The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Matt Damon: Tom Ripley

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Quotes 

• Tom Ripley : I always thought it would be better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody.

• Tom Ripley : Don't you just take the past and put it in a room in a basement and lock the door and never go in there? That's what I do. And then you meet someone special and all you want to do is to toss them the key and say, "Open up, step inside," but you can't because it's dark. There's demons, and if anybody saw how ugly it is... I keep wanting to do that: fling the door open, just let light in and clean everything out.

• Tom Ripley : Well, whatever you do, however terrible, however hurtful, it all makes sense, doesn't it? In your head. You never meet anybody that thinks they're a bad person.

• Marge Sherwood : The thing with Dickie... it's like the sun shines on you, and it's glorious. And then he forgets you and it's very, very cold.

  Tom Ripley : So I'm learning.

  Marge Sherwood : When you have his attention, you feel like you're the only person in the world, that's why everybody loves him so much.

• Dickie Greenleaf : Everybody should have one talent, what's yours?

  Tom Ripley : Forging signatures, telling lies... impersonating practically anybody.

  Dickie Greenleaf : That's three, nobody should have more than one talent.

• Peter : Sorry, I'm completely lost.

  Tom Ripley : I know. I'm lost, too. I'm going to be stuck in the basement, aren't I, that's my, that's my... terrible, and alone, and dark, and I've lied about who I am, and where I am, and now no-one will ever find me.

  Peter : What do you mean... lied about who you are?

  Tom Ripley : I always thought it'd be better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody.

  Peter : What are you talking about? You're not a nobody. That's the last thing you are.

• [first lines] 

  Tom Ripley : If I could just go back... if I could rub everything out... starting with myself.

• Tom Ripley : And that's the irony, Marge. I loved you. You may was 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.'

• Freddie Miles : In fact the only thing that looks like Dickie is you.

  Tom Ripley : Hardly.

  Freddie Miles : Have you done something to your hair?

  Tom Ripley : Freddie, do you have something you'd like to say?

  Freddie Miles : What? I think I'm saying it. Something's going on. He's either converted to Christianity... or to something else.

  Tom Ripley : I suggest you ask Dickie that yourself. Otello's is on delle Croce, just off the Corso.

  Freddie Miles : Is it on "delle Croce, just off the Corso?" You're a quick study, aren't you? Last time you didn't know your ass from your elbow, now you're giving me directions. That's not fair, you probably do know your ass from your elbow. I'll see you.

• Tom Ripley : You're the brother I never had. I'm the brother you never had. I would do anything for you, Dickie.

• Tom Ripley : First of all I know there's something. That evening when we played chess for instance it was obvious.

  Dickie Greenleaf : What evening?

  Tom Ripley : Oh sure, no, no, it's too dangerous for you to take on. Oh, no, no, we're brothers. Hey. And then you do this sordid thing with Marge. Fucking her on the boat while we all have to listen. Which was excruciating! And you follow your cock around like a - and now you're getting married! No, I'm bewildered, forgive me. You're lying to Marge and then you're getting married to her. You're knocking up Silvana. You're ruining everybody. You wanna play the sax, you wanna play the drums. What is it, Dickie? What do you actually play?

  Dickie Greenleaf : Who are you? Huh? Some third class mooch? Who are you? Who are you to say anything to me? Who are you - to tell me anything! Actually, I really, really do not want to be on this boat with you. I can't move without you moving. It gives me the creeps.

  [enraged by his on-the-fly suspicions] 

  Dickie Greenleaf : *You* give me the creeps!

  Tom Ripley : You shut up!

  Dickie Greenleaf : You can't move without, "Dickie, Dickie, Dickie." Like a little girl! All the time.

  Tom Ripley : Shut up!

• [inspector asks a question in Italian] 

  Peter : [translating]  Are you a homosexual?

  [under his breath] 

  Peter : Interesting non sequitur...

  Tom Ripley : No!

  Peter : [translating]  No.

• Peter : Can you imagine, though, if he did kill Freddie, what that must be like? Just to wake up every morning. I mean, how can you? Just wake up and be a person? Drink your coffee?

  Tom Ripley : Well, whatever you do, however terrible, however hurtful, it all makes sense, doesn't it, in your head? You never meet anybody who thinks they're a bad person

  Peter : Well maybe, but you're still tormented. You must be. You've killed someone.

  Tom Ripley : Don't you just take the past and put it in a room in the basement, and lock the door and never go in there? That's what I do.

  Peter : God, Yes. But, of course, in my case, it's probably a whole building.

  Tom Ripley : And then you meet someone special and all you want to do is toss them the key. Say "Open up. Step inside." But you can't, because it's dark, and there are demons. And if anybody saw how ugly it is...

  Peter : Now that's the music talking. Harder to be bleak if you're playing, "Knees up Mother Brown."

