NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

shakercoola Alain Delon is Tom Ripley, one who travels to Europe, all-expenses-paid at the request of the wealthy Greenleaf family. His mission, to convince his friend, the errant playboy Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to travel to San Francisco. The real story is about how one gets away with murder - a troubling storyline, but nonetheless the film, like the book, plays on our sense of mischief and survival mechanism. There is a tone and mood to the film which runs completely counter to Film Noir, and this is revealed by the conspicuous title, Full Sun, or the English version, Purple Noon, harking to the poet Shelley's line: "Purple Noon's transparent might". Everything between the two leads is transparent. Nothing is hidden. Two men are palpably different and their personal natures play out accordingly, with its exploration of ruthless ambition still fiercely timely. The film's ending is the only questionable part for critics, differing sharply with the book's open ending.

MartinHafer When I got this film, I had no idea that it was later remade as the Mr. Ripley films in the US. Now I have not yet seen any of them--but after seeing "Purple Noon" I am much more inclined to seek them out in the near future. This is because the film is so intelligently written--darn clever and quite original.Tom Ripley appears to be a mouse of a man. He's been sent to retrieve an American playboy back to the States, but with no luck. So instead, he hangs with this spoiled rich guy as he wanders through Europe having a good time. During these travels, the rich guy keeps treating Ripley like dirt--and enjoys seeing just how far he can push him. As for Ripley (Alan Delon), you are hoping that he does SOMETHING to stand up for himself. Unfortunately, this means killing the rich guy and assuming his identity! Now you think that this plan is really flawed--after all, how long can he pretend to be this rich guy and spend his money. BUT, this is NOT Ripley's plan--it's much more complicated and intelligent than that. Tune in to see the plan unfold.What I liked about this scenario is that HOW and WHAT Ripley did really worked well. It's NOT the half-baked plan it seems to be and was fascinating throughout. In addition, Delon, who is a fine actor, is really good in this role. Well worth seeing and one of the better films I've seen in recent weeks--and I watch A LOT of films!

moonspinner55 Sun-swept adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel "Monsieur Ripley" involves two French playboys in Rome--one a millionaire's son, the other a ne'er-do-well who worships money and the people who have it--who come to an impasse at sea, resulting in tragedy and an elaborate cover-up. Hitchcockian drama presents a whirlpool of murder and deceit in exquisitely beautiful visual terms, with luscious color cinematography and locations. Like Alfred Hitchcock, director René Clément is more interested in the How rather than the Why; the film doesn't run so much on emotion as it does on a rather far-fetched level of logic (though the final twist is really pressing things). The film's American counterpart, 1999's "The Talented Mr. Ripley", played up the thriller aspects of Highsmith's story, while Clément is more interested in letting the scenes unfold through careful pacing and detail. It's often extraordinary--and, by the end, extraordinarily empty. **1/2 from ****

Terrell-4 Admit it. At feeding time wouldn't we rather be the snake than the mouse? Even though we might be revolted by the snake's single-minded swallowing, without benefit of a knife and fork, don't we merely shiver a bit and keep watching? Tom Ripley enjoys a good meal, too. He wants all the good things in life. He doesn't mind causing a little death now and then to get them and to keep them. He takes exception to being looked down upon. Along with Ripley's charm, good nature, easy manners and handsome looks, he has a complete lack of conscience, which combines well with his desire to enjoy what others have. Patricia Highsmith's intelligent thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley, first introduced us to Tom. He was poor then but willing to be rich. He was the order-taking, money-holding, envious hanger-on to an over-bearing, arrogant rich young man about his own age. The death of this man, plus a spot of impersonation and forgery, some quick thinking and resourcefulness, put Tom on his path to riches. Of course, it was Tom who did the deed to his friend. Forty minutes into Plein Soleil and Tom Ripley is on his way. Rene Clement's Plein Soleil (Purple Noon), with an incredibly young and handsome Alain Delon as Tom Ripley, was the first filming of Tom's murderous and successful career. In time we also came to know Tom in Wim Wenders' The American Friend (Ripley's Game) in 1977 with Dennis Hopper as Tom; Anthony Minghella's version of The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), with Matt Damon as Tom, then Liliana Cavani's Ripley's Game in 2002 with John Malkovich as Tom. They all are fine in their own satisfyingly nasty ways, although Wim Wenders' version owes more to Wenders than to Highsmith, and Dennis Hopper as Tom is, in my opinion, a stretch. Alain Delon not only makes a completely believable young, poor, envious and callow Tom Ripley, he makes us think twice about those quaint ideas of right and wrong. Ripley plots his killings. In the case of Philippe Greenleaf, his first, Greenleaf is so arrogantly wealthy it's a pleasure to reach the moment, on a small yacht in the middle of a sun-drenched Mediterranean, when we know Tom is going to do something about it. Delon (and Clement) entice us into the conspiracy. Tom takes over Greenleaf's identity as well as a good-sized portion of Greenleaf's money, deals with Greenleaf's lover, disposes of loose ends, some alive but one soon to be dead, and deals with the police. But Tom also is an improviser, at his best when he must act or lose everything. Tension bounces back and forth between Ripley's careful planning and then his ability to act, his instincts, his resourcefulness and his luck. Ripley not only is matter-of-fact murderous, he's clever. But be prepared (and this is not a spoiler): The last two minutes are a complete cop-out. We might be a bit revolted at Tom's activities, but just as we watch that snake in the zoo, we can't help but hope Tom Ripley successfully digests all he attempts to swallow. So which Tom Ripley of the four versions do you like? Me? Damon does a fine job as the young Tom, but Delon is superb. For the older and more assured Tom, it's Malkovich in a class by himself over the incongruously cast Dennis Hopper.