The Talented Mr. Ripley
USA 1999
Reviewed by Charlotte O'Sullivan
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
New York, 1958. As a result of a misunderstanding, Tom Ripley is hired by wealthy American magnate Mr Greenleaf to rescue his son Dickie from a dissolute life in Italy. On the way, Tom meets heiress Meredith Logue and tells her he's Dickie Greenleaf. In Italy, Tom befriends Dickie, who's involved both with Marge, an American writer, and local girl Silvana. Tom and Dickie take trips together and Tom's semi-sexual attraction for Dickie grows. Silvana, pregnant by Dickie, drowns herself. Suddenly bored with Tom, Dickie begins to exclude him. During a motorboat ride, Tom and Dickie argue; he kills Dickie and hides the corpse.
Tom tells Marge Dickie decided to move to Rome. There, Tom assumes Dickie's identity. Problems arise when Dickie's old friend Freddie Miles pays a call. Tom kills Freddie. The police become suspicious, but Tom is saved when a new policeman is assigned to the case. Marge and Dickie's father arrive in town, the latter bringing with him a private detective. Tom bumps into Meredith in Rome. He juggles his two identities but when Marge finds Dickie's rings she's convinced of Tom's guilt. The private detective uncovers Silvana's suicide. Dickie's father, disappointed by his son's bad character, gives up the search. Tom has by now fallen in love with Peter, a friend of Marge's, and they go on a voyage back to the US, only for Tom to discover Meredith aboard. Tom kills Peter.
Review
The Talented Mr. Ripley, an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 thriller, is a film about the look that cannot speak its name. At one point, the eponymous Ripley sits on a rocking train, gazing at the object of his sexual and economic desire, Dickie Greenleaf. Suddenly, he (and we) realise Dickie knows he's being watched. Director Anthony Minghella keeps the camera fixed on the two men for just that little bit too long, a brilliant move which allows Tom's ambivalent adoration to float queasily before us, while Dickie decides how to react. He finally settles on contempt and (peeping) Tom's body seems to contract with shame. Like that otherworldly moment in Persona where wannabe "double" Liv Ullmann steps on to a shard of glass, Tom's expulsion into the land of the single makes us wince.
There are many such episodes in this film. A tense, troubling thriller, marred only by problems of pacing (the middle section drags) and some implausible characterisation (Meredith's obsession with Ripley never convinces), it's full of vivid, miserable life. Philip Seymour Hoffman, for example, burns a hole in the memory as the viciously astute Freddie.
But is this film "dangerous", as has been suggested by the US press? Minghella has obviously adapted freely from the novel, and has been credited with taking more risks, not less. Something has happened, for instance, to the novel's take on class. In the book, the social gap between Tom and Dickie is not as wide as in the film, where Tom is a one-time janitor. Highsmith's Tom is also the more culturally worldly of the two - it's Dickie who's the conventional one. In Minghella's version, the roles are reversed: Tom plays nerdish pauper to Dickie's machiavellian la dolce vita prince. Minghella presumably intended to make Tom more sympathetic. He has, but in doing so he's also made him less interesting and drained him of his mercurial power. Instead of identifying with Tom, we feel sorry for him. By the same token, instead of feeling sorry for Dickie, we're intrigued. He, along with girlfriend Marge (no longer a stodgy Ohio bumpkin but a cut-glass golden girl), now represents a new, enticing moral order.
Dickie and Marge break rules, Dickie with his casual, catastrophic affairs, his "half-killing" of a boy at school, Marge with her gay friend Peter (in the book, all are horrified by "queers"). The couple are also bright as buttons. Where Highsmith's Dickie is pitifully limited when it comes to aperçu (Tom waits in vain for "something profound and original from Dickie"), Minghella's charismatic cad manages to impress constantly (he likens his privileged friends to cream, because they're "rich and thick"). Similarly, while Highsmith pokes fun at Dickie's mediocre paintings, Minghella allows the young man's musical ability to charm not only Tom but a crowded room of Italians (the camera, swirling round the room, infects us with the appreciative mood). As for Marge, in the book she remains duped to the end. Here, she's the only one to realise Tom's a murderer. Thus, as in The English Patient, Minghella gets to portray certain aristocrats not only as supremely glamorous but also ahead of their time. Their remoteness, even cruelty, just makes them more attractive. Like Almásy and Katharine, Dickie and Marge are extraordinary, objects of sexual and economic desire perfectly formed to suit middlebrow tastes.
