Plein soleil (Purple Noon) (Blazing Sun) (Full Sun) (Lust for Evil) (1960)

100% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
89% of users liked it
(2,528 ratings)

René Clément's thriller Purple Noon stars Alain Delon as Tom Ripley, an American who travels to Europe on an all-expenses-paid mission to convince his friend, the errant playboy Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to travel to San Francisco at the request of the wealthy Greenleaf family. Initially,… More René Clément's thriller Purple Noon stars Alain Delon as Tom Ripley, an American who travels to Europe on an all-expenses-paid mission to convince his friend, the errant playboy Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to travel to San Francisco at the request of the wealthy Greenleaf family. Initially, the pair enjoy the good life in Italy, often to the anger and dismay of Philippe's much put-upon fiancee Marge (Marie Laforet). However, as Tom's funds begin to run dry, it becomes more and more apparent that Philippe has no intentions of returning to the U.S., forcing Tom to consider more nefarious means of maintaining his extravagant lifestyle. Purple Noon is adapted from Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, and like Alfred Hitchcock's classic Strangers on a Train, also based on Highsmith's work, the theme of identity transference is dominant. The subject even extends to the homoerotic undercurrents which simmer below the surface of Tom and Philippe's relationship, setting into motion a love/hate tension which explodes during a high seas journey. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: René Clément
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jun 28, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Sep 2, 2003
Studio: Criterion Collection

Critic Reviews

Mike Clark, USA Today
Rene Clement's subversive direction makes us root for Delon to pull off a tricky tightrope disguise as suspicious police pursue him from hotel to apartment and town to town.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The sinister occurs within the confines of the beautiful, like a disease eating away a beautiful tree from the inside.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A gem of a psychological thriller, with Alain Delon and Marie Laforet in top form, Rene Clement's French version of Patricia Highsmith's noir novel is far superior to Minghella's 1999 remake.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
'Talented Mr. Ripley' with a French accent; stylish and memorable
Joe Utichi, FilmFocus
A fine adaptation of a fine novel, but the weight of Minghella's superior take on the story never leaves the film.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Alain Delon, in his third film, gives a staggering chilly performance as the psychopathic killer.
Dan Lybarger, Lawrence Journal-World
A fascinating earlier version of 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' that features a much different murderous protagonist.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
Does a magnificent job of implying eroticism and homoeroticism without showing it flat out (as in Anthony Minghella's dull 1999 remake).

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

Good thriller, ala Alain Delon. Beautiful Italian scenery. Wonderfully ironic finale. Hollywood, please stop remaking good, classic films into mediocre, homogeonized ones.
Elvira B

Tom Ripley, played by Alain Delon, is an intelligent, handsome, cold-blooded indentity-stealer, and nothing more. We are witnesses to his quiet endeavors and his restless cruelty. Rene Clement delivers no sentimentalism, no deep introspections into the cause of Ripley's… More
Tom Ripley, played by Alain Delon, is an intelligent, handsome, cold-blooded indentity-stealer, and nothing more. We are witnesses to his quiet endeavors and his restless cruelty. Rene Clement delivers no sentimentalism, no deep introspections into the cause of Ripley's psychopathic instincts (as opposed to the other very good adaptation by Anthony Minghella), just plain flawless development of a crime. Marie Laforet is lovely as the beautiful angst-ridden Marge. Not only is this movie a great thriller, but the vibrant photography and the beautiful Italian landscapes are enrapturing, and perhaps worth the view by themselves. It's classic suspense at its finest.
Stella D

an interesting french thriller based on patricia highsmith's book 'the talented mr. ripley'. released in 1960, it's fun for fans of the american version. the ending is quite different among other things. and how can alain delon be so cold and so hot… More
an interesting french thriller based on patricia highsmith's book 'the talented mr. ripley'. released in 1960, it's fun for fans of the american version. the ending is quite different among other things. and how can alain delon be so cold and so hot simultaneously? lol
John M

This 1960 version of the novel "Talented Mr.Ripley", in my opinion, it is not as good as the 1999 version but it is still a very good thriller where the atmosphere is sublime and the setting nothing but wonderful. The ending is one of the best I've ever seen in a… More
This 1960 version of the novel "Talented Mr.Ripley", in my opinion, it is not as good as the 1999 version but it is still a very good thriller where the atmosphere is sublime and the setting nothing but wonderful. The ending is one of the best I've ever seen in a movie.
Lauren D

I love The Talented Mr Ripley and I thought it was a better film overall, although they are technically adaptations of the same book, not TTMR being a remake. I thought Alain Delon was a better Ripley though.
Emily B

A Patricia Highsmith adaption with the handsome as ever Alain Delon as the cold and calculating Tom Ripley. As well as Delon's stunningly chilling performance, singer Marie Laforet is worth noting in what was her first film role. All this coupled with stunning photography and… More
A Patricia Highsmith adaption with the handsome as ever Alain Delon as the cold and calculating Tom Ripley. As well as Delon's stunningly chilling performance, singer Marie Laforet is worth noting in what was her first film role. All this coupled with stunning photography and brilliant Nino Rota soundtrack makes one fine thriller.