Purple Noon

Purple Noon, from 1960, is an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, which was made into a Hollywood film in 1999 (this was is in French). It was interesting to see what director Rene Clement did here differently than Anthony Minghella did 39 years later. It's hotly debated among critics which film is better--the Minghella is closer to the book, but most say Purple Noon is a better film.

Alain Delon is Ripley, and it made him a star. He has been hired by the father of his friend, Maurice Ronet, to retrieve him from Rome back to San Francisco. Ronet doesn't want to go, so Delon sort of just hangs around, enjoying the generosity of his friend, who is filthy rich. Delon also envies the relationship his friend has with his girlfriend, Marie Laforet, so much so that he plots on killing Ronet and assuming his identity.

The pleasures of Purple Noon are many, principally watching the machinations of Delon as he carries out his plot. He is amoral, a kind of parasitic worm who is tolerated if not well liked. One of Ronet's friends (Billy Kearns) doesn't trust him, and he will find out right he is later in the film.

Purple Noon is also gorgeously filmed, with a large portion of it set on a sailboat in the Mediterranean, in Rome, or in Naples.