That Pretty Boy

IT'S HARD TO APPRECIATE A GOOD MOVIE when you are constantly distracted by breathtaking scenery, stylish wardrobe and an unbelievably handsome Zac-Efron-esque lead actor with a gaze to make you melt into a puddle of mush.

French folk in Italy soaking up in wealth and style, Plein Soleil is a 1960 film based on Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, a novel to be adapted onto screen a second time in 1999.

Plein Soleil made a fan of Scorsese and a star of Delon but I found that Delon's portrayal of Tom lacked any sort of inner turmoil, making the movie on the whole seem quite empty beneath its fashionable surface. Turns out however, that's really quite the point, with Highsmith herself commending Delon's portrayal as being the closest to what she had intended for Tom in her novel.

I can't say it's one of the best movies ever but if only for being trés chic -and if only for how Tom absolutely seduces me- Plein Soleil is instantly one of my favorites. Ever.

Plein Soleil, 1960. Directed by Réné Clément.