I have two all-time favorite movies; the first being The Lion King – it just gets me, you know? The second happens to be The Talented Mr. Ripley. Maybe that’s odd, but tell me this: could you resist a psychotic ménage à trois (or debatably a ménage à quatre and even cinq!) between Jude, Matt, Gwyneth, Cate and Seymour? I didn’t think so. Aside from the mystery, exceptionally tailored menswear, Gwyneth in all her glory and seriously good cinematography, the script offers some real gems. Because it’s Throwback Thursday and all, here’s a selection of character-defining snippets from Anthony Minghella’s classic flick:
Tom Ripley (who’s never afraid of letting his freak flag fly):
“I could live Dickie’s life for him.”
“And that’s the irony, Marge. I loved you. You may as well know it, Marge: I loved you. I don’t know… maybe it’s grotesque of me to say this now, so just write it on a piece of paper or something and put it in your purse for a rainy day. ‘Tom loves me.’ ‘Tom loves me.'”
“I always thought it would be better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody.”
Dickie Greenleaf (the epicurean playboy and bon-vivant extraordinaire):
“I could fuck this ice box, I love it so much.”
“I can’t write and I can’t spell. That’s the privilege of a first class education.”
“You know, without the glasses you’re not even ugly.”
“Marge – Ripley can’t ski. We’ll have to teach him that too. Such low class, Marge. Does this guy know anything?”
Marge Sherwood (who’s impeccable breeding and perfectly wasp-y demeanor does nothing for her self-esteem):
“Why is it when men play they always play at killing each other?”
“Whatever it is, whatever you’ve done or haven’t done, you’ve broken my heart. That’s one thing I know you’re guilty of, and I don’t know why.”
“I… I don’t get it.”
“Why do I think there’s never been a Ripley rainy day?”
