There are some movies, Double Indemnity is a good example, that turn out better than the book. James M. Caine, the author, said, ‘If I had thought of that, I would have used it.’



A year or so ago I stumbled across a U.K.-based site, which has to be illegal, because it has really late books (and the authors are still above ground and breathing) for free downloads—many of Stephen King’s works, Robert B. Harris’ (Enigma, Pompeii, for example), as well as some timeless classics, such as Double Indemnity as well as Strangers on a Train.



I didn’t much care for the latter, in book form, but certainly liked Hitchcock’s treatment of it. Patricia Highsmith said she didn’t care what they did with her books once she was paid for them. (She received the 'princely' sum of $7,500 by Hithcock, and was glad to get it, for the rights to the book.)



Anyway, I read The Amazing Mr. Ripley on this [illegal?] site, and immediately saw that Purple Noon, Alain Delaon’s 1960 film based on Highsmith’s story, was way, way off. I went back for a re-look at Matt Damon’s Tom Ripley, and found it much closer to the book. Patricia Highsmith might have been dead by the time this film came out, 2000. If she wasn’t, I don’t know her comments. I am not a Matt Damon fan, but I thought he fitted my concept of Tom Ripley a Patricia Highsmith wrote him.