The Talented Mr. Ripley (film) locations included the Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna in Rome, and the Caffè Florian in the Piazza San Marco, Venice. To prepare for the role of Ripley, Damon lost 30 pounds and learned to play the piano. Jude Law gained weight and learned to play the saxophone for his character; he also broke a rib when he fell backward while filming the murder scene in the boat. Roger Ebert gave the film four-out-of-four stars, calling it "an intelligent thriller" that is "insidious in the way it leads us to identify with Tom Ripley ... He's a
The Light in the Piazza (novel) A secondary plot resembles a comedy of manners as it examines the national differences between Americans and Italians, both represented in a somewhat stereotypical fashion. Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein adapted Spencer's book for a 1962 film, directed by Guy Green. The cast included Olivia de Havilland, Yvette Mimieux, Rossano Brazzi, and George Hamilton, who was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his performance. In 2003, the book inspired a musical adaptation, written by Craig Lucas and composed by Adam Guettel. The Light in the Piazza (novel) The Light in the Piazza is a 1960 novella by Mississippi writer Elizabeth Spencer.