It should be pointed out ,that ,from that moment on, the novel often uses an epistolary style:for instance Tom only meets Marge in the flesh once before Venice ; Minghella opted for another character created from start to finish by him,Meredith (Cate Blanchett )whereas Clément introduced a love affair between Tom and Marge .
As far as Marge is concerned ,both missed the point ;Dakota Fanning ,with her zeitgeist-like ponytail ,is Marge as Highsmith depicted her ; people who read the book know that Tom HATED this girl who took away Dickie from him,and the writer,herself a lesbian, deeply despised her character ;the conversation they have when Tom tells him that Dickie is to settle in Rome for the whole of winter , though inspired by the girl's letters which call Tom "your little boyfriend " , is downright embarrassing ;talented Fanning leaves no doubt about her feelings : though she does not spell it out, she does think that both men have a gay affair .
Tom ,an impostor of genius,little by little , becomes Dickie (he's always known he would be him some day ,for ,since the second episode, he has trained himself in the art of imitation ); he is not so self-assured though ,the policemen,on the station platform ,give him the jitters ....
The ending with a fake letter in which Tom praises himself in the Mr Greenleaf Sr 's eyes, while a choir is singing "silent night" and horrible pictures of San Remo's tragedy appear on the screen, is masterful.
As far as Marge is concerned ,both missed the point ;Dakota Fanning ,with her zeitgeist-like ponytail ,is Marge as Highsmith depicted her ; people who read the book know that Tom HATED this girl who took away Dickie from him,and the writer,herself a lesbian, deeply despised her character ;the conversation they have when Tom tells him that Dickie is to settle in Rome for the whole of winter , though inspired by the girl's letters which call Tom "your little boyfriend " , is downright embarrassing ;talented Fanning leaves no doubt about her feelings : though she does not spell it out, she does think that both men have a gay affair .
Tom ,an impostor of genius,little by little , becomes Dickie (he's always known he would be him some day ,for ,since the second episode, he has trained himself in the art of imitation ); he is not so self-assured though ,the policemen,on the station platform ,give him the jitters ....
The ending with a fake letter in which Tom praises himself in the Mr Greenleaf Sr 's eyes, while a choir is singing "silent night" and horrible pictures of San Remo's tragedy appear on the screen, is masterful.