Independent Films, Film Profiles

The Talented Mr. Ripley (film)
by Anthony Minghella

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a 1999 film directed by Anthony Minghella. It is an adaptation of the 1955 novel by Patricia Highsmith, which was also filmed in 1960 as Plein Soleil (Purple Noon).The Talented Mr. Ripley starred Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood, Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf, Cate Blanchett as Meredith Logue (a character created for the film), Philip Seymour Hoffman as Freddie Miles, Jack Davenport as Peter Smith-Kingsley (a character expanded for the film) and James Rebhorn as Herbert Greenleaf.It was filmed mainly in Italy with famous landmarks in the cities of Rome and Venice being used as a backdrop for the narrative. An opera scene features the duel between Lensky and Onegin from Eugene Onegin.Tom Ripley is a young man struggling to make a living in New York City. While working at a party, playing the piano in a borrowed Princeton jacket, he is approached by the wealthy Herbert Greenleaf, who believes Tom to be an actual graduate of the university and a friend of his son, Dickie. Ripley is asked to travel to Italy to persuade Dickie to return to the United States and help run the family business. He agrees, even though Ripley did not go to Princeton and has never even met Dickie.Shortly after his arrival in Italy, Ripley meets Dickie Greenleaf and his girlfriend, Marge Sherwood, and quickly ingratiates himself into their lives. Over time Dickie begins to tire of his new friend, resenting Ripley's constant presence and growing dependence, especially after he learns that Tom has been lying about their days together at Princeton. Ripley's feelings are complicated by his desire to maintain the wealthy lifestyle Greenleaf has afforded him, and by his growing sexual obsession with his new friend.As a gesture to Ripley, Greenleaf agrees to travel with him on a short holiday to Sanremo. The two hire a small boat and head out to sea. They begin arguing while on board, with Dickie rejecting and mocking Ripley. Enraged, Ripley attacks Dickie, smashing him with an oar, and kills him in the ensuing struggle. Horrified, he lets the boat drift to shore while holding Dickie's body in his arms. He then sinks the boat, with Dickie's body still on board, to conceal his crime.When the hotel concierge mistakes him for Greenleaf, Ripley realizes he can assume Dickie's identity. He takes on Dickie's signature and passport and begins living off his allowance. He carefully provides communications to Marge to make her believe that Dickie has deserted her. He even books into two separate hotels as himself and Greenleaf and passes messages between "them" via the hotel staff, thus providing the illusion that Dickie is still alive.Later, in Rome, Ripley rents a posh apartment. He spends a lonely Christmas, buying expensive presents for himself. Greenleaf's old friend Freddie Miles visits what he supposes to be Greenleaf's apartment. He is immediately suspicious of Ripley: the apartment is not furnished in what he considers to be Dickie's style and the landlady complains about the constant piano-playing, whereas Greenleaf does not play the piano. When Miles is about to confront Ripley about this, Ripley murders him as well.Over the next few weeks, Ripley's existence becomes a "cat and mouse" game with the police and Greenleaf's friends. His predicament is complicated by Meredith Logue, a wealthy heiress he met while traveling to Italy and to whom he introduced himself as Dickie Greenleaf — before he had even met the man.Ripley forges a suicide note in Greenleaf's name and moves to Venice. In quick succession, Marge, Dickie's father and an American private detective confront Ripley. Marge in particular suspects Ripley of involvement in Dickie's death, whereupon Ripley prepares to murder her. He is interrupted when Marge's friend, Peter Smith-Kingsley, enters the apartment.The private detective reveals that Mr. Greenleaf has decided to give Ripley a portion of Dickie's income with the understanding that certain sordid details about his son's past not be revealed to the Italian police — such as a vicious assault on a fellow student at Princeton or an affair with a girl who got pregnant and committed suicide or perhaps was killed by the real dickie greenleaf himself.Ripley goes on a cruise with Smith-Kingsley, his new lover, only to discover that Meredith is also on board the cruise. Ripley realizes it will be impossible to keep Smith-Kingsley from discovering that he has been passing himself off as Greenleaf, since Peter and Meredith know each other and could eventually exchange words. He cannot solve this dilemma by murdering Logue, as she is traveling with a large family that would quickly notice her disappearance. The movie concludes with a sobbing Ripley stranggling a bewildered Smith-Kingsley killing him to protect his secret, then returning to his cabin, alone.The film broadly follows Highsmith's plot, but Minghella's screenplay made some changes and introduced characters to complicate Ripley's dilemma.