Ripley - starts today on Netflix. Anyone fancy a discussion thread?

[Netaporter]

Based upon the book ‘The talented mr ripley’ by Patricia Highsmith Andrew Scott stars in this adaptation. It is filmed in B&W so interested to see how this differs from the glorious film starring Gwyneth, Jude and Matt Damon.

Going to start episode 1 later this morning.

Watched both the Law/Paltrow film and the Netflix series. I'm halfway through the book now. I feel the Netflix version is closer to the book so far. Loving the Hitchcock vibe and Scott's dead eyes. And the all-seeing cat! Deserves an Oscar, that moggy!

There's a massive plot hole here - all the articles in the papers about both Tom and Dickie would surely have been accompanied by photos. Surely police would have obtained photos of both? Anyhow I enjoyed it but thought the film much better.

I never thought of that but you're right. Freddie's photo was all over the papers, but when a rich American gets lost at sea there are no photos published of him anywhere? The first time the detective had a clue what Dicky looked like was when Marge sent him a copy of her book?

It certainly couldn't happen now but I don't think it could have happened even back then. Great story all the same but I too much prefer the Minghella film.

I’ve been waiting for photos to crop up. Marge had some on her desk when the police were there. I’ve got 25 minutes left.

I think the Ripley books are full of holes and unlikely scenarios. But I still love them. Although The Boy Who Followed Ripley is a stretch

Most of Pat Highsmith's work is worth reading. She was quite an odd personality - I think, could be wrong, I read that she identified quite closely with Tom Ripley, almost an alter ego. She reminds me of a more misanthropic Shirley Jackson.

As always late to the party, but I've just finished watching this.

I really did love it, especially the cinematography and all the visual themes (such as stair cases) carried through. It feels like it was the production designer's own personal work of art. Maybe he or she fancied themselves as a Caravaggio of our time

Unlike many, I loved the black and white. It worked well as it was obviously shot in the winter (and set in the winter) and so Italy would not have been filled with the vibrant seaside colours of our imaginations. I liked that it was slightly stretched out - the whole thing became a little bit hypnotic. No rush, no sharp edits, it felt like a series made in another time just as the story is set in another time.

My only sticking points, and here I agree with many:

Ripley and Greenleaf and probably Marge too - way too old.
Freddy - played by a woman, no one mentioned it, WTF?

It's just occurred to me, casting a women as Freddie is probably a tribute to Highsmith herself. There's a similarity.

I don't think so. Freddie is described in the books as having red hair and white skin, being overweight and having wall/bug eyes. I think it's just miscasting to fit in a "they"

I'm referring to character, not appearance.

I agree with all of this.