Plein soleil (1960)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

René Clément

Writers:

Patricia Highsmith (novel)
René Clément (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

10 March 1960 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Passion at ten. Envy at eleven. Murder at noon.

Plot:

Tom Ripley is a talented mimic, moocher, forger and all-around criminal improviser; but there's more to Tom Ripley than even he can guess.

Plot Keywords:

Moocher | Police | Psychopath | Buddha Statuette | Earring

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Alain Delon	...	Tom Ripley / Philippe Greenleaf
Maurice Ronet	...	Philippe Greenleaf
Marie Laforêt	...	Marge Duval
Erno Crisa	...	Riccordi
Frank Latimore	...	O'Brien
Billy Kearns	...	Freddy Miles (as Bill Kearns)
Ave Ninchi	...	Signora Gianna
Viviane Chantel	...	The Belgian lady
Nerio Bernardi	...	Agency Director
Barbel Fanger
Lily Romanelli	...	Housekeeper
Nicolas Petrov	...	Boris
Elvire Popesco	...	Mrs. Popova

Also Known As:

Purple Noon (UK) (USA)
Blazing Sun (UK)
Delitto in pieno sole (Italy)
Full Sun (Australia) (literal English title)
Lust for Evil (USA) (reissue title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for momentary violence and sexuality.

Runtime:

112 min | Argentina:115 min | France:115 min | Hungary:110 min | UK:118 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | Italian | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Ischia Island, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Robert et Raymond Hakim

Trivia:

Author Patricia Highsmith, on whose novel "Plein soleil" was based, expressed satisfaction with the film, which she called "very beautiful to the eye and interesting for the intellect," and with Alain Delon's performance as Tom Ripley. She was, however, disappointed with the film's ending, calling it "a terrible concession to so-called public morality."

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the boom on the sailboat.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nouvelle vague (1990)

Terrific version of the Patricia Highsmith novel

Extremely well done, tightly edited, well acted (by everyone, including the small roles, especially the actor who has to appear dead with long camera shots in a tense scene in the hotel). Delon is perfectly cast, with his calculating cool.

The cinematography is gorgeous, especially the scenes on the yacht---nothing gimmicky, but shot with an expertise that gives true drama to the action. You can feel the waves, the wind, and the sun. The colors are vibrant on the DVD. Though a scene like this in a typical movie today would include a heavy ominous score, the director simply lets the sound of the wind create the tension. The score (by Nina Rota), in fact, is understated, unlike anything today. Even the opening credits have style.