Plein soleil (1960)

Director:

René Clément

Writers:

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

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 | Typewriter | Famous Score | Poker

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Muller	...	Blind Man (uncredited)
Romy Schneider	...	Freddy's companion (uncredited)

Directed by
René Clément

Writing credits
Patricia Highsmith		(novel "The Talented Mr Ripley/Monsieur Ripley")
René Clément		(adaptation and dialogue) &
Paul Gégauff		(adaptation and dialogue) (as Paul Gegauff)

Produced by
Raymond Hakim	....	producer
Robert Hakim	....	producer

Original Music by
Nino Rota		(as Nino Rotta)

Cinematography by
Henri Decaë

Film Editing by
Françoise Javet

Production Design by
Paul Bertrand

Costume Design by
Bella Clément

Makeup Department
Louis Bonnemaison	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Gardone	....	assistant director
Pierre Zimmer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bruno Avesani	....	assistant art director
Eugène Roman	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Jacques Carrère	....	sound mixer
Jean-Claude Marchetti	....	sound
Maurice Rémy	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean Rabier	....	camera operator
Jean-Paul Schwartz	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Madeleine Lecompere	....	assistant editor
Hadassa Misrahi	....	assistant editor
Maryse Siclier	....	assistant editor
Walter Spohr	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jacques Métehen	....	conductor

Other crew
Maurice Binder	....	title designer
Jean Guélis	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Robert et Raymond Hakim
• Paris Film
• Paritalia
• Titanus

Distributors

• Times Film Corporation (1961) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed) (subtitled)
• Titanus Distribuzione (1960) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Studio Canal (2000) (France) (DVD)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Miramax Films (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (subtitled)
• Miramax Zoë (1996) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (subtitled)
• Seven Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• EuroVideo (West Germany) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

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 | Australia:PG | 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:

Plot holes: The corpse of Philippe's rope got caught in the propeller, yet the boat was running on sails.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Coming Apart (1969)

The Riveting Mr. Ripley

I saw Minghella's "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and Clement's "Purple Noon" back to back. Two entirely different movies based on exactly the same book. The differences are personal of course. Minghella has a moralistic view of his characters and their darkness must be, somehow, explained if not justified. Clement's allows the amorality of his characters to run loose. Minghella casts Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, a rather invisible actor in every way and although he's pretty good here, he's not good enough to overshadow his rival: Jude Law. Clement casts Alain Delon as Ripley and you will be with him all the way, you'll go where he goes you will turn out to be as amoral as he is - at least I did, I just wanted him to get away with it and why? Because he was Alain Delon, the Tom Ripley that, clearly, Patricia Highsmith intended. His rival is Maurice Ronet, good as he is, I didn't miss him when he left. You know why? Because I was left with the dangerous, magnetic, amoral, riveting Alain Delon. Clement allows us to see the difficulty and danger of the murders, we see them, we are there. Minghella plays it rather hurriedly. There is no real tension or horror. The most suspenseful moment is at an Opera house. The pluses on "The Talented Mr Ripley" - besides the aforementioned Jude Law - are Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett in two beautifully written and performed parts. In "Purple Noon" Marie Laforet is left rather to her own devices. Once all said and done you can watch both films as if they weren't even related. I prefer "Purple Noon" but that's just me.