Purple Noon
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Movie Reviews of Purple Noon
Movie Review: One of the most beautiful, charismatic actors of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
It appears the "Purple Noon" story line has been detailed quite well in prior reviews, so no need to go on about it again. What I want to add is that this film could serve as a wonderful introduction to Alain Delon for a new generation. If you have never seen this actor at work, treat yourself to "Purple Noon" and think of it as a primer. It is much better than ".....Mr. Ripley", as it doesn't have the unrelenting, distasteful sense of evil and unpleasantness of Matt Damon's version. Damon simply cannot match Delon for all the facets the Frenchman gives his character. Delon makes the character so intriguing, you rather want to see him get away with it!
Delon was and remains one of the most exciting, beautiful actors ever to come out of Europe. The U.S. has never produced an actor to match him for sheer beauty, grace and charisma. Those eyes make you want to know what is going on behind them. The intrigue is always there and you cannot take your eyes off him.
Delon has a son who works very hard to follow in his father's playboy footsteps, but he lacks the class, pure beauty and grace of his father. I hope that once you've seen "Purple Noon", you will move on to his even better films, i.e. "Mr. Klein" or "Le Samourai" and others. Not many are available as yet, but hopefully time will correct this oversight.
One film called "Have I the Right to Kill?" was recently run on TCM, but is not available as yet in any format. It also is dubbed, rather than sub-titled, which for me, lessens the film, but it is still good viewing.
Try "Purple Noon", sit back and watch this graceful, beautiful man turn on sex appeal the like of which you will never see again. Once you see him, you will want more, I guarantee it.
(Please note there is a new, first time release of a collection of his decent but somewhat lesser films available on Amazon called "Alain Delon - Five Films". I remain hopeful that his truly great films will show up in a collection soon)
Movie Review: Watch it, you'll like it...
Summary: 5 Stars
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).
Movie Review: Ripley Done Right
Summary: 5 Stars
I discovered Plein Soleil in France while living in Paris and since it had a four star rating (out of four) in the TV review, I decided to tape it, and have not regretted it since. I have seen the film four times and simply never get tired of it.My friends and family were disappointed in the American Ripley film version and I really wanted them to see this, the original film. However, I was not willing to translate every single line from French into English (irritating for all involved... defeats the purpose...) and I could not find a copy of the movie with subtitles.
Then I found that Plein Soleil existed under the title "Purple Noon" in English and was overjoyed. As the other reviewers have already noted, the cinematography is superb, and, Alain Delon, pretty boy or not, is sublime. (And I was not a fan of his- quite the contrary- before seeing this film). The twist and sense of poetic justice at the end was far more gratifying than the Talented Mr. Ripley.
To me this is a PERFECT MOVIE. Just to give you a sense of my taste, other "perfect films" in my book are "Cyrano de Bergerac" (version with Gerard Depardieu), "Goodfellas", and "Rocco et I suoi fratelli" (Viscomti- an Italian drama also starring a young Alain Delon).
Call it Plein Soleil or Purple Noon- what you get is style, suspense, finesse, and French class.
An American formerly in Paris
Movie Review: Essential French cinema: Clément's 'Plein Soleil.'
Summary: 5 Stars
Alain Delon takes identity theft to the extreme in this stylish French thriller. Based on Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, René Clément's (1913-1996) film, Purple Noon (Plein Soleil)(1960) stars Delon in the role of Tom Ripley, a "suave, agreeable and utterly amoral" con artist. Claiming he was sent to Italy to persuade his friend, Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet), to return to San Francisco and run his father's business, Ripley becomes enamoured with Philippe, his privileged lifestyle, his playboy personality, and his trés sexy girlfriend, Marge (Marie Laforêt). In response, Philippe becomes adversarial toward Ripley. Ripley then decides to kill Philippe and assume his identity, supporting his charade using Philippe's name and money. He then attempts to seduce Marge. Delon's acclaimed performance as the charismatic sociopath Ripley made him a star; Marie Laforêt went on to become a French pop rock sensation. The movie was remade in 1999, starring Matt Damon as Ripley, Jude Law as Greenleaf, and Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge. However Clément's suspenseful film noir version is the better of the two.
G. Merritt
Movie Review: One of the top notch film noir ever filmed
Summary: 5 Stars
If I had to give my personal list of the ten greatest film noir ever, this one would be one of them.Delon reached one of his peaks as actor with this one. His sense of the betrayal symbol and above all the decadence moral symbol is what precisely makes an universe of difference with Matt Damon in Langhella remake. Damon is just only perverse, not decadent.
Maurice Ronet was always a prominent actor. Though his major achievement as actor was Feu follet from Louis Malle in 1963, it deserves a perfect balance with Delon.
Rene Clement was one of the most gifted french film maker from the post war generation. His major works were Forbidden games (1953)and this one.
The growing tension in this film invades you psycologically, slowly the film compells you and carries us to an unexpected ending, in that unforgettable sequence in front the sea.
Don't miss one of the golden gems in any age of the film noir. And remember Patricia Highsmith (Strangers on a train and the american friend) was the writer of this monumental work.