"Humiliating Him"

Madisen Stubbs | Apr 11, 2019 - 2 min read

In 2014, I began working at a movie store. You can guess that it only enhanced my love for movies and also grew my awareness of certain films. Generally, I refer to classic Hollywood as my bread and butter when it comes to movies. Recently, however, I have viewed many foreign films. More specifically, I have watched foreign cinema from the 1950s and 1960s. Their style and perspective adds so much to the world of filmmaking that I find it difficult to restrain myself from speaking out about it.

René Clément’s Purple Noon is one of the first foreign films I watched and it is gorgeously spectacular. From the scenery to the subtext, Purple Noon pleases the eye while also caressing the mind. No doubt, Alain Delon’s first significant role is that of an anti-hero.

Adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, Purple Noon sets out to accomplish what the novel does and much more. Film critic Geoffrey O’Brian speaks about the great aspects of this film. He mentions some of the differences of the film from the book but that is connected to the time in which Purple Noon was made. On the other hand, he pats Clément on the back for adding more understandable elements to the story and character of Tom Ripley.

O’Brain goes on to mention how Clément is able to relate the audience to Tom. Earlier this week I let a co-worker borrow my copy of the film. After watching it, he told me about how amazing it is that you end up feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Tom. This co-worker also admitted how attractive Alain Delon is, especially in this film, and so that may have played a role.

An excerpt from an interview with Oliver Eyquem and Jean-Claude Missiaen further explains why the audience can feel sympathetic about a psychopath:

He is a horrible guy, but you don’t make films about horrible people–that doesn’t work. People want to relate, they want to identify. I’m stating the obvious. So how will I make Ripley likable? By humiliating him.

This quote adds a lot of insight into the subtext of the film. Hopefully, you will find the time to sit down and enjoy Purple Noon.