Ripley
Episode title: III Sommerso
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Neo-noir
Created by: Steven Zaillian
Based on: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Written by: Steven Zaillian
Directed by: Steven Zaillian
Starring: Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn, Eliot Sumner, Margherita Buy, Maurizio Lombardi
Original release date: April 4, 2024
Plot: Tom receives a letter from Herbert, informing him that his attempts to persuade Dickie to return have been a failure. Dickie also receives a letter from his father telling him to be wary of Tom. Dickie offers to take Tom on a trip to Sanremo. They rent a small boat, where Dickie tells him that he and Marge are going to spend Christmas with Freddie in Cortina d’Ampezzo without him. Tom beats Dickie to death with an oar and dumps his body tied to the anchor. Wearing Dickie’s ring, he leaves San Remo.
* * *
[wind blowing]
[leaves rustling]
[waves splashing]
[ominous music playing]
[seagulls squawking]
[pleasant jazz music playing over record player]
[Tom in Italian] Good morning.
My name is Tom Ripley.
I’m American.
But I live in Italy now, in Atrani, at my friend Dickie’s house.
We plan to do some traveling together.
Paris. Berlin. Greece maybe.
And for Christmas, we’re going to Cortina.
I’m not sure what kind of job I’ll get here.
Accounting maybe. That’s what I did in New York.
I’m good with numbers.
Whatever happens, I’m not worried about it.
Something always turns up.
That’s my philosophy of life.
That’s good, Tommaso. You’re doing very good.
[Tom] Grazie.
[in English] Are we interrupting?
No, no.
We just finished.
Perfect, because we’re going to Naples to find something important.
Another Caravaggio?
No.
[bells tolling]
[music fades]
[shopkeeper] Questi sono assolutamente prodotti molto affidabili.
Molto, molto bello.
Ha diversi ripiani, per delle bibite, e questa ghiacciaia.
Un po’ spazioso.
Mentre per la famiglia, abbiamo questo.
Molto, molto bello.
Molto utile. Anche questo ha la ghiacciaia.
E questo qua.
Anche questo è un prodotto dove ci sono diversi ripiani.
[tinkling] Il rapporto qualità-prezzo è eccezionale.
È piccolo, ma ha molto spazio.
[Dickie] This one fits four ice trays. This one only two.
[Marge] How many do we really need?
[Dickie] I don’t know. I mean, four, I guess, is better than two.
What do you think, Tom? You have an opinion on which?
Which refrigerator?
What are we talking about?
I don’t know.
I think I’d rather hang myself than buy a refrigerator.
And why is that?
Well, because first, it’s a refrigerator.
Then it’s, “Well, we may as well stay put because it’s so hard to move, and since we’re staying put, let’s get a sofa and other stuff too hard to move, and a mortgage while we’re at it.”
Before you know it, you’re old, you haven’t gone anywhere,
and then you die, and it all began with counting ice trays.
That’s funny.
I’m serious. It’s a millstone.
Tom, without it, we spend hours every day buying food
to replace the food that’s gone bad. It’s the opposite of what you’re saying.
No, the opposite is freedom.
A refrigerator isn’t freedom.
[solemn operatic music playing]
[fridge compressor humming]
[Marge chuckles softly]
[operatic music continues]
[bells tolling]
[Matteo] Ecco.
Grazie, Matteo.
[in Italian] Nothing for Riccardo?
No. He passed by this morning to pick it up.
[in English] Okay.
[in Italian] Was it from this same address?
I don’t know.
Okay. Thanks, Matteo.
[door opens]
[pensive music playing]
[door closes]
[Herbert in English] Dear Tom,
I know it was with the best intentions
that you reported Richard was considering coming home.
But in view of the fact you’ve been with him two months now,
and he shows no more sign of returning than before you went,
I can only assume you have been unsuccessful.
While Emily and I appreciate your efforts,
you need not consider yourself obligated to us any further.