  Tom Ripley : I keep wanting to do that, Fling the door open. Just let the light in, clean everything out. If I could take a giant eraser and rub out everything, starting with myself. The thing is, Peter, if... if... , No.

  Peter : No key, huh?

• Tom Ripley : No matter what you do, no matter how awful, no-one ever thinks that they're a bad person.

• Marge Sherwood : Why do I think there's never been a Ripley rainy day?

  Tom Ripley : What?

  Marge Sherwood : [leans closer]  I know it was you.

• Dickie Greenleaf : We're all only children. What does that mean?

  Tom Ripley : It means we've never shared a bath. I'm cold, can I get in?

  Dickie Greenleaf : No.

  Tom Ripley : I didn't mean with you in it.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Okay, get in. I'm like a prune anyway.

• Tom Ripley : Nothing is more naked than your handwriting. See how nothing's quite touching the line? That's vanity.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Well, we certainly know that that's true.

• Marge Sherwood : I feel as if you haven't been listening to anything I've been saying to you.

  Tom Ripley : I don't believe you. I don't believe you.

  Tom Ripley : It's all true.

  Marge Sherwood : I don't believe a single word you've said.

  Tom Ripley : You're shivering, Marge. Look at you, Marge. Can I hold you? Will you let me hold you?

• Marge Sherwood : [about Tom Ripley]  I like him.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Marge, you like everybody.

  Tom Ripley : [Imitating in Marge's voice]  I like him.

  [Imitating in Dickie's voice] 

  Tom Ripley : Marge, you like everybody.

• Meredith : [sheepish]  I'm sorry, I wouldn't have made a joke if...

  Tom Ripley : [cuts her off]  Don't be sorry. I've never been happier. I feel like I've been handed a new life.

• Tom Ripley : What are you trying to say?

  Freddie Miles : I think I'm saying it.

• Dickie Greenleaf : You're so white! Have you ever seen a guy so white, Marge? Grey, actually.

  Tom Ripley : It's just an undercoat.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Say again?

  Tom Ripley : You know a primer.

  Dickie Greenleaf : That's funny. Margie likes that 'cause she's so white too.

  Marge Sherwood : Yes, I do and you're not funny.

• Tom Ripley : That ring is superb.

  Marge Sherwood : Oh, Tom, I love you! See?

  Dickie Greenleaf : I had to promise, capital p, to never take it off. Otherwise I'd give it to you.

  Marge Sherwood : Isn't it great? I found it in Naples. I had to bargain for it for about two weeks!

  Dickie Greenleaf : Uh, I hope it wasn't cheap, Marge?

  Marge Sherwood : Oh, it was!

• Meredith : Dickie?

  Tom Ripley : Hello Meredith!

  Meredith : Oh my God! I hardly even recognized you.

  Tom Ripley : Well, you spotted me so you get the reward.

• Tom Ripley : I could probably see my room from here. I can see my house. When you see where you live from a distance it's like a dream, isn't it?

  Alvin MacCarron : I don't care for BS. I don't care to hear it, I don't care to speak it.

• Tom Ripley : [imitating Dickie's father]  "Oh yes, Jazz... it's just insolent noise."

  Dickie Greenleaf : I feel like he's here. Horrible. Like the old bastard is here right now!

  [pause in disbelief, Dickie moves in to hold Tom's hand] 

  Dickie Greenleaf : Brilliant. How do you know him ?

• Tom Ripley : I suggest you ask Dickie that yourself. Otello's is on delle Croce, just off the Corso.

  Freddie Miles : Is it on "delle Croce, just off the Corso"? You're a quick study, aren't you? Last time you didn't know your ass from your elbow, now you're giving me directions. That's not fair, you probably do know your ass from your elbow. I'll see you.

• Tom Ripley : Don't you just take the past, and put it in a room in the basement, and lock the door and never go in there? That's what I do.

  Peter : God, yes. Though in my case, it's probably a whole building.

• Peter : Meredith Logue. You were kissing somebody. Looked like Meredith.

  Tom Ripley : Hardly kissing. Kissing off, maybe.

  Peter : That's not what it looked like...

• Tom Ripley : Ask me what I'd change about this moment.

  Peter : What would you change about this moment?

  Tom Ripley : Nothing.

• Tom Ripley : That scent you're wearing... I bought that for you, not Dickie. The thing about Dickie... so many things... That day when he was late coming back from Rome? I tried to tell you this. He was with another girl. I'm not talking about Meredith, either. Another girl who we met in a bar. He couldn't be faithful for five minutes. So when he makes a promise, it doesn't mean what it means when you make a promise, or I make a promise. He has so many realities, Dickie, and he believes them all. He lies, he lies, and that's his... and half the time he doesn't even realize he's doing it!

• Dickie Greenleaf : So, what did you actually do in New York?

  Tom Ripley : I played piano in a few places.

