THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

Michael Hayden is a convincing monster in this famously misanthropic mystery. Highsmith's Tom Ripley is frightening, not simply owing to his murderous actions, but also because he exists totally without conscience. The chameleon-like Tom is sent by a rich American to retrieve his dilettante son, Dickie Greenleaf, from Italy. When Tom cannot win Dickie over, he kills him and assumes his identity. Hayden gives vivid internal life to this sociopath. The fascination of the performance is that Hayden has you marveling at the character's perception and intelligence while you are at the same time repelled by him. The experience is like watching a spider move toward his helpless prey. You can hardly bear it, but you cannot possibly turn away. M.O. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]