I trust you have not inconvenienced yourself
too greatly over these past several weeks.
Perhaps the trip, despite the failure of its objective,
afforded you some pleasure, at least.
Sincerely, H. Greenleaf.
Failure?
[chair scrapes]
[bottles clinking]
[suspenseful music playing]
[music fades]
[“Mille Volte” by Nilla Pizzi playing faintly over speakers]
[wind chimes tinkling]
♪ Io t’ho baciato più di mille volte ♪
♪ E non ti ho invece… ♪
Oh, hey, Tom.
Hey, how you doing?
I’m good.
♪ Se penso poi d’andarmene, tu sai ♪
♪ Che il mio cuor batte solo per te ♪
♪ Mille volte… ♪
[Tom] That’s nice.
[Dickie] Thanks.
♪ Mille volte tu m’hai detto baciami ♪
I don’t think I like this, but I don’t know what to do about it.
[Tom] Hmm.
♪ Chi sei, chi sei per me? ♪
[song continues]
I think I need a break from it. [sighs]
You want to get a drink? Let’s get a drink. With ice cubes.
I think I’m going to go see Marge.
[Tom sighs]
You okay?
Huh? Yeah, yeah. I just don’t think you should give up on it.
I’m not. I’ll get back to it later.
See ya.
♪ E non ti ho invece ♪
♪ Lasciato mai ♪
♪ Se penso poi d’andarmene, tu sai ♪
♪ Mille volte ♪
♪ Mille volte ♪
♪ Mille volte ♪
[song fades]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Dickie] “It has come to my attention
that Tom Ripley may not have your best interest.”
“He could present himself as someone he’s not.”
[wind chimes tinkling]
And how do you propose I get rid of him, Marge?
Throw him off the terrace?
Push him in front of a bus?
[Dickie] Don’t know what to do.
[Tom] Drown him?
[Dickie] What do you think I should do?
Just tell him to leave, Dickie.
He can barely swim, you know.
He told me.
[thunder rumbling distantly]
He’s terrified of water.
[foreboding music playing]
[thunder rumbling]
[Dickie] Hey, Tom.
Hey.
What are you doing? You’re soaking wet.
It feels good.
Fine. Come in and dry off. Dinner at Le Sorelle.
Okay.
All right.
[thunder rumbling]
[music fades]
[waiter] Se volete ordinare qualcosa, fatelo adesso. La cucina sta chiudendo.
[Dickie] Grazie, Antonio.
[in English] Did you understand?
[Tom] Yeah.
What?
He said if we want anything else,
we should order now because they’re closing the kitchen.
Very good, Tom.
Well, Fausto’s a good teacher.
Or you’re a quick study. Or both.
Hey, you know what we should do?
Go to San Remo for a couple of days.
Where’s that?
[Dickie] North, just below Nice. The Italian Riviera.
What do you think? You want to? The three of us?
When?
[Dickie] Now. Tomorrow.
I shouldn’t go.
I should keep writing, I’m on a kind of streak.
[silverware and dishes clanking, echoing]
[Marge] You two should go.
Sure you wouldn’t mind?
Why would I? I’m the one suggesting it.
Only if you’re sure.
I’m sure.
[thunder rumbling]
What do you think, Tom? You want to?
I think it sounds great.
[ominous music playing]
[indistinct announcement over PA system]
[indistinct chatter]
[train horn blows]
[announcement continues]
First class. Why not?
[train engine hissing]
[suspenseful music playing]
I guess we’ll be getting in soon.
Yeah.
[Dickie] Grazie.
[driver] Ciao, grazie.
[indistinct chatter]
[suspenseful music continues]
[music fades]
[Dickie] Buonasera.
Buonasera.
[in Italian] We’d like a double room.
For how many nights?
Two, I think.
Name and address, please.
[operatic music playing softly over speakers]
Your passports, please.
Grazie.
Third floor.