  Dickie Greenleaf : That's one job, you told me a lot of jobs.

  Tom Ripley : A few places and it's a few jobs.

  Dickie Greenleaf : The mysterious Mr Ripley. Marge and I spend *hours* speculating.

• Inspector Roverini : Do you keep a photograph of Signor Ripley?

  Tom Ripley : [pretending to be Dickie]  I'm not in the habit of carrying around photographs of my male friends.

• Dickie Greenleaf : It's boring. *You* can be quite boring.

  Tom Ripley : The funny thing is I'm not pretending to be somebody else and you are.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Boring.

  Tom Ripley : I've been absolutely honest with you - about my feelings.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Boring.

• Tom Ripley : Do you always type your letters? That should be two t's.

  Dickie Greenleaf : I can't write and I can't spell. It's a privilege of a first-class education.

• Tom Ripley : [singing - imitating Chet Baker]  Don't change a hair for me, Not if you care for me, Stay little valentine, Stay, Each day is Valentine's Day...

• Dickie Greenleaf : Hey, you like jazz?

  Tom Ripley : I love jazz.

  Dickie Greenleaf : [looking through some LPs]  Oh! This is the best. Baker. Rollins. Marge says she likes jazz; but, she thinks Glenn Miller's jazz.

  Marge Sherwood : I never said that!

  Tom Ripley : Bird. That's jazz.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Bird? Ask me the name of my sailboat.

  Tom Ripley : I don't know. What's the name of your sailboat?

  Dickie Greenleaf : Look! Look! Bird!

  Marge Sherwood : Which is ridiculous. Boats are female, everyone knows you can't call a boat after a man.

  Tom Ripley : He's not a man, he's a god.

• Dickie Greenleaf : You've got to get a new jacket. Really. You must be sick of wearing the same clothes.

  Tom Ripley : I can't. I can't keep spending your father's money.

  Dickie Greenleaf : I love how responsible you are.

• Tom Ripley : I was just amusing myself. Sorry.

  Dickie Greenleaf : I wish you'd get out of my clothes. Do you have my shoes on too?

  Tom Ripley : You said I could pick out a jacket, so...

• Dickie Greenleaf : Marge and I are getting married.

  Tom Ripley : H-how?

  Dickie Greenleaf : How?

  Tom Ripley : Yesterday you're ogling girls on the terrace and today you're getting married. That's absurd.

  Dickie Greenleaf : I love Marge.

  Tom Ripley : You love me and you're not marrying me.

• Dickie Greenleaf : Do you even like jazz? Or, was that for my benefit?

  Tom Ripley : I've gotten to like it.

  Dickie Greenleaf : Oh, yes!

  Tom Ripley : I've gotten to like everything about the way you live. It's one big love affair.

• Meredith : I know you're a jazz fiend but do you absolutely hate the Opera? I've been trying to give my tickets away, it's tomorrow, but if you were prepared to be dragged...

  Tom Ripley : [pretending to be Dickie]  You could drag me.

• Meredith : I know about you and Marge and Mongi and what an unreliable rat you are. Well, Freddie said you were a rat and I thought to myself , "Ah, now I know why he travels under R."

  Tom Ripley : [pretending to be Dickie]  I've left Marge, Meredith. And Mongi. So the rat's here in Rome.

• Marge Sherwood : [to Tom]  I thought you were going to Venice?

  Peter : Yes, what happened with that? I heard you were desperate to come. I was rather looking forward to rowing you around.

  Tom Ripley : I am. I really am. I've been traveling and I just can't seem to get that far north.

  Peter : Well you should hurry, before we sink.

• Meredith : Will you meet me tomorrow? Just to say goodbye properly? You know, in the daylight, so it's not just this.

  Tom Ripley : [pretending to be Dickie]  Of course, Meredith. I'm sorry. Of course, I'll meet you.

  Meredith : You should always save pain for daylight.

• Tom Ripley : I feel guilty. Marge doesn't understand this, but whenever Dickie does something - I feel guilty. If that makes sense.

• Tom Ripley : Peter, tell me some good things about Tom Ripley.

• Tom Ripley : I feel guilty. I feel like I pushed him away. I feel like I spoke and he heard you.

  Herbert Greenleaf : Well, if we all pushed him away - what about him pushing us away? You've been a great friend to my son! Everything is someone else's fault. We all want to sow wild oats.

• Tom Ripley : I lied. To her. She thought she'd seen you.

  Peter : Why lie?

  Tom Ripley : Dickie and Peter, together, that's just too good gossip.

  Peter : Or, *Tom* and Peter even.

  Tom Ripley : Well that would be even better gossip.

• Meredith : Oh, God, I've seen you, again. I've thought about you - so much.

  Tom Ripley : [pretending to be Dickie]  I've thought about you.

  Meredith : Yeah, well, when I thought about you I was mostly hating you.