Plein Soleil
Encyclopedia
Purple Noon 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. The film, principally in French
, contains brief sequences in Italian
.
The film's source novel was adapted again in 1999
, under the original title, directed by Anthony Minghella
and starring Matt Damon
and Jude Law
.
to persuade his wealthy friend, Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet
), to return to the United States
and take over his father's business. Philippe intends to do no such thing, however, and the impoverished Tom enjoys living a life of luxury, so the two men essentially spend money all day and carouse all night. Tom is fixated on Philippe and his girlfriend Marge (Marie Laforêt
), and covets the other man's life. The spoiled, arrogant Philippe eventually grows bored with 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 dinghy
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 Tom, who admits his plan quite casually. Philippe, believing it to be a joke, plays along and asks Tom for the plan's details. Suddenly 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's, depending on what the situation demands. After carrying out an elaborate scheme to implicate Philippe in Freddie's murder, Tom forges
a suicide note
and a will
, leaving 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 cohabiting. However, when Philippe's yacht is being moved into dry dock, his decomposed body is found still attached to the boat because the anchor cable used to sink his corpse had become tangled around the propeller. Tom is unknowingly called toward the police shortly thereafter; it is implied that he will be arrested.
from the Mystery Writers of America
for Best Foreign Film Screenplay. It enjoys a loyal cult following
even today, with fans including film director Martin Scorsese
.
Roger Ebert
gave Purple Noon three stars (compared to the four-star review he gave to the 1999 version
of The Talented Mr. Ripley
), writing that "the best thing about the film is the way the plot devises a way for Ripley to create a perfect cover-up," but criticized the "less than satisfactory ending," feeling that "Purple Noon ends as it does only because Clement doesn't have Highsmith's iron nerve."
James Berardinelli
, however, rated Purple Noon higher than The Talented Mr. Ripley, giving it a four-star review (compared to two and a half stars for The Talented Mr. Ripley). Berardinelli praised Delon's acting, saying that "Tom is fascinating because Delon makes him so," and also complimented the film for "expert camerawork and crisp direction." Berardinelli placed Purple Noon on his All-Time 100 list, and compared it to the 1999 film: "The remake went back to the source material, Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley. The result, while arguably truer to the events of Highsmith's book, is vastly inferior. To say it suffers by comparison to Purple Noon is an understatement. Almost every aspect of Rene Clement's 1960 motion picture is superior to that of Minghella
's 1999 version, from the cinematography to the acting to the screenplay. Matt Damon
might make a credible Tom Ripley, but only for those who never experienced Alain Delon's portrayal."
Highsmith's opinion of the film was mixed: she approved of Delon as Ripley, describing him as "very beautiful to the eye and interesting for the intellect", but criticized the ending in which Ripley is implied to be caught by the police, remarking: "it was a terrible concession to so-called public morality that the criminal had to be caught."
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a psychological thriller novel by Patricia Highsmith. This novel first introduced the character of Tom Ripley who returns in the novels Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water...
by Patricia Highsmith
Patricia Highsmith
Patricia Highsmith was an American novelist and short-story writer most widely known for her psychological thrillers, which led to more than two dozen film adaptations. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951...
, and starring Alain Delon
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon is a French actor. He rose quickly to stardom, and by the age of 23 was already being compared to French actors such as Gérard Philipe and Jean Marais, as well as American actor James Dean. He was even called the male Brigitte Bardot...
in his first major movie. The film, principally in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, contains brief sequences in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
The film's source novel was adapted again in 1999
The Talented Mr. Ripley (film)
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a 1999 American psychological thriller written for the screen and directed by Anthony Minghella. It is an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith 1955 novel of the same name, which was previously filmed as Plein Soleil .The film stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, Gwyneth...
, under the original title, directed by Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella, CBE was an English film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007....
and starring Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
and Jude Law
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law , known professionally as Jude Law, is an English actor, film producer and director.He began acting with the National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, and had his first television role in 1989...
.