Grazie.
Prego.
[cabinet doors creak open]
[keys jingling]
[drawer unlocks]
[in English] There’s a perfume Marge likes that I can’t find in Naples.
Novella something, or something Novella.
I’ll look for it tomorrow.
You have anything to put in here?
No.
[thunder rumbling]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Dickie speaking indistinctly]
[Dickie] Santa Maria Novella. It’s what she wants.
[clerk] Già. Senta.
Hmm. È buono.
È una nota floreale. Il preferito delle nostre clienti.
[bird cawing]
[Dickie] Ciao, grazie.
[shop bell tinkling]
They don’t have it. There’s another place a few blocks up.
I’ll go there, you don’t have to.
Go to the beach, get a coffee. I’ll meet you by the jetty.
Okay.
[thunder rumbling]
[lively chatter]
[men chattering]
[grunts] Found it.
Look at this.
Bravissimo!
[men cheering, laughing]
“Ten thousand saw I at a glance”
“Tossing their heads in sprightly dance”
What?
They’re daffodils, Tom.
They’re what?
Fairies.
[men chattering, laughing]
[men cheering]
Well, so what if they are? It’s really impressive.
[thunder rumbling]
[Dickie] I spent half our day looking for the perfume. Sorry about that.
You decide what we do with the rest of it. Whatever you want.
[Tom] Uh…
[Dickie] You want to take a boat out?
[Tom] Sure.
Ciao.
[in Italian] We’d like to rent a boat.
Motor or no motor?
Motor.
For how long?
Two hours.
[boatkeeper] 500 in advance.
You know how to work it?
[Dickie] I think I can figure it out.
[boat creaking]
[boatkeeper] This is the choke.
Pull it out to start it, let it idle.
Then push it halfway back in.
[engine starts]
[in English] Okay?
[in Italian] Got it.
Anything else?
Si.
Don’t stand up in the boat.
[Dickie in English] The middle, Tom.
What?
Sit in the middle.
[ominous music playing]
Okay.
[boat engine revving]
[ominous music continues]
[squawking]
[bell tolling distantly]
Where are we headed?
Does it matter?
[engine powering down]
[music fades]
[thunder rumbling distantly]
[Dickie] Do you remember Freddie?
Yes.
I hope you won’t mind terribly,
but I think just Marge and I are going to spend Christmas with him in Cortina.
Okay.
Yeah, I think… I think she’d prefer it,
and I feel like… [inhales sharply]
…since we’ve been spending so much time together, you and me…
[clicks tongue]
…that I owe it to her to do what she wants this time.
She’d prefer it?
I’m afraid so.
You’re blaming her?
[chuckles] What?
She, not you, would prefer it that way?
[scoffs] I don’t really care. She does.
What am I going to do?
[chuckles] For Christmas?
For Christmas and New Year’s, and after that.
Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that too.
I think it’s time you saw some more of Italy, for your sake.
I mean, you don’t want to just stay in Atrani for months on end
when there’s so much else to see.
What did your father say?
What?
You got a letter from him. What, did he say anything about me?
Why would he?
Because he told me in a letter that I’m “dismissed,” I guess is the word,
though he didn’t use it.
The worst part was his tone, it was so…
dismissive.
All right. [clears throat]
[chuckles]
Here’s what happened.
You wrote to him, according to him,
that you were close to convincing me to come home.
I wrote to him that nothing could be further from my mind.
So I guess… [clicks tongue] he felt like you were lying to him.
And from there, I guess felt like you were taking advantage of him.
In any case…
It’s okay. I understand.
The thing with him. The thing with Marge.
I get it.
You’re taking this better than I thought.
Why wouldn’t I?
I don’t know. [chuckles]
Maybe because all I’ve offered you is my friendship and respect,
and asked for nothing in return.
That’s the issue?
What else would it be?
Do you want me to say it?
[softly] No.
[in normal voice] No, you’re right.