Minghella's other "radical" break with Highsmith's text involves sexuality, introducing a full-blown homosexual affair into the story, which Minghella has predicted will "alienate Middle America". `But Ripley does not "get away" with his sexual/moral deviation. A prisoner of his own device, he ends up a psychologically doomed man. In an afterword to The Price of Salt,aka Carol, the 'lesbian novel' Highsmith wrote she talks about the typical fate of homosexuals in fiction: "punished for their deviation, they've slashed their wrists or collapsed alone into a depression equal to hell." Minghella's Tom conforms utterly to this description. By combining sex with an unhappy ending and a contrite beginning ("If I could just go back..." intones Tom) Minghella more than satisfies mainstream requirements.
The Talented Mr. Ripley is worth more than a peep. It's only in comparison with Highsmith's book that its conservatism becomes clear. Minghella cautions that envy won't get us anywhere, even as he makes us giddy with covetous lust for the aristocratic élite. Highsmith teaches that envy gets you everywhere, even as she reminds us how unenviable the rich truly are. What a shame this lesson is available to the reader's eyes only.
Credits
- Director
- Anthony Minghella
- Producers
- William Horberg
- Tom Sternberg
- Screenplay
- Anthony Minghella
- Based on the novel by
- Patricia Highsmith
- Director of Photography
- John Seale
- Editor
- Walter Murch
- Production Designer
- Roy Walker
- Music
- Gabriel Yared
- ©Paramount Pictures Corporation/Miramax Films Corp.
- Production Companies
- Paramount Pictures and Miramax Films present a Mirage Enterprises/Timnick Films production
- Executive Producer
- Sydney Pollack
- Co-producers
- Paul Zaentz
- New York Unit:
- Lydia Dean Pilcher
- Line Producer
- Allessandro Von Normann
- Associate Producer
- Steve Andrews
- Production Co-ordinators
- Daniela Vecchi
- Rome:
- Simona Sciannimanico
- New York Unit:
- Michele Giordano
- Set Co-ordinator
- Cristina De Rossi
- Unit Production Managers
- Lynn Kamern
- New York Unit:
- Jan Foster
- Location Managers
- Antonio Gabrielli
- Naples:
- Francesco Rapa
- Palermo:
- Rita Gacioppo
- Tuscany:
- Giorgio Gallani
- Venice:
- Rosanna Roditi
- New York Unit:
- Deb Parker
- Post-production Supervisor
- Ruth Hasty
- Assistant Directors
- Steve Andrews
- Emma Schofield
- Italy:
- Gianni Arduini
- Andrea Marrari
- Maria De Leo
- Filippo Fassetta
- Federica Ciciarelli
- New York Unit:
- Vebe Borge
- Amy Lynn
- Script Supervisor
- Dianne Dreyer
- Casting
- David Rubin
- Associate:
- Ronna Kress
- Italy:
- Shaila Rubin
- UK:
- Sarah Beardsall
- Loop Group:
- Sondra James
- New York Unit Director of Photography
- Benoît Delhomme
- Camera Operators
- John Seale
- Daniele Massaccesi
- 2nd Unit/Aerial:
- Roberto De Nigris
- Helicopter:
- Marcello Montarsi
- New York Unit:
- Phil Oetiker
- Steadicam Operator
- Roberto De Nigris
- Visual Effects Supervisor
- Dennis Lowe
- Visual Effects
- Jim Henson's Creature Shop
- Visual Effects:
- Val Wardlaw
- Nick Drew
- Michael Turloff
- Visual Effects
- Universal Production Partners
- Visual Effects Co-ordinators:
- Vit Komrzy
- Petr Komrzy
- Inferno Operators:
- David Vana
- Viktor Muller
- Ales Dlabac
- Visual Effects
- Golden Square Post Production Ltd
- Technical Supervisor:
- Daniel Napier
- Inferno Artists:
- Sam Hencher
- Harry Jarman
- Digital Scan/Record
- Cinesite, London and Los Angeles
- Special Effects
- Supervisor:
- Richard Conway
- Co-ordinators:
