Having been commissioned by a wealthy couple to convince their son to return to America, Tom Ripley (Alain Delon) instead cavorts across Europe with his aimless charge all the while living off his dime and mimicking his manner of speech, dress, signature, and what have you for more sinister and calculated purposes. Rene Clement's treatment of Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, while not always engrossing as it should be, is remarkably shot and edited, the protracted murder scenes particularly standing out. The material was reworked almost forty years later by Anthony Minghella and starring Matt Damon which I think I prefer, although this version is appropriately and somewhat surprisingly even more cold blooded.
*** out ****
