Rating: 
Summary: Lousy DVD from Disney
Review: No problems with the film itself, I saw the theatrical release several years ago, and loved it. I refuse to buy the lame excuse for a DVD that Buena Vista has offered. When will the message get through? Serious films need the serious treatment on disc, especially if we are going to be gouged with Disney prices. The absence of anamorphic enhancement on this film is close to criminal in my eyes, and the rest of the shoddy package, right down to the boilerplate on the case, is an insult. Criterion did a Laser Disc of this film, and this DVD needs the Criterion treatment. Tell me I'm having a bad dream!!
Rating: 
Summary: A better Ripley in some ways
Review: Purple Noon (Rene Clement, 1960)First, a warning: do not watch this film before watching the more recent version of The Talented Mr. Ripley, if you plan to see both. The greatest fun of this film is comparing the two versions. By now we should all know the story. Tom Ripley (Alain Delon) has been sent to Italy by the father of one Phillippe Greenleaf (the late Maurice Ronet) with the objective of bringing Greenleaf back into the family fold in the United States. Ripley, an accomplished forger, takes his job half-seriously until he falls in love with the same woman Greenleaf is in love with, Marge (Marie Laforet), and then, as in most films, complications ensue. This film is a perfect complement to Minghella's 1999 failure. Minghella's film, aside from a few key scenes, is completely lacking in atmosphere; Clement's film has it in spades. Clement's film compresses all of the book's setup into two conversations at the very beginning, and dispenses with a major subplot altogether; Minghella's film takes us step-by-step through the whole thing. Too bad the two didn't get together to film this, as they might have managed a film worthy of Highsmith's classic novel. It's interesting (perhaps the most interesting thing in the film) to note the differences between the characterizations of Phillippe (Clement)/Dickie (Minghella) Greenleaf in the two movies. Minghella's version, played by Jude Law, is something of a spoiled libertine, but he never really comes across as menacing, thus making the major plot points of the film black and white. Clement's Greenleaf, on the other hand, is a nasty piece of work. We never actually see it, but we get the distinct feeling he's both verbally and physically abusive to Marge; he's excessively confrontational even with his best friends. There's much more a sense that Greenleaf is as much the architect of the last two-thirds of the film as Ripley is here. Maybe that, too, is something that Minghella's film is fatally lacking. If you've seen the newer version of Ripley, this could safely be a three-and-a-half star film for comparison value alone. If not, I'm forced to go with ** 1/2.
Rating: 
Summary: HYPNOTIC FRENCH NOIR
Review: The French title Plein Soliel has been translated PURPLE NOON (Miramax), but "broad daylight" is more accurate. Rene Clement's 1960 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's diabolical murder mystery The Talented Mr. Ripley is better than the recent remake. Alan Delon is the ice-cold Ripley who kills his friend and assumes his identity. The restored 1960 film, bathed in Mediterannean sunlight and color, looks like it was shot yesterday.
Rating:
Summary: HYPNOTIC FRENCH NOIR
Review: The French title Plein Soliel has been translated PURPLE NOON (Miramax), but "broad daylight" is more accurate. Rene Clement's 1960 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's diabolical murder mystery The Talented Mr. Ripley is better than the recent remake. Alan Delon is the ice-cold Ripley who kills his friend and assumes his identity. The restored 1960 film, bathed in Mediterannean sunlight and color, looks like it was shot yesterday.
Rating: 
Summary: a perfect film
Review: the movie is just brilliant. Its loosely based on on the novel but is a classic in its own right. cool performance by Alain Delon who is perfect as Tom Ripley. Cold, confident, and calculating. One of the best films of the suspense genre. sumptuously shot with beautiful music by the guy who did 'La Dolce Vita.' One of the best films i've ever seen. Perfect example of french film noir of the sixties. Also, Alain Delon is the best-looking actor ever.
