Who is Tom Ripley: the story of a brilliant scoundrel played by Alain Delon, Matt Damon and John Malkovich

Tom Ripley is one of the most famous characters in the world of literature and cinema. He is a professional criminal, swindler, and serial killer who always manages to get away with his crimes. Ripley is the protagonist of a series of novels by the American writer Patricia Highsmith, published between 1955 and 1991: "The Talented Mr. Ripley", "Ripley Under ground", "Ripley's Game", "The Boy Who Followed Ripley" and "Ripley Under Water". In each of them, Tom is dangerously close to being caught or killed, but in the end he escapes.

Film adaptations of this story have also always been popular. Tom Ripley has been portrayed in the movies by such prominent actors as Alain Delon, Matt Damon, John Malkovich and others. And on April 4 this year, Netflix presented a mini-series called Ripley. In it, the charismatic villainous killer was played by the star of "Sherlock" Andrew Scott. OBOZ.UA offers to get acquainted with the cult character in more detail.

Tom Ripley is a young man from a poor family who dreams of wealth and a luxurious life. He is skilled in the art of mimicry and falsification, which makes him an ideal candidate for the role of a swindler.

Ripley was born in Boston in 1937 and orphaned at the age of 5 when his parents drowned in Boston Harbor. He was then raised by his Aunt Dottie, a cold, stingy woman who mocked him as a "sissy." As a teenager, he tried unsuccessfully to escape from his aunt's home to New York City before finally moving there at the age of 20 to pursue a failed acting career. Ripley subsequently made a living as a con artist, using his skills to "forge signatures, lie, and impersonate almost anyone."

In the 1955 novel, Ripley is assigned by a wealthy American named Dickie Greenleaf to transport his spoiled son, Philip, from Italy to the United States. Tom, obsessed with Philip, conceives a terrible plan: to kill the boy, to appropriate his identity and wealth. He succeeds.

As we have already mentioned, the most famous actors who played the villain were:

Alain Delon in the movie In the Bright Sun (1960).

Matt Damon in the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999).

John Malkovich in the movie Ripley's Game (2002).

As for the modern series, as we wrote above, Andrew Scott will embody Ripley. We can be sure that he will cope with the role of a mega-intelligent psychopathic killer perfectly, as he has already done it in the Sherlock series, where he played Professor Moriarty.

Steven Zaillian, a master of suspenseful stories, has been entrusted with the writing and directing of the new series. He is not only an Oscar winner for his screenplay for Schindler's List, but also the author of exciting stories for American Gangster, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Irishman and Gangs of New York.

Thanks to Zallian's experience, Ripley promises to be a fierce crime drama that will not disappoint fans of the genre.

So Tom Ripley is not just a villain. He is a complex and ambiguous character who evokes conflicting emotions in the audience. On the one hand, he is a monstrous criminal who kills without remorse. On the other hand, he is a talented and charismatic man with a complicated past who is able to evoke sympathy.

Tom Ripley's character has become a symbol of the dark side of human nature. He shows how the thirst for wealth and luxury can lead to heinous crimes. Nevertheless, this brilliant villain will forever remain one of the most fascinating characters in the world of literature and cinema.

As OBOZ.UA wrote, the star of "Star Wars: The Hidden Threat" star Jake Lloyd, who played the role of little Anakin Skywalker in 1999, was not ready for the crazy popularity, and eventually he developed schizophrenia in his teens. The actor got his most important role in life when he was 9 years old, which made the worldwide discussion an excessive burden for him.

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