role of “ungrateful” Monique. The actress is unusually good, it is impossible to take her eyes off her scenes, and she got a difficult role. Behind the still childishly plump face, capricious voice and questioningly open gray-blue eyes of Monique Mazurkiewicz, there is a small but already experienced predator, ready to go almost anything for the sake of fulfilling his desires. However, can this “angel” be accused of lying and cruel prudence? Probably not. Essentially, the story of the man on the bench is a story - lies, everyone lies and everyone. But it's also a dream story. Dreams of a full life. Break the nets of everyday life, enjoy freedom, buy yellow shoes, which have long dreamed of, meet and love a beautiful woman. Monsieur Louis Touret, although criminally, albeit briefly, fulfilled his dreams and was happy.