There are many Tom Ripleys on the screen, but arguably the handsomest is Alain Delon in 1960's Purple Noon. It's based on The Talented Mr. Ripley, the first of a series of novels Patricia Highsmith wrote about her illustrious con-man, the same one that Anthony Minghella's 1999 movie is based on. Roger Ebert preferred the '99 version because Purple Moon goes for a moral ending but I found the 1960 film's bravura filmmaking more impressive.
At a time when rear projection was still commonly used, Purple Noon plays out its drama on a real yacht, really at sea. It contributes tremendously to the suspense when the actors are truly wrestling with the boat's speed, sails, lines, and wake.
Delon plays Tom Ripley and Maurice Ronet plays his victim, Philippe, whom Tom plots to kill before stealing his identity. Philippe seems to know what Tom's up to yet seems blocked from doing much about it by his own machismo, preferring to verbally spar with Tom. He's more dissatisfied with his girlfriend, Marge (Marie Laforet).
One reason Tom Ripley is such an effective character is that his plots are far from flawless. He makes mistakes and sometimes his plots are disrupted by freak--but absolutely credible--luck. He's sinister but also vulnerable and the viewer starts to root for him without hardly meaning to, not so different from Norman Bates in the first Psycho.
This is another movie included on Criterion's new Vacation Noir playlist and, boy, this sure feels like a vacation. All of the stunning location shots are absolutely gorgeous and the viewer, in addition to the high tension sequences on a yacht, is treated to a lavish stay at one luxury Italian hotel after another. It's a pleasure.
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