While in the novel, Ripley never admits his homosexuality, he is more confident on the same in the movie. He seems to desire Greenleaf however the same overt declaration is missing in Highsmith version. Instead of clashing, the differences of the film and novel versions seem to complement each other and you might need both to fully understand the forces that guide Ripley's actions. Tom is not the American innocent corrupted by Europe. Rather, he is the image of the new American who will win against the sophistication of inherited or earned wealth and Old World education... It may be Tom's ability to flourish in a fluid world, to value both the peace of his home and the challenge of the chase that allows readers to enjoy his character at the same time that his amorality may shock them." (Klein: 1994: 162)

The novel is thus an intricate...

The author has created a masterpiece that will forever be remembered for its captivating depiction of a criminal mind.
References

Highsmith, P. (1955). The talented Mr. Ripley. New York: Vintage Crime.

David Bowman: Femme Fatale: What Was It That Drove Patricia Highsmith to Create a Killer as Intriguing as Tom Ripley? We May Never Know. March-April 2003. Page Number: 28+.

John Gray. An Encounter with Evil: Patricia Highsmith Was Fascinated by the Unnoticed Amorality of Ordinary People. While This Led to a Troubled Life, It Was the Source of Her Novels' Unsettling Power. New Statesman. Volume: 132. Issue: 4644. June 30, 2003. Page Number: 50+.

Kathleen Gregory Klein: Great Women Mystery Writers: Classic to Contemporary.…