Netflix’s latest psychological thriller series ‘Ripley‘ has managed to captivate many with its intriguing storyline and artsy aesthetic. Adapted from Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, the series offers a modern take on the exploits of the infamous Tom Ripley. While the book has already been presented on the screen through a movie before, the show stands out for several reasons including its art production to its chilling performances coupled with a gripping storyline.
However, as many still contend, no piece of production can do justice to the literary version of a good story. While ‘Ripley‘ has seemingly done a commendable job of bringing the conman Tom Ripley’s story to the screen, many keen-eyed fans have noticed significant deviations from the book. Here’s a list of 8 chief differences between the series and the book.
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Tom Ripley Feels Guilty About Murdering Freddie Miles
Freddie Miles’s character has been entirely changed in the show as compared to the book. While the book depicts him as a reserved person, the show has him jumping off at the first opportunity to get on Tom’s nerves. On the show, Tom is at one point left with no choice but to kill Freddie. While this twist runs parallel with the book, the guilt that Tom feels after the murder is missing from the show. Tom Ripley, played by Andrew Scott on the show, is shown entirely devoid of any remorse for killing Freddie, while in the book, he struggles heavily to make peace with his conscience.
Tom’s Decision To Kill Dickie Is A Planned Move In The Book
The circumstances under which Tom makes the pivotal decision to kill Dickie have been subtly altered in the show. As per Highsmith’s original imagination, Tom decides to kill Dickie while traveling with him to San Remo on a train. The book gives its readers direct access to what is going on in Tom’s mind through a monologue. This is why, the exact moment when Tom decided to murder Dickie is known. However, on the show, it is Tom’s suspicions that drive him to murder Dickie on the boat. He does the job without uttering a single word, while it is clear to the audience that killing him was not a deliberate decision but something he does impulsively.
Fausto Assumes A More Significant Role In The Book
Fausto, the Italian language tutor, plays a more significant role in the book than in the show. As per the book’s narrative, he puts in some significant effort to look for Dickie and Tom in Rome. However, the series sidelines Fausto’s character development, and his impact on the plot’s progression is minimal. His presence on the show could have potentially brought some more insight into Tom Ripley’s ways of deceit on the show, but the creators decided to scratch it off.
Inspector Ravini’s Investigation Is More Efficient In The Book
While Inspector Ravini is looking for Dickie, he is shown to have barely succeeded in finding any evidence that would lead him to the man. His ineptitude in the series contrasts starkly with the investigative prowess he possesses in the book version of the story. As he looks for Freddie’s murderer, Inspector Ravini comes dangerously close to exposing Tom Ripley. Whereas in the books, Ravini struggles to unearth evidence.
In case you missed it: Tom Ripley’s Mental Illness In Netflix’s ‘Ripley’ Explained: Is He A Psychopath?
Aunt Dottie Lives As Per The Book’s Version
Aunt Dottie’s purported death in the series is another major change that the creators decided to introduce in the show. When Marge asks Tom about who died, he tells her it is Aunt Dottie — a clever explanation for the expensive house he lives in. Though a ruse, no such thing happens in the book. Instead, he makes up some other excuse in the book to conceal his deceit, while Aunt Dottie’s character emerges later in the book.
Two Pivotal Characters From The Book Are Missing From The Show
The show has entirely omitted some pivotal characters that take on an important role in the book. Peter Smith-Kingsley and Mrs. Cartwright are two such characters that alter the dynamics of Tom’s journey. As per the book, Peter is an Irishman whom Tom ends up befriending and later travels to Greece with him. The two meet a charming woman named Mrs. Catwright there. While the 1999 movie adaptation of the book has included these characters and their story as it is, the show has removed them.
Tom Ripley Flees To Greece, Not London
At the end of the show, Tom gets a fake passport from Reeves to escape to England. However, in the series, he ends up in Greece. His final task on the show is to somehow manage to escape Venice with Dickie’s wealth and his prized Picasso. Tom manages to do it with help from Reeve, except, he lands in Greece in the book instead of England. Interestingly, Reeves’s character has been omitted from the 1999 movie adaptation titled ‘The Talented Mt. Ripley‘, while Peter’s character has been excluded. This could have been a careful decision by the creators and may have some indications about how the story unfolds in a possible season 2 of the show.
Marge Has Strong Religious Beliefs And A Different Origin
In ‘Ripley’ Marge Sherwood’s character played by Dakota Fanning, is shown to be a nonchalant character with minimal religious inclinations. However, in the book, Marge is a native of Ohio and frantically follows Catholicism in the book. The show has entirely lost out on this aspect. Moreover, on the show, she hails from Minnesota as she tells Tom she is returning there. It remains unclear why the show creators may have chosen to change this aspect of her character when it brought no significant change to the story narrative.
While ‘Ripley’ has delivered what was expected after the successful record of the book as well as its movie adaptation, these deviations from the book are significant. Whether or not there is some reasoning behind these decisions, we do not know. While some seem to be banal changes, others show some hope for a possible story arc point if the show gets renewed for another season.
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