Plein Soleil [DVD] [1960]

The film is a very interesting (if not entirely faithful) adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel 'The Talented Mr. Ripley'. As for the DVD, however, it is a bit of a mixed bag. Although watchable, the print exhibits a large number of faults, including scratches and occasionally heavy grain. However, these faults are also apparent on the previously-released R1 disc (under the English title 'Purple Noon'), suggesting that the film will not look any better without a proper remastering. Both the R1 and R2 discs are presented in their original 1.66:1 ratio, but unlike the R1 disc, this R2 DVD is anamorphic. The disc also includes the theatrical trailer, missing on the R1.
However, this disc also lacks some features. The R2 disc only contains the original French soundtrack (the best way to watch the film, in my opinion), while the R1 disc contains this track as well as an English dub, for those who do not like reading the subtitled translation. On that topic, the R1 has removable subtitles (reportedly in a nasty yellow font, though!), while the English subtitles on the R2 are fixed. The subtitles appear to have been digitally created for this DVD, and are very clear and defined (if a little big) but some viewers may be disappointed that they cannot be removed from the image.
In conclusion, this is the best release of the film yet on DVD in terms of picture and sound quality, despite still being a bit disappointing. Unless you cannot stand to watch the film in its original language, or do not like fixed subtitles, this is the version to get.

Overall this a superb take on Patricia Highsmith's Talented Mr Ripley. Its certainly a match, if not better than the more recent Anthony Mingella version.

The story is somewhat changed from the later film (I have not read the book) but like the later film this is riveting entertainment. Fast-paced and well directed, this moves along at great pace and you are continually torn between liking Ripley for his cleverness and wanting him to be caught.

I really only have two criticisms of the film. Firstly as a previous reviewer said at the end there is a big shock, which results in an ending to the film that I didn't like. Again as the previous reviewer said I can't elaborate on this without spoiling the film. Secondly I prefer John Malkovich as Ripley. See his performance in Ripleys Game. That said Ripleys Game is not as good a film as this one.

Highly recommended.

Plein Soleil is a taut thriller with good plot and pacing but less character development.We see the idle rich in an Italy of the late 50s.The surfaces of the film,Mediterranean blue seas,gorgeous clothes and apartments, the sunny streets of Naples and Rome,boat-trips to Sicily are captured by the cinematography of Decae.Tom Ripley (Alain Delon) is seen first in streets of La Dolce Vita carousing with Philippe Greenleaf(Maurice Ronet),picking up women.Ripley has to persuade Greenleaf to return to San Fransisco on a commission from Greenleaf Snr., industrialist ,to get him away from the decadent lifestyle he's given himself up to.Greenleaf thinks he'll go back with Ripley,but then deciding not to tags him along and Ripley gets caught up in the ripples of hedonism in his target's slipstream. The film by Clement is deceptive:outward beauty,inner corruption.Ripley is a cold psychopath whose charm allows him to worm his way in;we are repelled and seduced by his narcissistic cleverness.He is secretly drawn to Marge(La Foret),aims to seduce her.She is Greenleaf's mistress and is aware Philippe is being led astray by Ripley and competes with Ripley for Philippe's attention.The couple split and he drops her off the boat and Philippe and Ripley pursue their macho mind games on board. Ripley is open about wanting to kill Philippe and take his wealth and life-style.Philippe thinks he's joking.In a scene of breath-taking brutality Ripley stabs him through the heart and the scenes of wrapping up the body in canvas and rope is shot by hand-held cameras in real time. He proceeds to forge documents,passports,use Philippe's typewriter to forge letters/signatures by Dickie.His plans have to be matched by his impulses and he has to play both Philippe and Ripley at the same or different times.Of course in the book Philippe is called Dickie.

We are drawn in by the tension he creates and the disasters he skirts.He also has to bump off Freddie,one of Philippe's old friends,who loathes his parasitism on Philippe.The scene where Delon carries Freddie's body down the stairs at night takes place in real time and all the weight of bearing a dead body is registered by Delon's exhaustion.He is pursued by the police.He manufactures a suicide letter and lots of cash from Philippe's supposed will bequeathing it to Marge,which the police find.He completes his seduction of Marge and we will him to escape.The ending departs from the novel due to the difficulty in having an amoral killer with no remorse in the 1960s.Rota(of La Dolce Vita)does a sunny film score,the cinematography is excellent and Delon's role made him famous as the glamorous,ultra-cool villain.I preferred this version to Minghella's later version where the homo-erotic overtones are emphasised but the film goes on too long and loses the drive of the story in character development and the pursuing of too many subplots,coincidences and extra characters.Highsmith liked this version and compared to the later one it is the real Italy,the real McCoy.Watch the despatching of the body overboard to get a clue as to the ending.This DVD is also on the market as Purple Noon.