- Giancarlo Mancini
- Sam Conway
- New York Unit Supervisor:
- J.C. Brotherhood
- Graphic Artist
- Miraphora Mina
- Computer Animation
- Cybermotion
- Supervising Art Director
- John Fenner
- Art Directors
- Stefano Ortolani
- New York Unit:
- Rick Butler
- Set Decorators
- Bruno Cesari
- New York Unit:
- Carol Nast
- Storyboard Artist
- Tony Wright
- Costume Designers
- Ann Roth
- Gary Jones
- Italy Associate:
- Carlo Poggioli
- Wardrobe Supervisor
- Anne Brault
- Wardrobe Master
- Alfredo Bocci
- Make-up
- Supervising Artists:
- Fabrizio Sforza
- Tina Earnshaw
- Artist:
- Alessandra Sampaolo
- New York Unit Key:
- Michael Bigger
- Special Effects Make-up
- Fabrizio Sforza
- Supervising Hairstylist
- Kay Georgiou
- Hair Designer
- Paolo Mantini
- Hairstylists
- Giorgio Gregorini
- Elisabetta De Leonardis
- New York Unit Key Hair
- Peg Schierholz
- Title Design
- Deborah Ross Film Design
- End Title Composite
- Pacific Title/Mirage
- Soprano Sax Solos
- Tommy Smith
- Napoli Jazz Club Musicians
- Double Bass:
- Geoff Gascoyne
- 'Dickie's' Alto Sax:
- Jamie Talbot
- Tenor Sax:
- Alan Barnes
- Electric Guitar:
- Paul Keogh
- San Remo Jazz Festival Musicians
- Trumpet:
- Guy Barker
- Tenor Sax:
- Iain Dixon
- Piano:
- Robin Aspland
- Double Bass:
- Arne Somogyi
- Choir:
- Metro Voices
- Music Programmers
- Kirsty Whalley
- Allan Jenkins
- Orchestra Conductor
- Harry Rabinowitz
- Orchestra Leaders
- Marcia Crayford
- Paul Willey
- Orchestrations
- Gabriel Yared
- John Bell
- Music Supervisor
- Graham Walker
- Score Producers
- Gabriel Yared
- Anthony Minghella
- Walter Murch
- Music Production Co-ordinator
- Liz Schrek
- Music Editor
- Robert Randles
- Score Recorder/Mixer
- John Richards
- Source Music Recorder/Re-mixer
- Chris Dibble
- Soundtrack
- "Lullaby for Cain" by Gabriel Yared, Anthony Minghella, performed by (1) Sinéad O'Connor, (2) Mary Ann McCormick & Toni Manoli; "Piano Quartet in E-flat Major Opus 16 Second Movement" by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax; "The Champ" by/performed by Dizzy Gillespie; "Ko-Ko" by/performed by Charlie Parker; "Mongibello" by/performed by The Mancuso Brothers; "Moanin'" by Bobby Timmons, performed by The Guy Barker International Quintet; "My Funny Valentine" by Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, performed by (1) Matt Damon & The Guy Barker International Quintet, (2) Chet Baker; "Tenor Madness" by/performed by Sonny Rollins; "May I?" by Mack Gordon, Harry Revel, performed by Bing Crosby; "You Don't Know What Love Is" by Don Raye, Gene De Paul, performed by (1) Alan Barnes, (2) John Martyn & The Guy Barker International Quintet; "Four" by Miles Davis, performed by Guy Barker, Pete King, Iain Dixon, Robin Aspland, Arne Somogyi, Clark Tracey; "Stabat Mater, 1st Movement" by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by (1) Gabriel Yared, (2) Clifford Gurdin and The London Metropolitan Ensemble; "Italian Concerto, 1st Movement" by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Sally Heath; "Mache Dich, Mein Herze, rein" from "St. Matthew Passion" by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Munich Bach Orchestra & Karl Richter; "Guaglione" by Nisa, Fanciulli, performed by Marino Marini; "Tu vuò fa l'americano" by Renato Carosone, Nicola Salerno, performed by Matt Damon, Jude Law, Fiorello and The Guy Barker International Quintet; "Nature Boy" by Eden Ahbez, performed by Miles Davis; "Miles and Bird" by Guy Barker, performed by The Guy Barker International Quintet; "Rusariu