September 2, 2002
Reuters
Ripley Returns, Appeals to dark side in Venice
by Jane Barrett

VENICE (Reuters) - The talented Mr. Ripley returned to Venice on Monday, 20 years older and more successful than in Anthony Minghella's 1999 blockbuster, and appealing to what star John Malkovich called people's darker side.

Liliana Cavani's "Ripley's Game," showing out of competition at the 59th Venice Film Festival, premiered to applause three years after Matt Damon portrayed Tom Ripley climbing from a lowly New York life to the Italian lap of luxury via a string of cold-hearted murders.

"He's attractive to people because he acts without conscience and puts his self interest above others, which is something the majority of us are unable to do," said Malkovich, who plays the older Ripley.

"Many people, deep in their 'id', would like to be able to say 'Why not just kill him?' and if you don't feel too badly about it then why not?  It's a clear solution to certain things," he added in his soft drawl.

In the next installment of the life of "The Talented Mr. Ripley," based on novels by Patricia Highsmith, the callous social climber has fulfilled his dreams of wealth and is living in a Palladian villa in northeast Italy.  But even with bulging pockets, hatred of inferiority lingers.

When he hears British neighbor Jonathan (Dougray Scott) accuse him of having "so much money and so little taste" Ripley wreaks revenge by setting him up as a well-paid hit man, playing on his fears of what will happen to his family when he dies of terminal leukemia.

The two end up working together in a series of murders and cover-ups, including a battle with Berlin mafiosi in Ripley's palazzo, complete with medieval mantraps, heavy 16th century shutters and the risk of getting blood on the frescoes.

"There is something terribly black comedy about Ripley" said Cavani, who directed Dirk Bogarde in the 1974 film "Night Porter."

"You commit a crime to get rid of a problem but then there are still annoying, dirty things to clean up behind you -- a heavy body to lug off, a splatter of blood on the door which you have to get rid of somehow," she told a news conference.

But it was Malkovich's steely gaze, reminiscent of his Vicomte de Valmont in the 1988 "Dangerous Liaisons," which stole the show.

"There is something so cool, calculating yet rather attractive in his look. It's incredible to portray a character through your eyes alone," one American critic said on his way out of an early morning showing.

Later this week, Malkovich will make his directorial debut with "The Dancer Upstairs," also showing out of competition.

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