Purple Noon

Infobox_Film
name = Purple Noon


imdb_id = 0054189
director = René Clément
writer = Patricia Highsmith
René Clément
Paul Gégauff
starring = Alain Delon
Maurice Ronet
Marie Laforêt
Romy Schneider (uncredited)
producer = Raymond Hakim
Robert Hakim
music = Nino Rota
cinematography = Henri Decaë
distributor = Titanus
Miramax re-released in USA
released = March 10, 1960 (French)
August 31, 1961 (US)
runtime = 115 minutes
country = France
language = French

"Purple Noon" (French: "Plein Soleil", aka "Full Sun" or "Blazing Sun") is a 1960 film directed by René Clément, based on "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith, and starring Alain Delon in his first major movie.

Plot

Delon plays Tom Ripley, who claims to have been sent to Italy to persuade his wealthy friend, Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to return to the United States and take over his father's business. As Philippe intends to do no such thing and the impoverished Tom enjoys living La Dolce Vita, the two essentially spend money all day and carouse all night, occasionally hanging out with Philippe's put-upon girlfriend Marge (Marie Laforêt). Tom is fixated on Philippe, wanting his life, girlfriend, and confident, cocky personality for himself. The spoiled, arrogant Philippe grows seriously disturbed by his friend's fawning and becomes cruel and abusive to him. The final straw is when, during a yachting trip, Philippe strands Tom in the launch and leaves him to lie in the sun for hours.

Back on board, Tom hatches a plan to kill Philippe and steal his identity. First, he leaves evidence of Philippe's philandering for an outraged Marge to find. After Marge goes ashore, Philippe confronts him and Tom admits his plan quite casually. Philippe, pretending it a joke, plays along and asks Tom for the plan's details. Severely frightened, Philippe offers Tom a substantial sum to leave him and Marge alone, but Tom states that he can obtain this sum anyway, and far more. At last pretending to accept his offer, Tom stabs Philippe to death as the latter screams Marge's name. He casts the body overboard and returns to port.

Upon returning, Tom informs Marge that Philippe has decided to stay behind. He then goes traveling around the country using Philippe's name and bank account, even flawlessly mimicking his voice and mannerisms. In effect, Tom has "become" Philippe. When Philippe's suspicious friend, Freddie Miles, begins to suspect the truth, Tom murders him as well. Freddie's body is soon found and the Italian police inevitably get involved. However, Tom continues playing his charade, switching between his own identity and Philippe, depending on what the situation demands. After carrying out an elaborate scheme to implicate Philippe in Freddie's murder, Tom sends a suicide note to Philippe's mother and leaves the Greenleaf fortune to Marge.

In the aftermath, Tom has survived a long string of close shaves, thrown the Italian police off his trail, and seems to have outwitted everybody. He even succeeds in seducing Marge, with whom he begins openly cohabitating. However, when Philippe's yacht is being moved into drydock, his decomposed body is found tangled in the anchor cables. Tom walks toward the Police shortly thereafter. It is implied that he has been caught at last.

Acclaim, authenticity, and influence

"Purple Noon" was heralded by critics and made Delon a star. In 1962, Clément and Paul Gégauff won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Foreign Film Screenplay. It has a loyal cult following even today, with fans including film director Martin Scorsese.

The movie has been cited as similar to Highsmith's novel in tone, style, and especially in the characterization of Tom Ripley. Out of all the actors who have played Ripley in movie adaptations of books in Highsmith's "Ripliad" series, many critics, including Highsmith herself [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/05/24/bfrip24.xml Ripley's enduring allure - Telegraph ] ] , have called Delon's characterization the closest to her personal vision of the character: a charismatic sociopath who lies, murders, and manipulates without a shred of remorse.

In the book, it is implied (although never stated) that Ripley has homosexual feelings for Greenleaf, but is not so much interested in Greenleaf's money as he is in "being" him. The "gay" subtext is largely absent from this film, however. [ [http://www.filmsdefrance.com/FDF_Plein_soleil_rev.html Plein Soleil / Purple Noon / 1960 / film review ] ] There are differences in plot, however; most importantly, Ripley does not get caught in the novel and successfully throws the Italian police off his trail. Four sequels describe his subsequent life of luxury and crime. Also, in the book, Greenleaf's first name is Dickie, not Philippe, and Marge is merely a friend with whom he has a casual sexual relationship, and who detests Tom.

In the novel, Marge is frumpy (described as having a "gourdlike figure") and insecure, and is implied to be one in a long line of Greenleaf's meaningless flings. As portrayed by Laforêt in "Purple Noon", she is put upon and mistreated, but loves him deeply. Several scenes suggest that, despite his frequent infidelities, Greenleaf is also in love with her.

Footnotes

External links

*imdb title|id=0054189|title=Purple Noon