di la 'mmaculata" by Lorenzo Mancuso, performed by The Mancuso Brothers; "Pent-up House" by Sonny Rollins, performed by Guy Barker, Pete King, Iain Dixon, Robin Aspland, Arne Somogyi, Clark Tracey; "Lenski's Aria" from Act 2 Scene 2 of "Eugene Onegin" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, performed by Nicolai Gedda, Dimiter Stanchev, Yuri Mazurok and Sofia Festival Orchestra; "Knees up, Mother Brown" by Bert Lee, Harris Weston, performed by Gabriel Yared, David Arch; "We're Called Gondolieri" from "The Gondoliers" by W.S. Gilbert, A.S. Sullivan, performed by Matt Damon, Jack Davenport
- Opera Sequence staged by
- Carolyn Choa
- Sound Mixers
- Ivan Sharrock
- New York Unit:
- Danny Michael
- Re-recording Mixers
- Walter Murch
- Mark Berger
- David Parker
- Supervising Sound Editor
- Pat Jackson
- Dialogue Editors
- Dianna Stirpe
- Barbara McBane
- Sound Effects Recording
- Dan Gleich
- Sound Effects Editors
- Kyrsten Mate Comoglio
- Jennifer L. Ware
- ADR
- Supervisor:
- Mark A. Levinson
- Editor:
- Richard Quinn
- Foley
- Artists:
- Margie O'Malley
- Marnie Moore
- Mixer:
- Ben Conrad
- Editor:
- Malcolm Fife
- Boat Co-ordinators
- Mike Turk
- Ian McDougal
- Stunt Co-ordinator
- Franco Salamon
- Cast
- Matt Damon
- Tom Ripley
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Marge Sherwood
- Jude Law
- Dickie Greenleaf
- Cate Blanchett
- Meredith Logue
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Freddie Miles
- Jack Davenport
- Peter Smith-Kingsley
- James Rebhorn
- Herbert Greenleaf
- Sergio Rubini
- Inspector Roverini
- Philip Baker Hall
- Alvin MacCarron
- Celia Weston
- Aunt Joan
- Rosario Fiorello
- Fausto
- Stefania Rocca
- Silvana
- Ivano Marescotti
- Colonnello Verrecchia
- Anna Longhi
- Signora Buffi
- Alessandro Fabrizi
- Sergeant Baggio
- Lisa Eichhorn
- Emily Greenleaf
- Gretchen Egolf
- Fran
- Jack Willis
- Greenleaf chauffeur
- Frederick Alexander Bosche
- Fran's boyfriend
- Dario Bergesio
- police officer
- Larry Kaplan
- Uncle Ted
- Claire Hardwick
- Gucci assistant
- Nino Prester
- American Express clerk
- Lorenzo Mancuso
- bus driver
- Onofrio Mancuso
- priest
- Massimo Reale
- immigration officer
- Emanuelle Carucci Viterbi
- American Express clerk
- Caterina de Regibus
- Dahlia
- Silvana Bosi
- Ermelinda
- Gianfranco Barra
- Aldo, desk manager
- Renato Scarpa
- tailor
- Deirdre Lovejoy
- Brian Tarantina
- fighting neighbours
- Napoli Jazz Septet
- Guy Barker
- trumpet
- Bernardo Sassetti
- piano
- Perico Sambeat
- alto sax
- Gene Calderazzo
- drums
- Joseph Lepore
- double bass
- Rosario Giuliuni
- tenor sax
- Eddy Palermo
- electric guitar
- San Remo Jazz Sextet
- Byron Wallen
- cornet
- Pete King
- alto sax
- Clark Tracey
- drums
- Jean Toussaint
- tenor sax
- Geoff Gascogne
- bass
- Carlo Negroni
- piano
- Beppe Fiorello
- Silvana's fiancé
- Marco Quaglia
- Silvana's brother
- Alessandra Vanzi
- Silvana's mother
Marco Rossi- photographer
- Eugene Onegin players
- Roberto Valentini
- Onegin
- Francesco Bovino
- Lensky
- Stefano Canettieri
- Zaretsky
- Marco Foti
- Guillot
- Ludovica Tinghi
- Fausto's fiancée
- Nicola Pannelli
- Dinelli's café waiter
- Paolo Calabresi
- customs officer
- Pietro Ragusa
- record store owner
- Simone Empler
- boy singer
- Gianluca Secci
- Manuel Ruffini
- Pierpaolo Lovino
- policemen
- Roberto Di Palma
- San Remo hotel desk clerk
- Certificate
- tbc
- Distributor
- Buena Vista International (UK)
- tbc feet
- tbc minutes
- Dolby digital/Digital DTS sound
- Colour by
- DeLuxe