Ripley
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Wealth and status, as we know, have everything to do with desire.
Ripleys grifting style is counterintuitive in nature; his moves invite unpredictable consequences yet always turn out perfectly.
He improvises on the spot but with a precise aftermath.
Hes like an experienced gambler who plays his quirky moves so confidently that they always pay off.
As we open on this second episode, Tom puts the pen back thats signature Ripley.
Why would he take the pen if he doesnt plan on keeping it?
Dickie is confused at first.
Because he couldnt get any of your real friends to do it.
Does he think thats going to work?
Its unclear, but its obvious that theres no point in trying.
Why would anyone ever want to leave this place, anyway?
Dickie is amused; his contempt towards his fathers desperation is his first open expression of real feeling.
But on seeing him manipulate Dickie soquietlyand so masterfully, Im wondering if it wasnt the other way around.
Dickies cluelessness would be compelling if he werent so hard to like.
Dickie puts her in the car and hands the driver a wad oflire.Tom points out what was a scam.
How could Dickie not see it?
But even after Tom tells him, Dickie is unbothered.
Even Tom Ripley becomes speechless at the sight of Dickies abstract period or his hair-raising nudes of Marge.
Im not a great painter, Dickie concedes weakly.
But thats beside the point.
Whats important is that Tom has made it in.
Dickie finally invites Tom to leave his hotel and stay at the villa instead.
They hang Dickies abysmal landscapes on the bare walls of his new room.
As soon as she arrives, the conversation becomes unendurably awkward again.
(I would argue that Tom is Yoko, the brilliant artist who changes paradigms.)
Margaret Talbot atTheNew Yorkerpoints outthat its her only book in which no violent crime occurs.
(Her bitchiness is not her only character flaw.
They truly deserve each other.)
Freddie seems to remember Tom from New York, from Bob Delanceys.
Later, after certainly getting chewed out by Marge, Dickie calls Tom over to set the record straight.
Im not queer, he says.
At this point, Tom is on thin ice with Dickie.
Carlo would give Tom and Dickie money to take a suitcase to Paris, no questions asked.
Once the bag was dropped off, they would be under no further obligation to Carlo.
Zaillian has Tom strip totally naked he even wears Dickies underwear, which I think is a nice touch.
He practices Dickies diction, his mannerisms.
Tom is trying hard with Dickie; maybetoohard.
But this episode also leaves us with an interesting question about Dickie himself.
He doesnt seem like the kind of person whod rather withstand inconvenience than hurt someones feelings.
