MovieChat Forums > The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) Discussion > Marge Sherwood character + Gwyneth's mos...

Marge Sherwood character + Gwyneth's most annoying line

posted 12 years ago by Pleasepassthemilkplease
30 replies | jump to latest

I have loved this movie for years but only recently read the book. In the book, Marge is not at all a glamorous woman. She grew up in Ohio. Obviously, when they cast Gwyneth to play Marge, the idea that Marge was dowdy or not attractive had to go out the window and they re-wrote Marge's story so that Marge went to Europe to flee "that whole Park Avenue crowd," went to Montmartre to write a book, met Dickie, got engaged to him, etc. Making Marge attractive & glamorous and making her Dickie's fiancee instead of a fellow expat who may be Dickie's "friend with benefits" definitely worked better for the story. But did they have to make her so over the top? I don't hate Gwynnie in this movie; sometimes her delivery is actually pretty spot on. BUT every time I watch it I absolutely cringe at the line, near the beginning, when Tom is pretending to leave town and right before he & Dickie head to that club in Naples, where Tom's jazz albums "fall out" of that satchel and he brings up Charlie Parker/Bird - knowing Dickie's sailboat is named "Bird," and Marge exclaims: "Which is ridiculous! Everyone knows you can't call a boat after a man!" Anyone else have an irrational reaction to this line and/or its delivery?

[–] Lucy9596 12 years ago

Marge exclaims: "Which is ridiculous! Everyone knows you can't call a boat after a man!" Anyone else have an irrational reaction to this line and/or its delivery?

I noticed it at least. You can call a ship Horatio Nelson and it still would be 'female'.

If the idea is to stay alive, I'm driving.

[–] gcarras (2728) 7 years ago

I'm surprisd Disney named its VW bug Herbie! I always support feminine identities for the vechilers, land, sea and air.

[–] Ilario1 12 years ago

Haha this movie is on tv right now and she just said that line. I had a strange reaction too. I'm not sure if it was her delivery or if the line was meant to make her sound stupid. I don't cringe but it felt kind of misplaced.

"What happens to a dream deferred?"

[–] franzkabuki 12 years ago

Don´t remember the delivery, but it´s hardly stupid as it clearly references the homosexual attraction between the two lads she´d picked up on. And I don´t find Paltrow over-the-top at all - she´s a lot better, more intelligent than the mousy version we see in Plein Soleil, for instance.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] Allenism 11 years ago

I thought she was just plain annoying in this movie, full stop.

http://i46.tinypic.com/33wv0jd.gif

[–] invisiblehen 11 years ago

Nah, doesn't annoy me at all. I just see it as a good example of someone wanting to 'chip in' on a conversation that they don't really know anything about.

[–] EJverh 11 years ago

Well, Anthony made a lot of changes from the book, and for the better (or rather to suit the film better), such as making Marge Dicki's equal in both appearance, education and social status. Also, if we were to go by the book alone, we would never have gotten Meredith, who is so delisciously annoying in every scene, made from scratch by the mesmerising Blanchett. I thought everyone did their best in this film from Damon to Jude, Paltrow to Blanchett and Hoffman to Davenport. I thought that the entire group (Gwyneth included) beautifully created their characters inside-out, utterly believeable and completely fleshed-out. Marge's journey, in particular, has been the most interesting and noticeable throughout the film. Her personality has changed 360 degrees from the time we first meet her to her last scene in Venice by this horrifying experience. And as a side-note, I was really disappointed that neither of the players (excluding Law) received any awards for their superlative performances. I think this is Damon's best work to-date and one of Paltrow's few endeavors as a serious character actress (the others would be 'Sylvia', 'Proof' and by some degree 'Shakespeare in Love'). Hoffman, Blanchett and Davenport had very little screen time to be taken seriously (by the awards) but what a beautiful work they have created in such a short period of screen time!
I didn't find Marge annoying at the least. Gwyneth did a beautiful job here by making us understand and care for her character. Her scene at the door in Dicki/Ripley's apartment in Rome about "Not counting anymore" is heartbreaking and still gets me every time.

[–] edhel23 11 years ago

I agree that every actor was very, very good in this. I was watching the scene with Freddie confronting Tom, when he stands near the pinao and presses the keys, and was thinking how an absolutely great actor "Freddie" is. Then i looked him up, and whoa, it was PSH, how could I not recognize him?! A brilliant actor.
The rest of the cast was superb, too.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009K5DV6Q

[–] Suriname86 10 years ago

I recognized him but, I'm not surprised you didn't. He looks very young in this movie; almost babyfaced, especially with that light blonde hair, you hardly see that color on adult men.

[–] spookyrat1 11 years ago

I didn't find Marge annoying at the least.

Neither did I and I agree with you in that I like the changes Minghella brought to the character of Marge and not just the physical.

In the film she is far more friendly and considerate of Ripley earlier than in the book and therefore her gradual descent into (well-founded) suspicions and paranoia about his behaviour are all that more obvious and sympathetic.

I think Gwyneth Paltrow was perfect in the part and yes she made

...us understand and care for her character

...the only one who actually understood Ripley's game, yet wasn't believed.

[–] tearsnhoney 9 years ago

Hoffman, Blanchett and Davenport had very little screen time to be taken seriously (by the awards) but what a beautiful work they have created in such a short period of screen time!

I've seen less screen time in supporting roles win a lot of acclaim... I think all 3 had plenty of screen time to be considered for an award..

[–] gcarras (2728) 7 years ago

"I didn't find Marge annoying in the least"-EJverh
Neither did I! Of the girls, both she and Mereidth were relate able too.

[–] Zuider_Zee 11 years ago

Paltrow rubs me the wrong way and has annoyed me in everything I've watched that featured her as a performer.

[–] Kim_Chi 10 years ago

I absolutely loved Paltrow's performance in this film. I was shocked she didn't get a Best Supporting Actress nom. The way she is so carefree and happy in the beginning to the confused and heartbroken middle to the downright wanting to strangle Ripley with all conviction that she "knew it was him" at the films end.
What a strong pitch perfect performance of emotions by Paltrow.
This film made me see her in a different light ever since.

[–] gcarras (2728) 7 years ago

AGreed! Gynnie:I know it's you...(bitch-purse slaps him) It was you, Tom

[–] yatzo376 10 years ago

Same here!

The only role I liked her in was the first Iron Man.

[–] marbleann 10 years ago

Paltrow rubs me the wrong way and has annoyed me in everything I've watched that featured her as a performer.

I saw 2 movies before she was a big star that she was not annoying in. One a TV movie with Robert Urich called Deadly Relations. Where she played the daughter of a maniac. She actually had more then two expressions on her face. And some movie I saw with her mother in it, Cruel Doubt. where she had very little to do. I never understood the fuss about her. I think she is somebody you either like or not.
I think in this movie she and Matt Damon are the weak parts. Both are annoying and how can anyone envision a toothy Damon sliding into a character Jude Law was playing.

[–] monkey714 10 years ago

Anyone else have an irrational reaction to this line and/or its delivery?

Yes, and it's in the delivery, specifically of the word "man."