What I'm Watching: Monsieur Spade
I am a fan of British detective shows, and to feed that addiction, I am constantly trawling Amazon Prime and my add-on subs of Acorn and Britbox there.
A couple of weeks ago it presented an AMC original, Monsieur Spade. Set in Bozouls, France post WWII (the late 50’s and 60’s) it weaves a tapestry of a tale that is engrossing.
The premise is that post Maltese Falcon, the PI Sam Spade moves to France and tries to live out his life in seclusion.
The lead character is (naturally) Sam Spade, played by Clive Owen. He does an admirable job of emulating the incomparable Bogart from the Maltese Falcon, even to the heavy smoking, and diagnosis of emphysema.
It starts with him delivering the daughter of a former fling to her paternal grandmother in picturesque Bozouls, he ends up staying, marrying a local widow, and integrating himself into the local scene.
I won’t spoil the plot, but I will assure you that it is tense, tender, and gritty all at once.
The story is great, and the character development really makes the show. The scenery, the casting, and the story all contribute to a compelling show.
Six episodes, at times intense, often gritty, and Clive does a great job of channeling Bogie.
Highly recommended all around.