I’ll leave. It’s time.
It’s okay.
Okay.
Let’s head back.
[sputters]
[engine continues sputtering]
[boat creaking]
[Dickie grunts]
[Dickie groaning]
[grunting]
Tom, what the hell… [breathing heavily]
[grunts]
[Dickie groans]
[weakly] Tom…
Tom…
Help me.
[thunder rumbling]
[Tom grunts softly]
[thunder rumbling]
[boat creaking]
[paper rustling]
[boat creaking]
[grunts softly]
[sighs]
[boat creaking]
[lighter snaps shut]
[thunder rumbling]
[wind blowing]
[boat rumbling deeply]
[creaking]
[lighter snaps shut]
[cigarette hisses]
[Tom grunting]
[Tom straining]
[sputters]
[clicking]
[engine starts]
[engine revving]
[engine idling]
[grunts]
[rattling]
[Tom shouting]
[seagulls squawking]
[gasping]
[yells]
[seagulls squawking]
[gasping]
[Tom grunts]
[grunting]
[panting]
[groans]
[strained grunting]
Fuck.
[groans, pants]
[thunder rumbling]
[grunting]
[groaning]
[sighs wearily]
[panting]
[grunting and panting]
[heaves]
[body thuds]
[panting]
[thunder rumbling]
[strained grunting]
[sputters]
[engine starts]
[wind blowing]
[thunder rumbling]
[engine stops]
[grunts]
[fly buzzing]
[panting]
[boat creaking]
[sighs]
[grunts]
[boat creaking]
[panting]
[strained grunt]
[thudding]
[grunts]
[strained grunt]
[grunting]
[strained grunting]
[grunts]
[panting]
[thunder rumbling]
[thunder rumbling]
[indistinct police radio chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[Tom in Italian] Good evening.
Sai quanto costa, adesso?
[operatic music playing softly over speakers]
Buonasera.
Buonasera.
Room six, please.
Sì.
Grazie.
[door unlocks]
[wind whistling]
[knocking at door]
[door unlocks]
Excuse me, sir.
I’ll come back later.
Okay.
[operatic music playing softly over speakers]
Buonasera.
Buonasera.
The bill, please. And the passports.
You wish to check out now?
Sì.
You will be charged for the night, sir.
That’s okay.
[clicks tongue]
Your friend is with you?
Waiting for me at the train station.
Grazie.
Ciao.
[suspenseful music playing]
[door creaks open]
[indistinct police radio chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[boatkeeper] They were English or American. I’m not sure exactly.
They rented it for two hours, but never brought it back.
I’m not sure if something happened to the boat, or they stole it.
[suitcases thud]
[Tom] Hi.
[driver] Buonasera.
[Tom grunts]
[engine starts]
To the station.
[suspenseful music continues]
[indistinct announcement over PA system]
[sighs]
[music fades]
[train engine hisses]
[sighs wearily]
[sighs]
[thuds]
[squeaking]
[indistinct announcement continues]
[somber music playing]
[mop thuds]
[train engine hisses]
[train wheels clacking]
[compartment door opens]
[conductor] Your ticket.
Si.
[ticket punch clicks]
Buonanotte.
Buonanotte.
[moody music playing]
[sighs]
[boat creaking]
[music fades]
[suspenseful music playing]
[insects trilling]
[owl hooting]
[waves lapping]
[metal clanging]
[locks clicking]
[indistinct rattling]
[insects trilling]
[wind chimes tinkling]
[waves splashing]
[wind whooshing]
[seagulls squawking]
[engine whirring]
[indistinct scraping]
[object thuds]
[indistinct chatter]
[mellow orchestral music playing faintly]
[footsteps approaching]
[soft operatic music playing]
[banging]
[indistinct screeching]
[disembodied voices whispering]
[wind whooshing]
[electricity buzzing]
[typewriter clacking]
[typewriter ratchets]