Plot
Tom Ripley (Delon) has been sent to ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to persuade his wealthy friend, Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet
Maurice Ronet
Maurice Ronet was a French film actor, director and writer.-Biography:Maurice Ronet was born Maurice Julien Marie Robinet in Nice, Alpes Maritimes, the only child of professional stage actors Émile Robinet and Gilberte Dubreuil. He made his stage debut in 1941, along side his parents, in Sacha...
), to return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and take over his father's business. Philippe intends to do no such thing, however, and the impoverished Tom enjoys living a life of luxury, so the two men essentially spend money all day and carouse all night. Tom is fixated on Philippe and his girlfriend Marge (Marie Laforêt
Marie Laforêt
Marie Laforêt is a French singer and actress, .In 1978 she moved to Geneva, Switzerland and took out Swiss nationality.-The sources of her birth name:...
), and covets the other man's life. The spoiled, arrogant Philippe eventually grows bored with his friend's fawning and becomes cruel and abusive to him. The final straw is when, during a yachting
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
trip, Philippe strands Tom in the dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
and leaves him to lie in the sun for hours.
Back on board, Tom hatches a plan to kill Philippe and steal his identity
Identity theft
Identity theft is a form of stealing another person's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name...
. First, he leaves evidence of Philippe's philandering for an outraged Marge to find. After Marge goes ashore, Philippe confronts Tom, who admits his plan quite casually. Philippe, believing it to be a joke, plays along and asks Tom for the plan's details. Suddenly 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's, depending on what the situation demands. After carrying out an elaborate scheme to implicate Philippe in Freddie's murder, Tom forges
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
a suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
and a will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, leaving 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 cohabiting. However, when Philippe's yacht is being moved into dry dock, his decomposed body is found still attached to the boat because the anchor cable used to sink his corpse had become tangled around the propeller. Tom is unknowingly called toward the police shortly thereafter; it is implied that he will be arrested.
Reception
Purple Noon was lauded by critics and made Delon a star. In 1962, Clément and Paul Gégauff won an Edgar AwardEdgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
from the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
for Best Foreign Film Screenplay. It enjoys a loyal cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
even today, with fans including film director Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave Purple Noon three stars (compared to the four-star review he gave to the 1999 version
The Talented Mr. Ripley (film)
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a 1999 American psychological thriller written for the screen and directed by Anthony Minghella. It is an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith 1955 novel of the same name, which was previously filmed as Plein Soleil .The film stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, Gwyneth...
of The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a psychological thriller novel by Patricia Highsmith. This novel first introduced the character of Tom Ripley who returns in the novels Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Under Water...
), writing that "the best thing about the film is the way the plot devises a way for Ripley to create a perfect cover-up," but criticized the "less than satisfactory ending," feeling that "Purple Noon ends as it does only because Clement doesn't have Highsmith's iron nerve."
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
, however, rated Purple Noon higher than The Talented Mr. Ripley, giving it a four-star review (compared to two and a half stars for The Talented Mr. Ripley). Berardinelli praised Delon's acting, saying that "Tom is fascinating because Delon makes him so," and also complimented the film for "expert camerawork and crisp direction." Berardinelli placed Purple Noon on his All-Time 100 list, and compared it to the 1999 film: "The remake went back to the source material, Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley. The result, while arguably truer to the events of Highsmith's book, is vastly inferior. To say it suffers by comparison to Purple Noon is an understatement. Almost every aspect of Rene Clement's 1960 motion picture is superior to that of Minghella
Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella, CBE was an English film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007....
's 1999 version, from the cinematography to the acting to the screenplay. Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
might make a credible Tom Ripley, but only for those who never experienced Alain Delon's portrayal."
Highsmith's opinion of the film was mixed: she approved of Delon as Ripley, describing him as "very beautiful to the eye and interesting for the intellect", but criticized the ending in which Ripley is implied to be caught by the police, remarking: "it was a terrible concession to so-called public morality that the criminal had to be caught."