The Talented Mr. Ripley

infobox Book |
name = The Talented Mr. Ripley
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Recent paperback edition cover
author = Patricia Highsmith
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Ripliad
genre = Mystery novel
publisher = McCann (USA) & Cresset Press (UK)
release_date = 1955
media_type = Print (hardback, paperback)
pages =
isbn = NA
preceded_by =
followed_by = Ripley Under Ground

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" is a novel by Patricia Highsmith, published in 1955. This novel first introduced the character of Tom Ripley, who would return in the novels "Ripley Under Ground", "Ripley's Game", "The Boy Who Followed Ripley" and "Ripley Under Water".

Plot summary

Tom Ripley is a young man struggling to make a living in New York City, with no prospects but with a talent to survive by doing whatever is required. When approached by the wealthy Herbert Greenleaf to travel to Italy to persuade Greenleaf's errant son, Dickie, to return to the United States and assume his responsibilities, Ripley sees this as an opportunity. Shortly after his arrival in Italy, he meets Greenleaf and his girlfriend Marge Sherwood, and quickly ingratiates himself with the couple. Over time, however, Marge becomes suspicious of Tom, and Dickie begins to tire of Tom, possibly resenting Ripley's constant presence and growing dependence. Ripley's own feelings are complicated by his desire to maintain the new wealthy lifestyle Greenleaf has afforded him, and by his growing attraction to Greenleaf's own lifestyle.

As a gesture of kindness to Tom, Dickie agrees to travel with him on a short holiday to San Remo. The two hire a small boat, and Ripley murders Greenleaf onboard. He dumps Dickie's body, weighed down by the anchor, into the water and scuttles the boat.

Tom assumes Greenleaf's identity, living off the latter's allowance and carefully providing communications to Marge to assure her that Greenleaf has merely deserted her. Freddie Miles, an old friend of Dickie, visits Tom at what he supposes to be Dickie's apartment in Rome. He is immediately suspicious of Ripley and suspects something is wrong. The confrontation results in Ripley murdering Freddie. Ripley's existence becomes a cat and mouse game with the Italian police with Ripley managing to keep himself safe by restoring his own identity and moving to Venice. In succession, Marge, Greenleaf's father and an American private detective confront Ripley. He contemplates murdering Marge, but when he finally realises that they have accepted his story, changes his mind. The story concludes with Ripley travelling to Greece. However, on arrival in Greece, he discovers that the Greenleaf family has accepted that Dickie Greenleaf is dead and that Tom shall inherit Dickie's fortune according to a will forged by Tom on Dickie's Hermes typewriter. While the book ends with Tom happily rich, it also suggests that he may forever be dogged by paranoia; in one of the final paragraphs, he nervously envisions a group of police officers waiting to arrest him. Highsmith leaves her character pondering whether or not "he was going to see policemen waiting for him on every pier that he ever approached."

Awards and nominations

The novel won an Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Patricia Highsmith.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

*"Plein Soleil" (also known as "Purple Noon") (1960), directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon as Ripley.

*The 1999 film version, "The Talented Mr. Ripley", starred Matt Damon as Ripley.

*The Talented Mr. Ripley was performed at the Tivoli Theatre (Wimborne Minster) by Wimborne Drama [http://www.wimbornedrama.co.uk] from February 13th - 16th 2008. Rob Cording starred as Tom Ripley, with Greg Verver as Dickie Greenleaf and Jackie Lawson as Marge Sherwood. With notable performances from Ryan Clements, Boo Feltham, Michaela Slatford, Penny Pearson, Paul Dodman, Paul Oliver, Alfie Tyson - Brown and Andy Cragg.