Rating:
Summary: Rene Clement's Purple Noon
Review: This film came out almost forty years before Anthony Minghella's "The Talented Mr. Ripley," but age has not worn down its value. The basic plot is the same: Tom Ripley must convince Phillipe Greenleaf to return home to the U.S. Ripley eventually kills Greenleaf and assumes his identity, living the life he always felt he deserved. Rene Clement's direction has tons of Hitchcockian overtones. The location shooting is just as impressive as the 1990's version. Both films do a lot with mirrors in different scenes, some enterprising film studies student could do a term paper on that. Delon's Tom Ripley is very suave and debonair, unlike Damon's characterization. Any homosexual element has been removed, with Tom's motivation for murder being his love for Marge. Oddly enough, Delon looks like "TMR"'s Jude Law more than anyone else. I wish this film had thrown caution to the wind, however, and really broke loose from censorous chains. I felt the film makers did not have the same liberties the "TMR" film makers had, and the film sometimes comes off as a little unfeeling and withdrawn. The final ironic end is a hilarious shocker. Combined, "Purple Noon" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" would be one great film. I recommend "Purple Noon." This was French with English subtitles and rated (PG13) for physical violence, mild sexual content, some sexual references, and adult situations.
Rating:
Summary: a classic film noir
Review: This is one of the most suspenseful thrillers ever made, and women will find themselves drawn to the bad guy (excuse #1: "he did it because he loves her !") and men will wish they could get away with anything like Alain Delon and look like him too. He's terrific in this, and not only was he devilishly handsome in his prime, but was also a good actor and screen presence. The scenery is breathtaking and Nino Rota wrote a beautiful score for this film that should not be missed. Even after knowing the ending (which is one of the all-time greatest !), it stands up to many viewings...in fact, it improves, as one realizes how seamless this plot is, showing no implausible holes.
Rating:
Summary: Watch it, you'll like it...
Review: This is one out of just two movies (the other being Trainspotting) that liked so much I wanted to read the book (once I found it it was a book). Usually I love the book and hate the movie with a passion. While I must admit that this movie doesn't exactly follow the book step by step, it does stick to the story (unlike Minghella's version). Even with it's differences, I still loved the film.
The cinematography (sp?) is beautiful, the film is suspensful and compelling, and the casting is all you could ever want. Maurice Ronet makes for a wonderful Dickie Greenleaf. He's detached, self-centred, and cruel. He seems to be playing some sort of game with Marge's emotions rather than actually loving her. Ronet's Dickie is just like in the book, an arse. Although Clement's Marge is more independent and more beautiful than she seems to be in Patricia Highsmith's novel, she's still Marge. I think I actually like her better in the movie, Marie Laforet makes her more sympathetic. As for Alain Delon, not only is he gorgeous, but he plays Tom marvelously. He really makes you root for a killer.
I showed this movie to a friend of mine who's never watched foriegn film. She told me that the film always kept her guessing and she couldn't take her eyes off the screen because she was so engrossed in the story. She also said that Delon's portrayal of Tom really makes your opinion of the character change througout the film. She's currently reading the book. Not only that; after Purple Noon, I showed her Der Krieger Und Die Kaiserin and now I've got her hooked on foriegn film (;
To put it very simply, you must see this film!
See my review for Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley for a comparison of the two movies (and to read how bad Minghella's version is).
Rating:
Summary: Original is better!
Review: This is the original film based on Patricia Highsmith's book. I saw it a couple of years ago and in my opinion, it is way better than the new "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Although the latter is entertaining and suspenseful, "Purple Noon" has more charm (maybe because it's in French). I must admit though, that Jude Law was one reason that made "The Talented Mr. Ripley" worth watching. His performance was good and it made you hate Tom Ripley (Matt Damon)a lot. But in "Purple Noon," you wouldn't mind if Dickie Greenleaf (played by Maurice Ronet) died because Tom Ripley (played by Alain Delon) was such a babe! With the intricate plot and superb acting, "Purple Noon" can actually be compared to a Hitchcock film.
Rating:
Summary: Original is better!
Review: This is the original film based on Patricia Highsmith's book. I saw it a couple of years ago and in my opinion, it is way better than the new "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Although the latter is entertaining and suspenseful, "Purple Noon" has more charm (maybe because it's in French). I must admit though, that Jude Law was one reason that made "The Talented Mr. Ripley" worth watching. His performance was good and it made you hate Tom Ripley (Matt Damon)a lot. But in "Purple Noon," you wouldn't mind if Dickie Greenleaf (played by Maurice Ronet) died because Tom Ripley (played by Alain Delon) was such a babe! With the intricate plot and superb acting, "Purple Noon" can actually be compared to a Hitchcock film.
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