Charles Stephen’s Reviews > The Talented Mr. Ripley / Ripley Under Ground / Ripley's Game > Status Update

I completed the first novel from 1955 on which the movies Purple Noon (1960) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) were based. I must comment now that, although no homosexual activity was portrayed, this novel depicted homophobia in the most powerful fashion I can think of. This homophobia was manifested in Tom's fear that he would be perceived as a homosexual. The term homophobia was not coined until 1960!