Plein Soleil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Plein Soleil | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | René Clément |
| Produced by | Raymond Hakim Robert Hakim |
| Written by | Patricia Highsmith René Clément Paul Gégauff |
| Starring | Alain Delon Maurice Ronet Marie Laforêt |
| Music by | Nino Rota |
| Cinematography | Henri Decaë |
| Distributed by | Titanus Miramax re-released in USA |
| Release date(s) | March 10, 1960 (French release) August 31, 1961 (U.S. release) |
| Running time | 115 min. |
| Language | French |
| IMDb profile | |
Plein Soleil (released in Australia as Full Sun [the literal English translation], in the UK as Blazing Sun, and in the U.S. as 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.
[edit] Plot
Delon plays Tom Ripley, who claims to have been sent to Italy to persuade his wealthy friend, Philippe Greenleaf (played by Maurice Ronet), to return to San Francisco and run his father's business. As Philippe intends to do no such thing and Tom, who is poor, 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 (played by Marie Laforêt). Tom has something of a crush on Philippe, wanting his life, girlfriend, and confident, cocky personality for himself. The spoiled, arrogant Philippe soon grows tired of his friend's fawning, however, and becomes cruel and abusive to him; the last straw is when, during a boating trip, Philippe strands Tom on a rescue boat, leaving him to lie in the sun for hours.
Back on board, Tom hatches a plan to kill Philippe and assume his identity. Once Marge goes ashore, Philippe confronts him and Tom reveals his plan quite casually. Philippe, thinking it a joke, plays along and asks Tom for the plan's details. He leaves his guard down long enough for Tom to stab him to death and throw the body overboard.
Upon returning, Tom tells Marge that Philippe decided to stay behind, and goes traveling around the country using Philippe's name and money, and even affecting his manner and voice; in effect, he becomes Philippe.
When Tom murders Philippe's suspicious friend, Freddie Miles, and the police inevitably get involved, he keeps playing at his charade, switching between being himself and being Philippe, depending on what the situation demands, and almost getting caught many times. By the end, Tom thinks he has outwitted everybody, and has even begun to seduce Marge — when Philippe's body is found, tangled in his boat's anchor. The last shot is of Tom walking toward the Police just after the discovery; it is assumed he will be arrested.
[edit] Acclaim, authenticity, and influence
Plein Soleil 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 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, critics, including Highsmith herself, have called Delon's characterization the closest to her version of the character: a charismatic sociopath who lies, manipulates and kills without an ounce of remorse. In the book, it is implied (although never stated) that he has sexual feelings for Greenleaf, and is not so much interested in Greenleaf's money as he is in being him. The homoerotic subtext is largely absent from this film, although the identity envy is certainly intact. There are differences in plot, however; most importantly, Ripley does not get caught in the novel, escaping the police to live a life of luxury and crime (as portrayed in the book's four sequels.) 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 may be one in a line of Greenleaf's meaningless flings. As portrayed by Marie Laforêt in Plein Soleil, she is a more compatible counterpoint to Greenleaf, and both film versions of the novel suggest in several scenes that Greenleaf's feelings for her are genuine.
In 1999, director Anthony Minghella adapted the novel as The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon as Ripley, Jude Law as Greenleaf, and Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge. Minghella's interpretation of Ripley is a less calculating and is unmistakably revealed to be homosexual, unlike Highsmith's and Clément's Ripleys.
[edit] External links
|
||||||||
