Georges Simenon (1903-1989), is one of the greatest Belgian writers of the twentieth century. Famous for his rich Maigret series, Simenon has also written many novels adapted for cinema
Pierre DUMAYET asks Georges SIMENON about the affiramtion according to which he draws an important part of his inspiration from his personal memories. The writer confirms this statement and cites an example, while the literary critic André PARINAUD describes it as a "sponge", capable of recording the smallest detail present in his environment.
Claude Chabrol expresses his admiration for Georges Simenon’s work and evokes his conversations with the writer, who accused him of making films with too complicated intrigues.
Georges SIMENON describes the reasons why he stopped writing novels. Feeling the need to express himself, however, he decided to record his thoughts and thoughts on a tape recorder. He explains that he never mentioned his favourite character Maigret, nor did he mention anything about literature during these recordings.
Georges SIMENON rejects the notion of intelligence for a writer. "A novelist is not necessarily an intelligent man at all. On the contrary, I believe that the less intelligent he is, the more likely he is to be a novelist".
In his office at the chateau d'Echandens in Switzerland, Georges SIMENON answers Roger STEPHANE on the genesis of the "MAIGRET". Georges SIMENON explains how he chose to switch to the crime novel as a "semi-literary novel" and for ease of writing. He needed, he said, "a leader," and that’s why he created MAIGRET.
Georges SIMENON explains the difference between the narrative construction of the Maigret, whose writing is dictated by the rules of the detective novel, and the writing of his novels which he describes as "hard" which allow him to free himself from all constraints.
Bernard PIVOT questions Georges SIMENON on the reasons for the plublication of "Mémoires intimes", which he considers very dark. The writer explains that his daughter Marie-Jo’s suicide had a profound impact on him, since he had devoted all his attention to the education of his children.
Georges SIMENON explains now writing the Maigret to relax "it’s a little bit like I was doing scales on the piano". According to him, the genre of the crime novel is more a commercial name "a commodity". This is why he got tired of writing it.
In his office at the castle of Echandens near Lausanne, Georges SIMENON answers Roger STEPHANE about the appearance of his need to write. Georges SIMENON situates his need to write around the age of 12 when he felt that he was against his mileu while belonging to it. He states that he did not want to end up "victim" like his own and that writing was the only way for him to get out.
In the office of his chateau d'Echandens near Lausanne, Georges SIMENON responds to Roger STEPHANE by stating vehemently that he "is not a case". He quotes other writers as prolix as him. He defines himself as a novelist only, "an artisan... who perfects his tool day by day". He explains exactly what he means by a novelist.
Paul GIANNOLI talks with Georges SIMENON, who is staying in his little house in Lausanne. The writer expresses himself on the women of whom he declares "to be an amateur" since the age of twelve. He says that he has "always been obsessed with women" and that his last companion Theresa represents the woman he was looking for. He explains what he means by "natural woman".
In his office at the castle of Echandens near Lausanne, Georges SIMENON answers ROGER STEPHANE on what he calls "small people". Georges SIMENON believes that he will always belong to this milieu and that he has retained its reflexes. It defines small people as believing in everything they have been taught and spending their lives doing the right thing.
ITW by Georges SIMENON, sitting at his desk (presumably in his house in Epalinges, Switzerland), smoking his pipe. He finishes "The Cat" by addressing the stages of correction: "the hardest stage". This is his 190th novel. He usually writes in pencil but the latter has been typed directly by the machine: "different rhythm to the machine: faster - the thought follows the rhythm". He declares that "The cat" is not a MAIGRET but a "very hard novel".
In a square in Lausanne, Georges SIMENON describes one of his writer’s manias: the use of yellow envelopes to write the first elements of his novel in gestation that are: the title, the names of the characters and their kinship, and all of their characteristics such as age or address.
Georges SIMENON describes the distribution of his writing time during the year, explaining that he only mobilizes about 15 days per novel for a total of about three or four novels written per year.
At the request of Roger STEPHANE, Georges SIMENON, standing with a pipe in his hand, imitates and mimics some of the behaviour of Commissioner MAIGRET.